Students should wait to receive their mail until they have settled into their housing. Only if an emergency address is needed or for the purpose of completing visa paperwork may you direct the letters to the International Office of your University or use the address of the office in Brazil, found on the inside front cover of this handbook.
For mailing packages, we advise you to use the regular post office system rather than UPS or similar services, which encounter more difficulties clearing customs and sometimes require payment of a customs charge or tax on the contents, regardless of what you’re told in the U.S. Generally, a package with a declared value of $30 or less will not be charged duty. Packages from home should have any tags removed from new items and should be labeled “used personal effects” to avoid huge customs fees. If you order something through the mail, the invoice will note the charges, and you should expect to pay between 25-35% of the total value, including the shipping costs. Customs officials also have the right to open a package and reassign its value; this happens in the case of used items most often. A package can take 2-4 weeks to arrive by airmail. Letters usually take 7-15 days.
You should not have prescription medication mailed to you.
