Puerto Rico By Mail

Sending a postcard within Puerto Rico costs $0.25, while sending letters (up to 1 oz) domestically costs $0.39 and requires about 6 days.

Airmail is the best way to send mail home from Puerto Rico. Aerogrammes, printed sheets that fold into envelopes and travel via airmail, are available at post offices. Write “airmail,” “par avion,” or “por avión” on the front. Most post offices will charge exorbitant fees or simply refuse to send aerogrammes with enclosures. Surface mail is by far the cheapest and slowest way to send mail. It takes one to two months to cross the Atlantic and one to three to cross the Pacific—good for heavy items you won’t need for a while, such as souvenirs or other articles you’ve acquired along the way that are weighing you down.

Sending Mail To Puerto Rico

To ensure timely delivery, mark envelopes “airmail,” “par avion,” or “por avión.” In addition to the standard postage system whose rates are listed below, Federal Express (www.fedex.com; Australia ☎+61 13 26 10, Canada and the US 800-463-3339, Ireland +353 1800 535 800, New Zealand +64 0800 733 339, the UK + 44 0800 123 800) handles express mail services from most countries to Puerto Rico. Mail is more reliable in large metropolitan areas; allow extra time for mail to reach rural areas.

There are several ways to arrange pick-up of letters sent to you while you are abroad. Mail can be sent via General Delivery or Lista de Correos in almost any city or town in Puerto Rico with a post office, and it is somewhat reliable (your best bet is to send packages as “certified mail”). Address General Delivery letters like so:

- Ricky MARTIN
- General Delivery
- City, PR POSTAL CODE

The mail will go to a special desk in the central post office, unless you specify a post office by street address or postal code. It’s best to use the largest post office, since mail may be sent there regardless. It is usually safer and quicker, though more expensive, to send mail express or registered. Bring your passport (or other photo ID) for pick up. If the clerks insist that there is nothing for you, have them check under your first name as well. Let’s Go lists post offices in the Practical Information section for each city and most towns.