That envelope you've been putting off for weeks
There's an important document sitting on your desk. Maybe it's a university degree, a power of attorney or a certificate your family needs in the Philippines. Every day that passes is another day of delay, and you know that if something goes wrong --- if it gets lost, held up at customs, or arrives damaged --- the problem isn't just yours. It's the person waiting for it on the other side. The good news: sending documents to the Philippines from Spain is much simpler than you think. You just need to know a few things that almost nobody explains.
1. Not all documents travel the same way
This is the most common mistake. Many people assume that sending a birth certificate is the same as sending a sale-and-purchase agreement. It's not.
Each type of document has different customs requirements. An apostilled university degree, for example, needs a different customs declaration than a special power of attorney (SPA). If the declaration is wrong, the envelope can sit in Philippine customs for days --- or weeks.
These are the documents we handle most frequently:
- University and academic degrees (apostilled or non-apostilled)
- Special powers of attorney (SPA) for legal proceedings in the Philippines
- Birth, marriage and death certificates
- Notarised contracts and deeds
- Immigration and visa documents
- Passports (with mandatory insurance included)
- Banking and financial documents
According to industry data, more than 12% of international document shipments experience delays due to customs declaration errors. A problem that's easily avoided when someone handles it for you.
But there's something else most people overlook...
2. Packaging matters more than you think
A university degree does not go in a standard envelope. Full stop.
It sounds obvious, but we see it every week: documents that arrive folded, creased or with moisture stains because they travelled in a regular paper envelope. The Philippines has a tropical climate, with humidity above 80% for most of the year. If your document isn't properly protected, it can arrive unreadable.
At Acacia Cargo we use rigid reinforced cardboard envelopes with interior moisture protection. It's not an extra perk. It's the difference between a document that's usable and one that isn't.
And if the document is especially valuable --- a passport, for example --- we pack it with double protection and a security seal.
Now, packaging protects the document physically. But there's another kind of protection that's just as important.
3. Without tracking, there's no peace of mind
Picture this: you sent your sister's university degree five days ago. You have no tracking number. She messages you from Manila asking if it's been shipped yet. You have no idea what to tell her.
That situation shouldn't exist in 2026.
Every shipment we handle includes real-time tracking from the moment the envelope leaves our office in Barcelona until someone receives it in the Philippines. You get updates by SMS or email, and you can check the status at any time.
We work with the leading international carriers with the best coverage in Southeast Asia. Depending on urgency and exact destination, we recommend the one that works best for your case.
| Service | Estimated timeframe | Price |
| Express | 3–5 business days | From 39€ |
For deliveries to provinces outside Manila, add 1–3 extra days depending on the area. Check the latest prices on our website.
These timeframes are door to door: from our office in Barcelona to the recipient's address in the Philippines. 95% of express shipments arrive within the estimated timeframe.
But tracking only tells you where the document is. There's another question that worries people more...
4. Doing it yourself can cost you double
Many people think: "I'll just send it myself and skip the middleman." Fair enough. But it almost always ends up costing more.
At Acacia Cargo we have volume-negotiated rates with international carriers. We send hundreds of documents every month, and that gives us access to prices an individual simply can't get. In practice, sending an envelope on your own can cost between 70 EUR and 90 EUR. With us, from 39 EUR. You can get a quote here.
Beyond the price, there are three things you get at no extra charge when you come to our office:
- Correct customs declaration --- we prepare it for you
- Professional packaging --- included in the price
- Support in Spanish, English and Tagalog --- if there's an issue, we resolve it directly with the carrier
And this brings us to the point that surprises people the most...
5. You can also receive documents from the Philippines
Yes. It works both ways.
Need a certificate sent from Manila? A PSA document? A signed authorisation from a family member? We coordinate the pick-up of the document in the Philippines and its delivery to your home in Spain.
This service is widely used by Filipinos who need original documents for immigration paperwork, degree validation or legal proceedings in Spain. More than 40% of our Filipino clients have used this reception service at least once.
You can find all the details on our document reception page.
What you need to send your documents
Just three things:
1. The original document (or a certified copy)
2. Complete recipient details: name, address, phone number
3. Your ID: DNI, NIE or passport
That's it. No complicated forms, no queues, no surprises.
Your documents can't wait any longer
Every day that envelope stays on your desk is another day of waiting for the person who needs it in the Philippines. Sending documents from Spain is fast, secure and more affordable than you thought. You just need to take the first step.
Visit our office at Carrer de Pelai 9, Barcelona (Metro Universitat), message us on WhatsApp at +34 626 785 428, or request a quote from the website. We respond in under 24 hours.
Acacia Cargo is an international shipping agency in Barcelona. We handle documents, luggage and packages to over 50 countries.