The simplest way to send a gift to someone in another country is to buy it from a shop that already delivers there, so it travels a short distance and does not go through customs. If that is not possible, use a delivery service that handles the paperwork, post it yourself with an honest customs form, or send something digital that needs no parcel at all.
Which of the four suits you depends on where they live, what you want to send and how soon it has to arrive.
When people ask this question online, they usually start with the person. One person asked "what to buy for a newborn and parents living in the UK, when I'm in the US". Another asked what a grandparent visiting from abroad should bring a teenage granddaughter. The border is the second problem, and the four options below deal with it.
Option 1: Order from a local online store in the recipient's country
Try this option first. A gift bought from a shop in their country is delivered within that country. There is no customs form and no import charge, and delivery usually takes days rather than weeks. You still choose the gift yourself. It simply does not have to cross a border to reach them.
This also works the other way round. Someone abroad can order from a UK shop for a friend in the UK. One reviewer in our research did exactly that: they ordered from the US for a friend in the UK.
On Giftsnatch, the makers and brands we sell are based in the UK, Germany, France, Spain and the US. Each one delivers to a different set of countries. Some deliver to UK addresses only. Others deliver to more than two hundred countries. So set Ship to to the country where the gift is going. You will find this setting in the language and currency button at the top of the page. We then hide gifts whose seller tells us it cannot deliver there. Even so, check the seller's delivery page before you pay, because a few sellers have not yet told us which countries they deliver to.
Option 2: Use international gift delivery services
Some services exist to send gifts across borders for you. Examples are a hamper or flower company with a partner in the destination country, or a courier with a gift service that fills in the customs paperwork. You pay more than you would for a delivery within one country. In return, someone else deals with the forms.
Check two things before you choose one. First, check whether the price you see includes any tax or duty in the destination country, or whether the recipient will have to pay it at the door. Second, check who you contact if something goes wrong. A service that hands the parcel to a partner abroad can leave you dealing with two companies, each saying the other is responsible.
Option 3: Ship a physical package yourself
Sometimes the gift is something only you can send, such as biscuits they cannot buy where they live, a book with a note inside, or something from home. In that case, post it yourself.
Fill in the carrier's customs form honestly. Describe the contents clearly, mark the parcel as a gift where the form asks, and state its true value. Then look up the rules of the destination country, because the recipient may be asked to pay before they receive the parcel.
For gifts sent to the UK, the GOV.UK website explains the rules. No VAT is charged on a gift worth £39 or less. Above £39, the recipient pays VAT to the delivery company. Above £135, customs duty can apply as well. Royal Mail, Parcelforce or the courier contacts the recipient if there is anything to pay. Other countries set their own limits, so check their rules before you send anything large or valuable.
Small, light and strong items travel best, such as paper goods, textiles, jewellery or something flat. Heavy, fragile or bulky items are expensive to post. They are also harder to take home if the person ever moves back.
Option 4: Send digital and virtual gifts
A digital gift needs no parcel at all. Examples are an experience booked in their own city, a subscription, a donation in their name or a voucher for a shop near them. These gifts arrive on the day, wherever the person is, and nothing is left waiting at a delivery depot.
But a digital gift feels less personal than an object. So add something personal to it, such as a letter, photographs or a voice message recorded for the day.
Whichever option you choose, you choose the gift the same way as for someone who lives near you. Think about who they are, what they love and what they would never buy for themselves. Tell us about them, set Ship to their country, and swipe through gifts that can actually be delivered to them.
Questions people ask
What if my gift does not arrive in time?
Tell them the gift is coming, and send a card or message on the day, so the date is marked even if the parcel is late. Then contact the seller or delivery company with your order number and ask where the parcel is. People quickly forgive a late gift. When the date is close, choose a seller in their country, or something digital that arrives as soon as you send it.
Who do I contact if my order goes wrong?
Contact the seller you bought from. On Giftsnatch, the seller handles payment, delivery, refunds and returns. The seller's name is on every gift and in your order confirmation. Write to them with your order number and explain what went wrong. If you get no reply, or cannot tell who the seller is, contact us and we will put you in touch with the right person.
Will they have to pay anything to receive my gift?
They might, if the gift crosses a border. Many countries charge tax or duty on parcels above a set value. The delivery company collects this money from the recipient before it hands over the parcel. For gifts sent to the UK, VAT applies above £39. Buying from a seller in their own country avoids this completely, because the delivery never crosses a border.
What can I give someone abroad that does not need posting?
An experience booked where they live, a subscription, a donation in their name, or a gift ordered from a shop in their country and delivered locally. All of them arrive without customs or international postage. Add something only you could send, such as a letter or photographs, so the gift still feels like it came from you.