Service Updates

Thank you for your patience, loyalty and continued support over the last year during the challenging and unprecedented times that Covid-19 has presented. During this time, we have made and continue to make the necessary ongoing operational changes to keep our people and our customers safe, as we deliver the best possible service. Unfortunately, on occasion local resourcing issues, associated self-isolation and safety measures impact our normal high levels of service. We continually monitor the situation to get back to business as usual as quickly as possible.

You can monitor all Covid-19 updates here.

UK

Any service issues will be detailed below;

Service Issues:

UK Service Messages - (Advisory / Suspensions)

Last updated 13:05 Thu. 21st Oct.

The table below shows the current advisory and suspended service changes in place across the UK. These messages are reviewed daily.

Last Updated: 21st October 2021
 
Message Status Issue Date Raised Details
Service Guarantee Suspension Unprecedented absence levels 19 October 2021

We are experiencing a high level of unplanned absence in the operation as a result of COVID related absences. These issues are particularly acute in some areas of the country where infection rates are at the highest. Affecting the below postcodes;

  • LN13-9 LN4-1 PE25-1

We are working hard to increase resource levels to safely ensure service levels are maintained for our customers and where delays do occur, to minimise them as much as we can.

We apologise for any inconvenience and would like to thank our customers for their patience.

 

 

 

International

If there are any service issues, they appear below;

Service Issues:

Europe - (Coronavirus) COVID-19 Service Update

Last updated 7:00 Thu. 21st Oct.

Please visit parcelforce.com/coronavirus for more information on sending and receiving parcels. Please see below for information on sending to specific countries.

Important Notices:

  1. All countries across Europe are now under a suspension of service guarantee for delivery speed delays, unless stated in Table A. This is in place from 16 March 2020 due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation.           (000E)
  1. Most of our European partners have also now adjusted their capturing of Proof of Delivery (POD) information at the doorstep / location in respect of COVID-19 rules. It is therefore expected that a new process involving hand over of deliveries whilst maintaining the 2 metres safe distance and manual recording of name or ID or special number is in place across the continent currently.
  1. If, as a result of regional or business closures, our partners are unable to successfully complete a delivery, items may be exported back to the UK. Please check that your recipient will be able to receive your parcel, before you send.
  1. We advise customers who are planning to send permitted perishable items, internationally to be particularly aware of the current potential delays to delivery and consider this before shipping. Details on permitted perishable items can be found here.
  1. Following the recent COVID-19 changes, we have re-opened some countries with a reduced frequency due to limited airline capacity. Parcels are currently safely held in our network until such time as they can be despatched. These countries and  frequencies can be found in the panel below.  We anticipate over the coming weeks for frequencies to improve and for parcel delivery speeds to also improve to normal levels. 

Last updated 14th October 2021

Table A - These are countries that currently have service guarantees in place

Country ISO
Ireland  IE

The current COVID-19 pandemic has affected deliveries to all parts of Europe and therefore, in order to keep you up to date with the latest information, changes that affect delivery are covered in the following 4 tables;

Table 1 - These are countries that currently have no service and are completely suspended

Country

ISO

Status

Last Updated

Ref

Currently, there are no countries with a complete suspension (i.e. no ability to deliver parcels)

Table 2 - These are countries / areas within countries that are currently suspended on a temporary basis due to COVID-19 (or other localised issues) - deliveries are still being made, but delays can be expected

Country ISO Status Products Last Update Received Ref Last Reviewed
Croatia HR

 

Croatian Post has updated that due to the recent earthquake, seismic activities are still noted in the affected area. 

Post offices in 44000 Sisak and 44010 Sisak-Caprag and 43 272 Nova Rača are closed.  Delays are still to be expected until further notice. 

 ALL 4 May 2021 072021 16th August 2021

 

Table 3 - Countries where there are infrequent delivery services - where Parcelforce has had a reduction in export frequency from a normal higher frequency per week - these destinations remain open and parcels are being delivered.

Country
ISO
Frequency
Ref
Albania  AL Once a week 110
Bosnia & Herzegovina
BA
Once a week
110
Gibraltar
GI
Twice a week
110
Montenegro
ME
Once a week
110
Serbia (and Kosovo)
RS
Once a week
110
Ukraine
UA
Once a week
110

 

Table 4 - Countries that are in Lockdown or Specific areas in Lockdown (i.e. deliveries are still taking place but are additionally delayed by increased restrictions) 

Country

ISO

Status

Status / Areas Affected

Last  Update Received

Ref

 Last Reviewed
New Caledonia NCL COVID-19 Restrictions/ no signature  Strict lockdown in place  7th September 2021 752021 7th September 2021
Austria  AU COVID-19 Restrictions Pandemic impacting mail operations  14 October 2021 812021 14 October 2021

 

Rest of the World - (Coronavirus) COVID-19 Service Update

Last updated 7:00 Thu. 21st Oct.

Please visit parcelforce.com/coronavirus for more information on sending and receiving parcels. Please see below for information on sending to specific countries.

Important Notices:

  1. All countries globally are now under a suspension of service guarantee for delivery speed delays, unless stated in Table A. This is in place from 18 March 2020 due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation.                ​​​​​​       (000R)
  2. Most of our global partners have also now adjusted their capturing of Proof of Delivery (POD) information at the doorstep / location in respect of COVID-19 rules. It is therefore expected that a new process involving hand over of deliveries whilst maintaining the 2 metres safe distance and manual recording of name or ID or special number is in place across the continent currently.
  3. If, as a result of regional or business closures, our partners are unable to successfully complete a delivery, items may be exported back to the UK. Please check that your recipient will be able to receive your parcel, before you send.
  4. We advise customers who are planning to send permitted perishable items, internationally to be particularly aware of the current potential delays to delivery and consider this before shipping. Details on permitted perishable items can be found here
  5. Following the recent COVID-19 changes, we have re-opened some countries with a reduced frequency due to limited airline capacity. Parcels are currently safely held in our network until such time as they can be despatched. These countries and  frequencies can be found in the panel below.  We anticipate over the coming weeks for frequencies to improve and for parcel delivery speeds to also improve to normal levels. 

Last updated: 8th September 2021

Table A - These are countries that currently have service guarantees in place 

Country ISO
Japan JP
Singapore  SG
Canada CA
Norway NO
Ukraine UA
Taiwan TW

 

The current COVID-19 pandemic has affected deliveries to large parts of the world outside Europe and therefore, in order to keep you up to date with the latest information, changes that affect delivery are covered in the following 3 tables;

Table 1 - These are countries that currently have no service and are completely suspended

Country ISO Status Products Last Changed Additional Information Ref

 

Table 2 - These are countries / areas within countries that are currently suspended on a temporary basis due to COVID-19 (or other localised issues) - new routes are being sought to take globalpriority and globalvalue parcels.

Country ISO Status Products Last Changed Additional Information Ref
Kiribati KIR Service Temporarily Suspended
globalpriority
globalvalue
9th July 2021 Service is suspended due to carrier issues  582021
Tuvalu TUV Service Temporarily Suspended
globalpriority
globalvalue
9th July 2021 Service is suspended due to carrier issues 592021
Grand Cayman KY Service Temporarily Suspended
globalpriority
globalvalue
17th August 2021 Service is suspended due to carrier issues  

Table 3 - Countries that are subject to infrequent despatches - parcels are held safely in our hubs until time to despatch - all destinations are open

Note: This table relates to globalpriority and globalvalue services only - globalexpress is not affected

Country ISO Frequency Last Changed Ref
Antigua AG Twice a week 07 January 2021 -
Argentina AR Once a week 07 January 2021 110
Ascension Island & St Helena SH Infrequent (The situation is likely to be ongoing until Airport/runway rebuilding work is complete) 23 June 2021 212018AO
Bahamas BS Once a week 07 January 2021 -
Barbados BB Twice a week 07 January 2021 -
Belarus BY Twice a week 30 April 2021 110
Bermuda BM Twice a week 07 January 2021 -
Bolivia BO Once a week 07 January 2021 -
Brazil BR Once a week 07 January 2021 110
Brunei Darussalam BN Every 6 weeks 24 May 2021 -
Central African Republic CF Once a week 01 July 2020 110
Chile CL Twice a week 01 July 2020 110
Cuba CU Once a week 07 January 2021 -
Dominican Republic DO Once a week 07 January 2021 -
Ecuador EC Once a week 07 January 2021 -
India IN Three times a week 30 April 2021 110
Grenada GD Once a week 07 January 2021 -
Jamaica JM Twice a week 07 January 2021 -
Kenya KE Once a week 01 July 2020 110
Laos LA Twice a week 6th May 2021 -
Mauritius MU Once a week 18 November 2020 110
Pakistan PK Once a week 30 July 2020 110
Paraguay PY Once a week 07 January 2021 -
Peru PE Once a week 07 January 2021 -
Russia RU Once a week 01 July 2020 110
Samoa WS Once a week 02 November 2020 110
Sri Lanka LK Once a week 01 July 2020 110
St Kitts & Nevis KN Once a week 07 January 2021 -
St Lucia LC Once a week 07 January 2021 -
Uganda UG Once a week 01 July 2020 110
Uruguay UY Every 2 weeks 07 January 2021 110
Zambia ZM Once a week 01 July 2020 110

 

 

 

Australia delays

Last updated 7:00 Thu. 21st Oct.

Start date: 22nd September 2021
End date: Ongoing
Latest update: 29th September 2021

Australian Post has update that positive cases of COVID have been detected at their Melbourne Office of Exchange, so it is to be closed for deep cleaning over next few days.   The region has also been affected by the recent Earthquake, so structural checks will need to take place at the OE.

As result, operation for all inbound mail due for Melbourne during this period will be affected, while other offices of exchange in Brisbane and Sydney continue to process mail items at this time, subject to previously announced COVID restrictions.

China delays

Last updated 7:00 Thu. 21st Oct.

Start Date: 20th August 2021
End Date: Ongoing
Latest Update: 10th September 2021

China Post has notified of significant delays in processing at their major airports (Shanghai and Beijing). Connectivity to Guangzhou has been temporarily suspended by carriers and we don’t expect this to restart for a minimum of 7 days. 

These delays are due to the additional disinfection process, recently introduced to combat COVID-19. Many airlines have already cancelled flights to Shanghai airport, but we will endeavour to maintain service until notified differently by the authorities. The situation could change with short notice, we are monitoring our carriers and we will offer further updates as the situation changes.

We are seeking alternative options to deliver items as quickly as possible, but please expect delays for items sent on any of our services to China.

Customs Delays - EU Countries

Last updated 7:00 Thu. 21st Oct.

Delays to the EU
Items are leaving the UK on time but we are experiencing delays to the following countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal and Slovenia. This applies in particular to our postal services including Euro Economy and Global Priority. We are working with our postal partners to maintain services across the EU. However, delays should be expected as a result of Covid-19 measures.

Customers may also experience delays as a result of the time needed to process items through customs in each country. We are working with our delivery partners abroad to ensure as many items as possible are delivered without delay.  Should your parcel be caught up in these delays we recommend you check the tracking information (if part of the service you have purchased) and monitor the latest service updates which can be found on our website

Last Posting Dates 2021
Please be aware that due to changes to customs handling in the EU since 1 July 2021, we are experiencing longer transit, processing and delivery times to some EU countries. As a result, our last recommended posting dates 2021 to some EU countries may be slightly earlier than previous years. Please visit https://www.parcelforce.com/sending-parcel/last-posting-dates for the latest updates.  

Customs declarations

All customers need to complete and attach a customs declaration (CP72 and/or CN23) when sending goods to all destinations abroad. Otherwise items may be delayed or returned. To avoid delays/returns due to customs compliance please see our help pages:

European Service Messages - (Advisory / Suspensions)

Last updated 7:00 Thu. 21st Oct.

The table below shows the current advisory and suspended service changes in place outside the UK. These messages are reviewed daily.

Last Reviewed: 19 October 2021 
 
       
Available

europriority

euroeconomy

 19 October 2021

Please be aware that services may be subject to delay in the destination country due to both new customs clearance processes and the ongoing Covid-19 measures.

Service Temporarily Suspended

europriorityimport service

 19 October 2021
Recent changes in customs clearance processes mean that we continue to implement further system updates to support our europriorityimport service.
 
Our europriorityimport service will be temporarily unavailable from 18 January 2021 until these updates are completed.
We will keep you updated on the progress of this.
 
Any existing parcels in our network are being processed as quickly as possible.
 
Guidance on the required customs data and documentation can be found here.
 
We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Advisory

Return to Sender Process for Account Customers 

 19 October 2021

We may need to return your parcels for one of the following reasons:

(1) Insufficient Customs data and/or export documentation provided.

(2) Sending Prohibited or Restricted Goods

(3) The item could not be delivered in destination country.

 

 

Imports into the UK

Last updated 7:00 Thu. 21st Oct.

Imports into the UK

We are processing both GLS and postal imports with traffic flowing in both cases. Whilst there have been some short-term delays, items where duties, taxes and charges need to be paid are being processed through the depot network and recipients will be notified accordingly.

Where import items and in particular GLS imports require customs clearance these are flowing through the network but can be subject to delay due to import documentation requirements.

Thailand - Flooding

Last updated 7:00 Thu. 21st Oct.

Start date: 1 October 2021
End date: To be advised
Latest update: 20 October 2021
 

Thailand Post has updated that the flood waters in the following postcode areas have subsided, with mail operations and delivery of postal items back to normal for: 15xxx, 21xxx, 24xxx, 32xxx, 33xxx, 34xxx, 35xxx, 37xxx, 42xxx, 62xxx, 63xxx, 64xxx, 67xxx.

However, the following postcode areas are still affected by the flooding with likely delivery delays to:

  • 10130
  • 11xxx, 12xxx, 13xxx, 14xxx, 16xxx, 18xxx
  • 23xxx, 25xxx
  • 30xxx, 36xxx
  • 40xxx, 44xxx
  • 60xxx, 61xxx, 65xxx, 66xxx
  • 72xxx, 73xxx

Thai Post will provide an update when situation returns to normal.

Countries we do not currently deliver to

List of Countries with limited or no current service level

Last updated 7:00 Thu. 21st Oct.

The following list of countries are those Parcelforce has no current capability to reach, or we have a limited service via globalexpress

Country ISO Service Capability Details
Afghanistan AF No Service except for globalexpress to some locations 
Service is suspended until further notice for our globalpriority and globalvalue services. Parcels should not be accepted and if sent will be returned to sender.
 
However, Afghanistan currently can be reached via our globalexpress service.
Dominica  DM No service  There is currently no service to this country / territory.
Guinea-Bissau GW No service There is currently no service to this country / territory.
Kiribati KIR Service Temporarily Suspended for 

globalpriority
globalvalue

 Service is suspended due to carrier issues 
Libya LY No Service except for globalexpress to some locations 
Service is suspended until further notice for our globalpriority and globalvalue services. Parcels should not be accepted and if sent will be returned to sender.
 
However, Libya currently can be reached via our globalexpress service.
Somalia SO No service There is currently no service to this country / territory.
South Sudan SS No service There is currently no service to this country / territory.
St Christopher St Kitts & Nevis KN No service  There is currently no service to this country / territory.
St Vincent & The Grenadines VC No service There is currently no service to this country / territory.
Syria SY No service There is currently no service to this country / territory.
Tuvalu TUV Service Temporarily Suspended for 

globalpriority
globalvalue

 Service is suspended due to carrier issues
Ukraine UA There is full service to the whole country, except the Crimea region and other Oblasts as shown in the next column 
There are 24 delivery regions in Ukraine (Oblasts) and we are currently unable to deliver to 3 of these;
 
Donetsk Oblast - postcodes starting 83xxx to 87xxx - including cities of Donetsk and Mariupol
 
Luhansk Oblast - postcodes starting 91xxx to 94xxx - including cities of Luhansk and Krasnyi Luch
 
Crimea (annexed by Russia in 2014) - postcodes starting 95xxx to 99xxx - including Simferopol and Sevastopol
 
The remaining 21 regions are operating normally at the current time with globalpriority delivery times as stated on the worldwide directory page of this website. The worldwide directory can be reached here
Venezuela VE No service
Service is suspended until further notice for our globalexpress, globalpriority, globalvalue and globaleconomy services.
 
Parcels should not be accepted and if sent will be returned to sender by the Venezuelan authorities.
 
We will remove the suspension when we are able to recommence services.
Yemen YE No Service except for globalexpress to some locations 
Service is suspended until further notice for our globalpriority and globalvalue services. Parcels should not be accepted and if sent will be returned to sender.
 
However, Yemen currently can be reached via our globalexpress service.