How to send a birthday card abroad from the UK (and make sure it arrives on the day)

Your options

1. Post a paper card. Lovely to receive, but international post can be slow and hard to predict, so post it well ahead of time. Check the current Royal Mail international delivery times for the country.
2. Send a card through an online card shop. They print and post it for you. It still travels by post, so the same timing applies.
3. Send an e-card. It arrives the moment you send it. An animated e-card can carry your voice and photos, which matters most when you can't be there.

How to make sure it arrives on the day

Time zones catch people out. If your friend is in Sydney, their birthday morning is the evening before in London. With an e-card you can make it the night before, watch it yourself, then send the link when it's morning where they are.

Making it feel close when you're far away

• Sing, even badly. A voice note of you singing Happy Birthday beats any words.
• Use a photo of the two of you. Add a caption with when and where it was taken.
• Get everyone in. Ask family and friends for one line each and add them all to one card.
• Mention the distance. The unwrap cards can show both cities and the miles between you.

Does it work in every country?

Yes. The card is a private link that opens in the phone's web browser, on iPhone or Android, with no app to download. It works for family in India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Poland, Australia, the US or anywhere else with an internet connection.

Open a sample birthday card or make yours now.