Two kinds of mail can be tracked internationally when sent from the U.S. to a foreign county: Registered Express Mail and Global Express Guaranteed Mail. Any other method is not traceable, according to the U.S. Postal Service. To make sure your package has been delivered or to find out where it is on its way to the foreign destination, you will need to make a trip to your local post office and fill out forms and labels to assign custom tracking numbers.
Go to Your Local Post Office
Go to your local post office and fill out the appropriate forms with the information requested, including the name, country and address of the recipient.
Fill Out the Customs Form
Fill out the Customs Declaration and Dispatch Notice form for any packages over 4 lbs., which is required in addition to the Guaranteed or Registered Mail form you have filled out. The Customs form will ask more detailed information than other of the other two forms, including a details of the contents, its weight and value.
Make Certifications
Pay for insurance on the package, if you want it. You must also provide the recipient's telephone or fax number or email address and your license number. Certify that nothing dangerous is in the package.
Pay Fees
Pay the fee for postage and any insurance purchased. Keep all copies of the paperwork to track the letter or package.
Track the Package
Track the package by calling the postal service phone number provided on the shipping forms and providing the tracking number to the customer-service representative. Alternatively, enter the tracking information in the appropriate area of the USPS website. You'll learn the location of the letter or package at various stops and the status of the delivery process.
References
Writer Bio
Chuck Ayers began writing professionally in 1982, breathing life into obituaries, becoming a political and investigative reporter at a major East Coast metropolitan newspaper. He now freelances and is a California communications and political consultant. He graduated from American University, Washington, D.C., with degrees in political science and economics.