Here you will find the latest UK & global mail service updates and a list of upcoming worldwide public holidays. This is updated throughout the week with latest information available.
UK Service Updates
We are currently experiencing no collection issues with regards to UK mail or parcel deliveries but in some instances we have experienced delays to the processing and/or delivery of UK mail and courier items as a result of high volumes in the respective networks.
International Service Updates
GENERAL UPDATE – The closure of Russian airspace is causing delays to transport routes, especially to those in the far east. There are also severe delays at both sides of the Channel Tunnel due to extremely high demand and a reduced service which is affecting parcel deliveries both to an3d from Europe. Delays are also being seen to numerous destinations as a result of current flight capacity or destination handling issues.
POST-BREXIT EU TRANSPORT/CLEARANCE UPDATE – A number of our suppliers (both postal and courier) are reporting issues with regards to road transport and clearance at the EU border. This is causing delays and a number of suppliers are now charging additional EU clearance fees. If you require any additional information or if you would like to talk to our team to see how this may affect you, please contact or Client Service Team on +44 (0)1444 871111 or via e-mail on [email protected].
Belarus – Due to flying restrictions to Belarus, the country is currently only available via road. This results in a delay of approximately 14 days. As soon as flying is possible again, the transit time will be back to normal. Ongoing (issue start date: 27/05/22)
Canada – The delivery of mail and parcels to certain areas of Canada is being impacted by wildfires and evacuation orders. Affected areas include some parts of Alberta, Quebec and Nova Scotia. For more details about the contingency measures, please check the Canada Post website. Ongoing (issue start date: May 2023)
Colombia – The Mail and parcels to Colombia are expected to be delayed due to capacity issues at Colombia Post and the airport. Ongoing (issue start date: July 2023)
China – Mail and parcels to China and special administrative regions Hong Kong and Macau are experiencing delays due to typhoon Saola. Expected delay 3-5 days. Ongoing (issue start date: 31/08/23)
Congo – Mail and parcels with destination Congo are expected to be delayed due to heavy floods. Expected delay 7-14 days. Ongoing (issue start date: May 2023)
Cyprus – The delivery of mail and parcels with destination Cyprus is experiencing delays due to major flooding. IT systems are also damaged, resulting in missing tracking information like delivery confirmations. Expected delay: 1-3 days. Ongoing (issue start date: 14/04/23)
Eritrea – We have been informed that due to the domestic situation in the country, all mail services to this destination remain suspended. Ongoing (issue start date: 08/10/18)
Georgia – Mail and parcels to Georgia are experiencing delays due to transport issues. Expected delay 2-3 days Ongoing (issue start date: 05/09/23)
Greece – Hellenic Post ELTA reports that the country has been hit by heavy rainstorms, flooding and landslides which affects many areas especially in Central and North Greece. As a consequence many domestic operations of Hellenic Post (collection, transportation and delivery) have been affected. Ongoing (issue start date: 05/09/23)
Hong Kong – Mail and parcels to destination Hong Kong are experiencing delays due to transport issues – expected delays upto to 14 days. Ongoing (issue start date: 04/10/22)
Indonesia – The Indonesia post office, Pos Indonesia, has communicated a change to national customs regulations effective 1st August 2021. All inbound postal items and the related declaration forms (CN 23 EMS, CN 22, CN 23 and CP 72) are to be completed with the corresponding tax ID (NPWP) of the Indonesian resident, where available. For corporate addressees, tax ID information is required. For private addresses, if the tax ID number is not available, there are some alternatives:
• National identity number (NIK);
• Passport number (for foreigners); or
• Other identification number, e.g. driver’s licence number.
Failure to comply with this regulation may result in inbound processing delays, as items will be held until the required identification numbers have been provided. Furthermore, in accordance with the new regulation, all inbound postal items containing goods will be submitted to Customs. Therefore, it is very important that all necessary steps are taken to ensure that the CN 23 EMS, CN 22, CN 23 and CP 72 customs declaration forms for all postal items containing goods (letter mail, parcels and EMS) are duly completed in accordance with article 20-001 of the UPU Convention Regulations. Incomplete, incorrectly completed, or missing customs declara tions may cause delays in delivery. Ongoing (issue start date: 04/08/21)
Indonesia – Pos Indonesia, inform that, as result of the implementation of new import regulations by Indonesian Customs, delays in the delivery of all international inbound items should be expected from 17 to 24 October 2023. performance. Ongoing (issue start date: 20/10/23)
Israel – Israel Postal Company (Israel Post) have informed our suppliers that as of 7th October 2023, Israel has entered a complex and severe military situation. Israel Post, as an essential service provider, is doing its utmost to maintain its service level under state security guidelines. However, as there are some flight cancellations, closed roads (especially in the south, but also in the centre of the country), and security restrictions in opening service points and in reaching sensitive and closed areas, there will be an impact on performance. Ongoing (issue start date: 07/09/23)
Italy – Poste Italiane, inform that some Italian unions have announced a 24-hour strike, on October 20th 2023 involving ground handlers and all other airport services personnel, in all Italian airports. There could be significant repercussions on all cargo services, such that we cannot guarantee regular service and that consequently there could be slowdowns even on the immediately following weekend. Information on all scheduled strikes is available (in Italian) at http://scioperi.mit.gov.it/mit2/public/scioperi. Poste Italiane thanks all countries and their designated operators for their understanding. Ongoing (issue start date: 19/10/23)
Italy – Poste Italiane would like to inform that they have a backlog for clearance of packets and parcels due to an issue with the national customs IT system. The backlog is also causing capacity issues in the warehouse, therefore also low value items (value below 150,00 €) are impacted, including items with IOSS number. Ongoing (issue start date: 07/09/23)
Jamaica – We’ve been informed that delays of up to seven day delays are being expeirenced due to transport backlogs. Ongoing (issue start date: September 2023)
Jordan – The designated operator of JORDAN, Jordan Post, wishes to inform the designated operators of other Union member countries that, in accordance with the customs clearance procedures prescribed by the Jordanian customs authority for inbound international mail items containing goods, the addressee’s mobile phone number is of vital importance. Once the item is received by Customs, the addressee will be contacted for further customs declaration and payment of customs duties and taxes. The addressee’s mobile phone number will serve as the only credential for login purposes in the customs declaration system. Meanwhile, in an effort to improve customer experience and enhance delivery performance, Jordan Post has been asking mail couriers to contact addressees in advance to arrange a specific time for delivery before they go out to deliver. If the addressee’s mobile phone number is not available, the overall delivery performance will be severely affected. Therefore, all designated operators are requested to inform their staff and customers that, wherever possible, the mobile phone number of the addressee should be provided on the CN 22, CN 23 or CP 72 customs declaration forms for all letter post, parcel post and EMS items containing goods destined for Jordan. Ongoing (issue start date: 28/11/19)
Libya – All mail services to Libya are currently suspended. Ongoing (issue start date: 16/07/14)
Mexico – Mail and parcels to Mexico are expected to be delayed due to limited flight capacity. Expected delay – 7 days. Ongoing (issue start date: March 2023)
Mexico – Mail and parcels with destination Mexico are expected to be delayed due to transport issues at the Mexican postal network and backlogs caused by the closure of the Mexico City International Airport on the 20th of May. Expected delay 2-3 days. Ongoing (issue start date: 20/05/23)
Morocco – The designated operator of Morocco, Poste Maroc, has informed us that an earthquake struck the Marrakesh and Agadir regions on Friday, 8 September 2023. The resulting damage to physical infrastructures has affected postal operations in these two regions. Delays in the processing and delivery of mail is to be expected. Ongoing (issue start date: 13/09/23)
Netherlands – High Volumes in the network are causing delays. Ongoing (issue start date: 15/06/23)
Niger – Mail and parcels with destination Niger cannot be delivered due to a suspension of services in Niger. Ongoing (issue start date: 31/08/23)
Norway – Posten Bring AS informs that following the extreme weather conditions the situation has improved. Heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides continued more or less for the next three weeks, and the main railway connection between Oslo and Trondheim will not open for a long time since the railway bridge in Ringebu collapsed on the 14th August. However the delivery of letter mail and parcels within postcode areas 0001–6999 has been restored with effect from 14 August 2023. All though the delivery services between the southern part of Norway (postcodes 0001–6999) and the central to northern part of the country (postcodes 7000–9999) have not yet resumed as normal. Ongoing (issue start date: 01/08/23 – updated 04/09/23)
North Korea – Destination North Korea is closed due to transport issues. Ongoing (issue start date: 28/09/22)
Peru – The designated operator of Peru, Servicios Postales del Perú (Serpost), wishes to inform that, owing to the civil unrest and protests taking place in Peru, there may be disruption to postal services (both inbound and outbound). The unrest has disrupted transportation and access to certain areas of the country, making it difficult to ensure the timely delivery of mail. Ongoing (issue start date: 10/12/22 – updated 03/02/23)
Poland – Poland Post has advised that they are currently experiencing a significant increase in the volume of items received into their network due to the aid assistance they are providing to bordering Ukraine. Poland Post is continuing to process and deliver items as soon as possible however, due to the increased volumes, delays are to be expected. Ongoing (issue start date: unknown)
Saudi Arabia – The delivery of mail and parcels to Saudi Arabia is experiencing delays due to lack of processing capacity at Saudi Post. Expected delays: 1-2 weeks. Ongoing (issue start date: unknown)
Saudi Arabia – It has been advised that, with immediate effect, Saudi Arabian Customs has introduced some changes for all Non-Document shipments sent to Saudi Arabia. All B2C shipments that contain materials other than documents/printed matter will require the Consignee’s ID number. Where this is not provided, the parcel may be delayed in clearing customs until the ID number is obtained from the consignee. All B2B shipments of non-document materials will require a Commercial Registration Form from the consignee. This will be requested from the consignee when arriving in the country and upon receipt of the form, the parcel can be cleared through customs. Ongoing (issue start date: 15/04/16)
Slovenia – Mail and parcels to and from Slovenia are expected to be delayed due to heavy rainfall and floods in the north and north-east of Slovenia. Expected delays: 5-7 days. Ongoing (issue start date: 01/08/23)
Somalia – All mail services to Somalia are currently suspended. Ongoing (issue start date: 11/11/19)
Sudan – We have been informed that due to the domestic situation in the country, all mail services to this destination are suspended. Ongoing (issue start date: 17/04/23)
Syria – We have been informed that due to the domestic situation in the country, all mail services to this destination remain suspended. Ongoing (issue start date: 08/10/18)
Tanzania – All mail/cargo going to DAR is embargoed until further notice. Ongoing (issue start date: 30/04/18)
Thailand – Thailand Post inform that continuing rains in the central and north-eastern parts of Thailand have led to floods in some provinces. Consequently, blockages in road networks have caused delays in transporting and delivering mail items (letter post, EMS and parcels) to addressees. The affected postcode areas are as follows: 10530, 12xxx, 13xxx, 24xxx, 30xxx, 34xxx, 36xxx, 40xxx, 46xxx, 65xxx, 66xxx and 67xxx.. Ongoing (issue start date: 13/10/23)
Turkey – The Turkish Post Office (Turkish PTT Corporation) has stated that as a result of the two earthquakes that hit the southern and south-eastern regions of the country on 6th February 2023, the Turkish government has declared a state of emergency with effect from 8th February 2023. These devastating earthquakes have caused buildings to collapse and significant disruption to transport and travel in the affected areas. The most severely affected cities are Adana, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Şanlıurfa, as well as the surrounding districts and villages. This has had, and will have, a major impact on operations and, consequently, on the quality of service for all types of inbound mail (letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items) and significant delays are likely in the affected areas. Ongoing (issue start date: 06/02/23)
Ukraine – Delivery of mail to Ukraine is suspended. Ongoing (issue start date: 18/03/14 – updated 01/03/22)
UAE – We have been informed that the UAE customs authorities are reducing the Duty threshold from AED 1000 to AED 300 effective January 1st 2023. Ongoing (issue start date: 01/01/23)
Yemen – All mail services to Yemen have now been suspended. Ongoing (issue start date: 27/03/15)
Upcoming Public Holidays
October 17th – Haiti
October 18th – India (regional), USA (regional – Government holiday), Zambia
October 19th – Grenada
October 20th – Guatemala, Kenya, New Zealand (regional)
October 21st – Burundi, Estonia, India (regional), Nepal
October 22nd – India (regional), Nepal
October 23rd – China, Hong Kong, Hungary, India (regional), Libya, Macau, Nepal, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Thailand
October 24th – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan (regional), Zambia
October 25th – Grenada, India (regional), Kazakhstan, Nepal
October 26th – Austria, Cook Islands, India (regional), Nepal
October 27th – Brazil (Government holiday), Chile, Reformation, India (reginal), Saint Vincent & The Grenadines, USA (regional – Government holiday)
October 28th – Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greece, India (regional), Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka
October 29th – Cambodia, Myanmar, Turkey
October 30th – Ireland, Myanmar, New Zealand
October 31st – Germany, India (regional), Slovenia
November 1st – Algeria, Antigua & Barbuda, Bhutan, Ecuador, India (regional), US Virgin Islands, Various (All Saints Day)
November 2nd – Ecuador, Liberia, Mauritius, Mexico, Nigeria (regional), Various (All Soul’s Day)
November 3rd – Ecuador, Liberia, Mauritius, Mexico, Nigeria (regional), Various (All Soul’s Day)
November 4th – Bhutan, Dominica, Panama, Russia, India (regional), Various (All Saint’s Day, All Soul’s Day)
November 5th – Dominican Republic, Panama
November 6th – Australia (regional), Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Panama, Russia, Tajikistan, Tonga, Various (All Saint’s Day)
November 7th – Australia (regional), belarus, India (regional), Kyrgyzstan, USA (Government holiday – regional)
November 8th – Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan
November 9th – Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Pakistan, Spain (regional)
November 10th – Bolivia (regional), India (regional), Panama, Various (Veteran’s Day)
November 11th – Angola, Bhutan, Canada (regional), Malaysia (regional), Maldives, Poland, Saint Maarten, Various (Remembrance Day, Armistice Day, Veteran’s Day)
November 12th – East Timor, India (Regional), Malaysia (regional), Nepal, Singapore, Various (Remembrance Day, Diwali, Father’s Day)
November 13th – Canada (regional), Various (Remembrance Day, Diwali)
November 14th – Falkland Islands, Guinea-Bissau, India (regional), Mongolia, Nepal
November 15th – Austria (regional), Belgium (regional), India (regional), Nepal, Ivory Coast, Palestine
November 16th – Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba, India (regional), Nigeria (regional), North Korea
November 17th – Czech Republic, Slovakia, New Zealand (regional)
November 18th – Bolivia (regional), Croatia, Haiti, Morocco, Oman
November 19th – India (regional), Latvia, Monaco, Nepal, Oman, Puerto Rico
November 20th – Argentina, Belize, Brazil (regional), India (regional), Mexico, Monaco
November 21st – Bosnia & Herzegovina (regional), Moldova (regional)
November 22nd – Germany (regional), Lebanon
November 23rd – America Samoa, Georgia, Guam, India (regional), Japan, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, USA
November 24th – India (regional), Turks & Caicos, USA (Government holiday – regional)
November 25th – Bosnia & Herzegovina, Suriname
November 26th – Cambodia, Mongolia, Sri Lanka
November 27th – British Virgin Islands, Cambodia, India (regional), Lao, Myanmar, New Zealand (regional), India (regional), Nepal, Philippines
November 28th – Albania, Cambodia, Chad, Congo, East Timor, Mauritania, Panama
November 29th – Albania, Liberia, Vanuatu
November 30th – EBarbados, India (regional), Romania, UK (regional), Yemen
December 1st – ECentral African Republic, Chad, Costa Rica, Ghana, India (regional), Portugal, Romania
