What "Inbound Into Customs" Status Means for Your International Package

Does the shipping status on your international package's USPS tracking information say, "Inbound into customs"? If so, you may be wondering where your package is, how long it's going to stay there, and how soon you can expect it to be delivered to your home or local shipping service. This comprehensive guide will answer all these questions and others about your package's journey through US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Inbound Into Customs vs Inbound Out of Customs

When the shipping status on your international package says, "Inbound into customs," that means your package is being transferred to Customs, a government agency that inspects goods coming into the US. When the status changes to "Inbound out of customs," the package is leaving Customs and transferring to a carrier.

Section 1 of 7:

What does inbound into customs mean?

Download Article

Whenever you order an item from another country, it arrives first at a USPS Sorting Facility. USPS then sends it to US Customs and Border Protection (Customs or CBP for short), where Customs agents inspect it to ensure it doesn't contain illegal or restricted products and assess it for duties and taxes.^{[1]
X
Research source} Before it gets to Customs, however, the tracking status on your international package will say, "Inbound into customs."^{[2]
X
Research source}

Section 2 of 7:

How long could a package stay in Customs?

Download Article

In some cases, your package may go through Customs in less than 24 hours or several days (or even weeks). The speed with which they process your package may depend on the volume of packages entering their facility during that specific time period or other factors, like unpaid duties and fees.

Section 3 of 7:

What does "inbound out of customs" mean?

Download Article

At this point, Customs has completed their inspection and assessment and approved the package for entry into the country.^{[3]
X
Research source} They are now in the process of sending the package back to USPS, who will sort it and transport it to a postal facility near your address. After that, you should be able to either pick up your package at your local USPS facility or receive it at your doorstep.

Section 4 of 7:

When will I receive my package after customs?

Download Article

The timeliness of the delivery is influenced by factors such as how far your delivery address is from the USPS Sorting Facility and the volume of packages that USPS is currently processing. Continue tracking your package's progress online and call USPS if you notice any further delays.

Section 5 of 7:

What does customs do with my package?

Download Article

The US government charges fees (called import duties) and taxes on items shipped into the country. In most cases, the merchant is responsible for paying duties and taxes, but sometimes the recipient must pay.^{[4]
X
Trustworthy Source

U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Federal law enforcement agency responsible for monitoring U.S. borders, facilitating international trade, and upholding customs laws

Go to source} In addition to collecting any duties or taxes due for the item, Customs also assesses the package to ensure none of the items it contains are restricted or prohibited.^{[5]
X
Trustworthy Source

U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Federal law enforcement agency responsible for monitoring U.S. borders, facilitating international trade, and upholding customs laws

Go to source}

Section 6 of 7:

Why Packages Get Delayed in Customs

Download Article

1
Customs is processing a high volume of packages. In this situation, Customs may be overwhelmed by the sheer number of packages they're receiving. As a result, your package may not get inspected or assessed for several days or even weeks.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- For example, if you're expecting an international shipment to arrive around Christmas or New Year's Day, delivery may be delayed because of the millions of other packages that are also moving through the system during that time.
- If your package has been in Customs longer than 5 business days, contact the carrier responsible for tracking and transporting your item to your address (i.e., USPS, UPS, or FedEx) and ask them to investigate the delay.
When a merchant ships a package to someone in the US, they must submit the several documents such as a customs declaration and an invoice or bill of sale describing the product in detail.^{[7]
X
Research source} If any of these documents are absent or missing information, Customs may hold the package until they have all the paperwork and details they require to clear it.^{[8]
X
Research source}
If you ordered multiple products or a product big enough to be split into different packages, Customs may hold the item(s) they receive first until the rest of the pieces arrive. Then they'll send them on to USPS, so they can be delivered simultaneously.^{[9]
X
Research source}
Packages can be held up longer in Customs if CBP agents have to assess it for duties and taxes that haven't been paid yet. This may be the case if you agreed with the merchant to pay these fees yourself. Once Customs is finished assessing the fees, they'll transfer it to USPS or the freight service facility responsible for delivering your package. From there, you'll be responsible for paying the duties and taxes at the facility when you pick up the item.^{[10]
X
Trustworthy Source

U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Federal law enforcement agency responsible for monitoring U.S. borders, facilitating international trade, and upholding customs laws

Go to source}
5
The package contains restricted or prohibited items. The US government allows only certain items into the country without restriction. Other items are allowed, but only up to a certain amount, if they're a certain type (i.e., tanned animal hide drums from Haiti are permitted, but untanned goat hide drums aren't), or if they're accompanied by an import permit. Finally, some items are forbidden altogether (i.e., products containing cat or dog fur).^{[11]
X
Trustworthy Source

U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Federal law enforcement agency responsible for monitoring U.S. borders, facilitating international trade, and upholding customs laws

Go to source}
- If your package contains restricted items, Customs may keep it longer to ensure it follows their regulations for that type of product.
- If the items are found to be prohibited, Customs will "seize" them, meaning you won't be able to receive them and they'll either be sent back to the merchant, auctioned off, or destroyed. You can file a claim if you feel the items were seized without cause or a petition if you were a victim of a crime (i.e., the merchant falsely advertised the product and sent you a prohibited item without your knowledge).

Section 7 of 7:

Items Restricted or Prohibited by US Customs

Download Article

CBP restricts and prohibits certain items from entering the country. Most of the restrictions and prohibitions are for health and safety reasons. For example, if you order an untanned animal hide drum from Haiti, CBP may not allow it into the US because of previous instances of Haitian goat hide drums being contaminated with anthrax, a serious infectious disease.^{[12]
X
Trustworthy Source

U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Federal law enforcement agency responsible for monitoring U.S. borders, facilitating international trade, and upholding customs laws

Go to source} Other categories of items that are either allowed in with restrictions or forbidden include:
- Absinthe
- Alcoholic beverages
- Automobiles
- Biological materials
- Ceramic tableware
- Cultural artifacts and property
- Defense articles or items with military or proliferation applications
- Dog and cat fur
- Drug paraphernalia (unless required for a medical reason)
- Firearms
- Fish and wildlife
- Food products (raw and prepared)
- Fruits and vegetables
- Game and hunting trophies
- Gold
- Medication
- Merchandise from embargoed countries (i.e., Cuba or Iran)
- Pets
- Photographic film
- Plants, seeds, and soil
- Tobacco
- Trademark and copyrighted articles