Quito - Post Report Question and Answers
How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
We have a great mailroom! It typically takes 6-10 days for mail to arrive via DPO, though we had a major delay this past Christmas due to commercial airlines bumping our mail from their flights. Pouch takes about a week for delivery. - Jul 2023
DPO and Pouch are both available. The only problem was during the December holidays there was a big backup. - Jul 2023
We use DPO 90% of the time and pouch once in a while. There is a FedEx for important documents. - Jul 2019
We only use DPO. Things arrive in about a week, sometimes less time. Letter mail a little longer. Letter mail going out takes a bit longer still, but boxes out take about 1-2 weeks. - Jul 2018
DPO. - Mar 2017
DPO, but the local facilities seem fine. - Sep 2016
Most expats bring items with them as they travel back and forth. Ecuador is severely limiting outside shipments due to currency issues. Make friends with someone at the U.S. Embassy and see if they can send that special item for you. FedEx, UPS, and DHL all operate in Ecuador, but they are expensive options. - Aug 2015
DPO mainly. - Aug 2014
I used the DPO. - Jul 2012
I haven't really sent letters, I receive them from the States at my apartment building. Most buildings don't have mailboxes, so the guard holds on to the letters. Be aware if you have anything valuable sent to you. Also, not recommendable to send goods from home. You will be taxed on your goods at two to three times the value. I even have one friend whose package was allegedly sent back to the States because her used clothes were in the box, and it is not allowed to ship used clothing to Ecuador. It never arrived back to her parents in the States, so she lost all of her things. - Jan 2011
The embassy has a DPO. - May 2010
APO/DPO mail. - Oct 2009
Quito has a DPO (successor to APO) which works reasonably well. Ecuadorian mail service should not be trusted. Courier services like FedEx and DHL are also available. - Jan 2009
