If your shipment is travelling internationally and you completed customs forms after booking, then your items will undergo customs checks when they’re on the way to their destination.

Your My Baggage tracking page will update when your shipment is undergoing customs checks, and may update to show things like “Exception”, and “Clearance Event”. This is usually nothing to worry about - and refers to routine customs checks which are a legal requirement when shipping internationally. However, please be sure to regularly check your more detailed DHL tracking page - this will show you what type of exception is taking place.

Your detailed DHL tracking page will show you updates, and what steps (if needed) should be taken. For example:

Example One

"Further Detail: Clearance is pending completion of Customs examination of shipment paperwork.

Next Step: Clearance will resume once Customs completes the paperwork examination. A DHL representative shall attempt to contact the importer or shipper if required."

This refers to a routine customs check of your provided paperwork. The couriers will try to reach out to you via email or phone to obtain any further information if this is required to clear your shipment into the country. Please keep an eye out on your emails, including your junk/spam folders! If nothing is required, the shipment will be cleared as soon as customs authorities are able to do so, and your items will proceed onto delivery.

 

Example Two

“Further Detail: Shipment may contain personal effects, therefore specific customs processing may be required.”

Usually, you can’t ship your personal effects into a country that you aren’t currently in, or

soon plan to be in. Sometimes, customs authorities will want to verify your travel information and may request your travel itinerary - e.g. flight information for an upcoming trip, or a stamped passport to show when you entered the country, etc. It’s important for you to pass this onto them as soon as possible, so please be sure to keep an eye out on your emails for these requests as otherwise, customs will keep your shipment on hold.

 

Example Three

“Further Detail: The Clearance process for this shipment is on-going with additional details required for clearance.

Next Step: The clearance process will continue once the additional details are provided for clearance.”

 

By the time this update shows, the local DHL will have usually reached out to you to obtain the additional information needed to clear customs. Please check your junk/spam folders if you haven’t received anything. Please ensure you complete any additional forms they might be requesting, in order to make sure the shipment clears customs as soon as possible.

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*If your shipment is on hold in customs for longer than 48-72 working hours, please contact the couriers in the local receiving country. They will be able to advise what else might be needed to clear the shipment into the country.

For data protection reasons, they will only speak with you regarding customs issues so unfortunately we can't contact them and be advised immediately of what is required. The quickest way to get your item cleared for import is if you contact the local DHL as soon as you can.

 

The vast majority of the time, customs checks consist of a review of the paperwork you submitted online through your My Baggage account, but every so often there may be

physical checks conducted and shipments can be randomly selected for inspection. My Baggage has no control over individual customs authorities, so cannot expedite the process or intervene if your shipment is selected for physical inspection or held for review.

Similar to how an airline can take you from A to B, but aren’t responsible for ensuring you meet the entry requirements of the country you’re travelling to - we transport your luggage/boxes from A to B but you are responsible for ensuring that your shipment meets the conditions of entry in the receiving country.

Please be sure to contact the customs authorities in the receiving country should you have any questions about what may/may not be prohibited or restricted for import, or if you think additional information might be needed. Every country has its own regulations and restrictions, so please be sure to thoroughly research the country’s specific rules if you have any doubts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Failure to comply with any additional requests for information from the couriers, who act on behalf of customs authorities, may result in the shipment being returned to the sender. You will be responsible for the cost of this return. Your shipment may be delayed, or disposed of if customs don’t feel the situation will be resolved.