Posting presents from Ireland to Australia for Christmas 2026? An Post’s last recommended dates are Monday 7 December for cards and letters and Tuesday 8 December for parcels, or Friday 18 December if you use its International Courier Service. Going the other way, Australia Post’s last dates for Ireland run from Friday 4 December for Economy Air to Tuesday 15 December for Courier. They are guide dates, not guarantees, so post as early as you can.
Everything below is from An Post, Australia Post and government pages as of November 2026. Flying home or staying put? Our guide to Christmas in Australia when you’re Irish covers flights, public holidays and the best time to ring home.
Short version
- Ireland to Australia: cards by Monday 7 December, parcels by Tuesday 8 December (An Post Standard Post).
- Australia to Ireland: Economy Air by Friday 4 December, Standard by Friday 11 December, Express by Monday 14 December, Courier by Tuesday 15 December (Australia Post, between metro areas).
- Last chance from Ireland: An Post’s International Courier Service runs to Friday 18 December, at selected Post Offices only.
- Customs form: list every item and what it’s made of. “Gift” isn’t a description.
- Food: packaged chocolates and cooked Christmas cake and pudding are fine; rashers, sausages, ham and holly are not.
- No batteries, aerosols or perfume: An Post won’t take them abroad, toys with batteries included.
- Tax: gifts into Ireland are free of duty and VAT up to EUR 45; into Australia, most goods worth AUD 1,000 or less have no duty or taxes.
An Post Christmas posting dates 2026: Ireland to Australia
An Post’s Christmas Last Postal Dates 2026 page doesn’t name Australia. Its columns are Ireland, Northern Ireland, Great Britain, Rest of Europe, USA and Rest of the World, so Australia comes under Rest of the World:
| An Post service (Rest of the World) | Last posting date 2026 |
|---|---|
| Standard Post letters and large envelopes (cards) | Monday 7 December |
| Standard Post parcels | Tuesday 8 December |
| Registered Post letters and large envelopes | Tuesday 8 December |
| Express Post letters and large envelopes | Tuesday 8 December |
| International Courier Service (selected Post Offices only) | Friday 18 December |
An Post says international delivery times are estimates and its dates may change. Also worth knowing:
- Standard Post isn’t tracked abroad. An Post says tracking is only available on parcels within the Republic of Ireland. Standard parcels can weigh up to 20kg.
- Express Post International takes letters and packets up to 2kg, tracked online until delivery.
- The courier isn’t everywhere. The International Courier Service is only at selected Post Offices, so check with yours first.
Australia Post Christmas dates 2026: Australia to Ireland
Australia Post’s Christmas cut-off dates page lists Ireland by name. These are its dates for sending between metro areas:
| Australia Post service (to Ireland) | Send by |
|---|---|
| Economy Air parcels and International Post Registered letters | Friday 4 December 2026 |
| Standard parcels | Friday 11 December 2026 |
| Express parcels and letters | Monday 14 December 2026 |
| Courier parcels and letters (select Post Offices) | Tuesday 15 December 2026 |
Posting from South Australia, Tasmania or the Northern Territory? Australia Post says your items travel interstate before leaving the country, so add 2 business days for Express and 5 for Standard and Economy, and post that much earlier. From regional and rural areas, items will likely take longer too.
- Christmas cards: Australia Post’s Christmas card rate to anywhere in the world is AUD 3.50. The card must be in a sealed envelope marked “Card Only”, no bigger than 260mm x 360mm, 5mm thick and 50g. Australia Post ties that card rule to its Economy Air letters column, so treat Friday 4 December as your card date.
- Sea Mail has sailed. Australia Post’s Christmas cut-off for Sea Mail to Ireland was 21 August 2026.
- Posting to Northern Ireland? It’s under the United Kingdom on Australia Post’s list: Economy Air 4 December, Standard 11 December, Express 15 December and Courier 17 December.
- Posting within Australia? Metro cards go by 18 December interstate or 21 December within your state.
How long does post take between Ireland and Australia?
Neither carrier promises a time, which is why they publish cut-off dates. As a guide:
- Ireland to Australia: An Post’s Standard Post page says international items take three to seven working days. That’s a general figure, not one for Australia, and An Post calls it an estimate. Its postage calculator gives one for your item.
- Australia to Ireland: Australia Post estimates 2 to 3 business days for International Courier, 3 to 6 for International Express, 5 to 10 for International Standard, and 15 or more for International Economy by air (2 to 3 months by Sea Mail). Those are between major cities, for low value items, and don’t include time in customs.
Customs forms: the bit that holds parcels up
Posting from Ireland
An Post says a CN23 customs label is needed when you send goods of any size or value outside the EU, and that gifts must be presented to customs in the country they’re going to. You can fill it in at the Post Office, or online with Click & Post when you buy postage. You’ll need both addresses, a detailed description of the contents, the quantity, weight and value. An Post’s customs page has the full list.
Be specific. Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) says the declaration should say what each item is and what it’s made from, packing materials included, and that “gift”, “present” or “goods” are not acceptable. So not “Christmas presents”, but “2 wool jumpers, 1 box milk chocolates, newspaper packing”.
Posting from Australia
Australia Post needs a CN23 customs form for Courier, Express and Standard parcels, and a CN22 or CN23 for Economy Air parcels up to 2kg. Letters sent by Economy Air or International Post Registered don’t need one. You can fill in the customs form online before you go to the Post Office.
- Add the 10-digit code. Australia Post’s Ireland guide says Irish customs requires a 10-digit HS tariff number (also called a TARIC code) on all customs declarations. When you declare online, you can find it by typing in your description of goods.
- Mark it as a gift. Revenue says the sender should give an accurate description, a commodity code and the value, and also mark the parcel “Gift” or “Present”.
- Use the Eircode. Every home in Ireland has its own 7-character Eircode, so put it on the address.
Can you post Tayto, selection boxes and Christmas cake to Australia?
Some of it. Australia’s biosecurity rules apply to the post, and DAFF says they cover family and friends sending a gift. It checks all mail arriving at its international mail centres, with X-ray and detector dogs. On its Christmas list, DAFF says these are permitted: cooked Christmas cakes and puddings, chocolates, confectionery, and toys that don’t contain animal or plant material. The detail on its bringing or mailing goods page:
- Christmas cake and pudding: allowed if fully cooked, shelf stable (no fridge needed) and with no meat, and any filling or topping must be cooked with the cake. Cheesecake is a separate case.
- Chocolate and selection boxes: commercially prepared and packaged chocolate is allowed, as long as it has no meat in it.
- Barry’s or Lyons: plain black tea is allowed in clean, new, unopened packaging.
- Tayto: crisps aren’t on DAFF’s list, so check the ingredients in its BICON import conditions system before you send them. Or save the postage: our guide to Irish food in Australia shows where to buy Tayto and Barry’s here.
- Rashers, sausages and ham: no. DAFF says uncanned meat isn’t allowed in without an import permit.
DAFF’s Christmas “do not send” list includes holly, mistletoe, wreaths, pine cones, potpourri, raw nuts, fresh fruit and vegetables, salami and other meats, and hampers containing certain food, meat or plant material.
Packing the box from home? DAFF says not to use egg cartons, wooden boxes or boxes that held fruit, vegetables or meat, and not to pack with straw, as insects hide in them. Newspaper or foam is fine.
Get it wrong and it’s binned. Goods that don’t meet the rules are destroyed or sent back, and where treatment is needed, it costs AUD 94 per item, paid by the person receiving it.
Batteries, aerosols and perfume: leave them out
An Post’s prohibited items list for international mail includes:
- batteries, and devices containing batteries, including mobile phones and children’s toys
- aerosols of any kind, cosmetics included
- liquids of any kind, including alcohol, gels, creams, aftershave and perfume
An Post says it returns prohibited items, disposes of them or contacts the authorities. So buy the niece’s battery-powered toy in Australia instead.
From Australia, Australia Post says flammable liquids such as perfume and nail polish, and aerosols, can’t be posted. Its Ireland guide lists batteries, dairy produce and natural honey among the items Ireland prohibits, and meat and milk products as restricted, so check before posting Australian treats home.
Will they pay customs or tax on a Christmas parcel?
Parcels into Australia
The Australian Border Force says that for most goods worth AUD 1,000 or less, there are no duties, taxes or charges to pay. Alcohol and tobacco are the exception: duty and taxes apply whatever their value. Over AUD 1,000, duty, GST and other charges apply, including an import processing charge. See the ABF’s import declarations page.
Parcels into Ireland
Revenue’s gift relief rules say a gift from outside the EU comes in free of customs duty and VAT if:
- its intrinsic value is EUR 45 or less (the goods alone, not postage, insurance or freight)
- it’s sent by a private individual to a private individual, for personal or family use
- the person receiving it hasn’t paid for it, and it’s an occasional present, such as for a birthday or anniversary
If the total goes over EUR 45, VAT is charged on the whole parcel, though duty relief still covers items adding up to EUR 45. Alcohol, tobacco and perfume aren’t exempt from VAT or excise. Revenue’s worked examples also add an administration fee charged by the courier or postal operator.
Big boxes, and sending money instead
For anything too big to post, our Send My Bag review and our guide to shipping from Australia to Ireland compare the options. Check their Christmas cut-offs early.
For the nieces and nephews, money can be easier than a parcel. CurrencyFair is our main partner for sending money between Australia and Ireland.
Spending Christmas here this year? Our guides to the Irish in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast and Perth will help you find your local Irish crowd for the season ☘️
Posting a box home, or waiting on one from the Mammy? Our Facebook groups are full of Irish people in Australia sharing tips on posting home and doing Christmas away. Find yours and say hello.
FAQ
What is An Post’s last posting date for Australia for Christmas 2026?
Monday 7 December for Standard Post letters and cards, and Tuesday 8 December for Standard parcels and for Registered and Express letters. Its International Courier Service runs to Friday 18 December at selected Post Offices. Australia comes under An Post’s Rest of the World dates.
What is Australia Post’s last posting date for Ireland for Christmas 2026?
Friday 4 December for Economy Air, Friday 11 December for Standard, Monday 14 December for Express and Tuesday 15 December for Courier, between metro areas. Post earlier from SA, Tasmania, the NT or a regional area.
How long does post take from Ireland to Australia?
An Post doesn’t publish a separate figure for Australia. Its Standard Post page says international items take three to seven working days, and An Post says international times are estimates, so at Christmas, go by the cut-off dates.
How long does a parcel take from Australia to Ireland?
Australia Post estimates 2 to 3 business days by Courier, 3 to 6 by Express, 5 to 10 by Standard and 15 or more by Economy Air, not counting customs.
Can I post a Christmas cake to Australia?
Yes, if it’s fully cooked, shelf stable and has no meat in it. Describe it properly on the customs form.
Can I post Tayto to Australia?
Crisps aren’t on DAFF’s list of foods, so check BICON first, or buy Tayto here instead: see our guide to Irish food in Australia.
Will my family in Ireland pay tax on a parcel from Australia?
Not if it’s a genuine gift between private people worth EUR 45 or less, not counting postage. Above that, VAT is charged on the whole parcel.
Do I need a customs form for a Christmas card from Australia?
No, letters sent by Economy Air don’t need one. Use a sealed envelope marked “Card Only”, up to 50g, and the AUD 3.50 international Christmas card rate.
What if I miss the last posting date?
Australia Post says late items are delivered as quickly as possible but may not arrive until after Christmas. Courier has the latest dates: 15 December from Australia, 18 December from Ireland.
