Cairo - Post Report Question and Answers
How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
DPO. Do not use local facilities. - Mar 2023
We have DPO for personal mail. Pouch can only be used for official. - Aug 2022
We use Embassy DPO, which can take several weeks and can get backed up at Christmas time. - Aug 2022
We've only used embassy mail (DPO) and the timeline has been somewhat erratic with COVID-19 shipping delays. Generally, we get receive mail every two weeks you will learn how to time your Amazon orders to make the flight on time. - Mar 2022
DPO, DHL: I never used the local mail service. - Dec 2021
Embassy mail. Local mail will probably not make it. DHL is an option. - Feb 2021
I don't use the local post, but the DPO is slow and takes many weeks for transit. Patience is a virtue. - Nov 2020
APO / DPO at embassy. I would not rely on the local mail facilities for anything I'd want to send or receive. - Jan 2020
APO. Mail delivery here is...whimsical at best but not from the fault of anyone in the mail room. The Egyptian government often suspends dip mail service or delays shipments in customs inexplicably so we've had several incidents during our 2 years here where we went for 2 months plus with no mail delivery. - Jun 2018
I have not tried the local mail system. We simply use the US embassy mail system. Mail takes anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months, but a month is common. Currently mail is only delivered every 2 weeks and comes in on military plane from Europe. - Jan 2018
We have an APO (U.S. military mail) within the embassy and that's what pretty much everyone used for letters and packages. I never heard of anyone using the local Egyptian mail system. - Sep 2017
I used embassy mail facilities to send things home. International mail is possible via the Egyptian postal service, but it seemed to take a long time to reach the U.S. International courier services (FedEx, DHL) operate in Egypt. - May 2017
Postal services are dire. I do it through work. - May 2017
We used the US embassy mail. Our first year it took about a week, but the second year was substantially slowed due to various problems. - Jan 2016
The Embassy has an APO - Jan 2016
APO, we love you! - Oct 2014
APO. - Aug 2014
Embassy DPO, but FedEx and UPS are available and will pick up. - Aug 2014
APO - May 2014
APO. - Apr 2014
Embassy APO. - Mar 2014
APO. - Jul 2013
APO - Jul 2013
Embassy APO post office. - Jun 2013
As an Embassy employee, through APO. - Jun 2013
I use the APO for mail. Packages take two to three weeks. - May 2013
APO - two to three weeks. - May 2013
We have APO, but people not with an embassy do have problems. Not sure how they manage. - May 2013
USG personnel have access to the APO system, making mail here easy (though sometimes a bit slow). - Feb 2013
You can use international mail, some embassies rely on the diplomatic pouch, and the U.S. has an APO here. - Feb 2013
APO. It takes as long as three weeks sometimes. - Mar 2013
Post is serviced by APO. - Mar 2013
APO. - Feb 2013
APO at Embassy. - Jan 2013
We have an APO with an office in Garden City (where the Embassy is) and in Maadi at USAID. - Nov 2012
Through the APO at the US Embassy. DHL is available. - Sep 2011
via APO - Aug 2011
Access to APO - Aug 2011
Egyptian mail is ok for letters going and coming from abroad, but do not use it for anything internal. They have a good express mail service for overseas mail. I used to receive letter mail from the US in about 10 days. Do not try to receive packages. Duty on most items is 100% and picking them up from the post office is never a good experience. Many employers offer some kind of pouch service as well. - Jul 2011
Through the diplomatic pouch system. You can ship from the States, too, using APO (Embassy only). - Jun 2011
APO. - Jun 2010
APO - Dec 2009
