Common causes and solutions for international express customs clearance delays

Common reasons and solutions for customs clearance delays in international express delivery

I. Common reasons for customs clearance delays

1. Incomplete or incorrect information

Specific manifestations: lack of certification documents (such as FDA certification for food, CE certification for electronic products), import and export rights certificate, recipient identity information (such as ID card or passport for personal import), etc.

2. Customs inspection

Specific manifestations: random inspection, declared value inconsistent with customs assessment, brand infringement (such as counterfeit luxury goods), sensitive categories (such as food, medicine, cosmetics), etc.

3. Tax issues

Specific manifestations: unpaid tariffs, changes in tax rate policies (such as additional tariffs imposed by the destination country), recipients refusing to pay taxes, etc.

4. Changes in policies or regulations

Specific manifestations: sudden adjustments to import policies in the destination country (such as prohibiting the import of certain types of goods), environmental protection requirements (such as the need to provide FSC certification for wood), etc.

5. Incorrect recipient information

Specific manifestations: incorrect recipient contact information, unknown address, failure to respond to customs notifications in a timely manner, etc.

6. Holidays or special periods

Specific manifestations: force majeure factors such as holidays, strikes, and epidemics in the destination country.

2. Solutions

1. Incomplete or incorrect information

Solution:

Check the import requirements of the destination country in advance (such as certification documents, licenses, etc.).

Entrust a qualified customs broker to assist in reissuing the materials.

If the materials cannot be completed, you can apply for return or transfer to Hong Kong for transit customs clearance (Hong Kong's customs clearance policy is relatively flexible and the cost is low).

Notes: Hong Kong transit must ensure that the goods meet Hong Kong's import requirements to avoid secondary delays.

2. Customs inspection

Solution:

Provide authentic and valid declaration documents (such as invoices, test reports, brand authorization letters).

Adjust the declared value to a reasonable range (refer to the market price of similar products).

Negotiate the duty prepaid (DDP) service, and the sender pays the tariff to avoid the recipient's refusal due to tax issues.

Notes: The declared value should not be too low (easy to be suspected of tax evasion by customs) or too high (increase tax costs).

3. Tax and fee issues

Solution:

Learn the tariff policy of the destination country in advance and declare the value reasonably.

Provide purchase receipts (such as screenshots of official website orders) to prove the value of the goods.

Negotiate the duty prepaid (DDP) service to reduce the trouble of the recipient to pay taxes.

Note: If the recipient refuses to pay taxes, the goods may be returned or destroyed.

4. Policy or regulatory changes

Solution:

Check the latest import policies of the destination country before sending the goods to avoid sending restricted goods.

Choose countries or regions with stable policies for transit (such as Hong Kong and Singapore).

Note: Policy changes may cause goods to be returned or destroyed, and risks need to be assessed in advance.

5. Incorrect recipient information

Solution:

Check the accuracy of the recipient information (name, address, phone number).

Remind the recipient to keep the phone open and respond to customs notifications in a timely manner.

Note: If the recipient cannot be contacted, the goods may be returned or destroyed.

6. Holidays or special periods

Solutions:

Learn about the holiday arrangements of the destination country in advance and avoid sending parcels during peak periods.

Choose a courier company with emergency handling capabilities to reduce the impact of delays.

Notes: Delays caused by force majeure factors are usually not completely avoidable, and time needs to be planned in advance.

3. Summary

Prevention first: Be sure to check the import requirements of the destination country before sending, prepare complete information, and declare a reasonable value.

Flexible response: If there is a delay in customs clearance, contact the courier company or customs broker in time to understand the specific reasons and take remedial measures.

Professional assistance: In complex situations (such as missing certification documents and policy changes), it is recommended to entrust a professional customs broker to handle it to reduce risks.

The above measures can effectively reduce the probability of international express customs clearance delays and ensure smooth customs clearance of goods.