A product ordered on Aliexpress goes through many stages during transportation to its destination. Knowing the tracking number of the shipment, you can check the status of the parcel at any convenient time. However, some designations in the tracking mode are not clear to ordinary users, which causes worries and worries about safe delivery. One of these statuses is the phrase “Import customs clearance has begun.”
What does this status mean?
Until 2021, buyers of Chinese stores had not encountered such a determination of the condition of the parcel, so it seems to them that the transportation process itself has become more complicated. In fact, the customs control procedure was always carried out, but it was not highlighted as a separate point by representatives of logistics services.
If you see a status about customs clearance, it means that your parcel is now undergoing the “customs clearance” process. Since the product crosses an international border, authorized agencies check it:
- weight;
- price;
- accompanying documentation;
- other characteristics in accordance with current legislation.
If no violations are found, the parcel continues on its way to the addressee. Sometimes customs officials request additional payment for crossing the border if, for example, the goods are subject to a number of restrictions or have a price too high for free transportation. Your passport information may also be needed, which will be communicated to you at the telephone number indicated on the shipment.
In rare cases, the parcel cannot cross the border with China. Then it is sent back to the seller, about which information appears in track number tracking services. In this case, you will need to open a dispute and prove the need for a refund. Aliexpress always meets customers halfway and transfers money back. Keep in mind that they will only refund you the full amount of the goods; payment for additional services such as delivery will not be refunded to you.
Most often, the reason for refusal of transportation across the border is incorrect filling out of customs declarations. This is the fault of the store employees, so try to place orders from those sellers who have been working for Aliexpress for more than 1 year.
Tracking
Since quite often such a notification is a system glitch, it is better to check this using a universal postal tracking site around the world. Use resources:
- pochta.ru.
- track24.ru.
- GdePosilka.ru.
Enter the tracking number received from the seller on the main page of one of the services and find out the actual location of the shipment.
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2 Tracking back to menu ↑
Why did the error occur?
Customs may refuse further movement of cargo across the border, after which the tracking status changes to “Error during customs clearance.” Do not rush to open a dispute immediately. Perhaps the reason for this condition of the parcel is understandable and completely solvable.
First of all, contact the seller and explain the situation. He must be told exactly why the goods cannot be transported. There may be several reasons:
- The verification had not yet been carried out, and the status was changed accidentally. This often happens at customs. Usually after 2 days the cancellation phrase disappears and the cleaning process starts.
- The customs service has found errors in filling out the accompanying documentation and asks to correct them. The seller who filled out the paperwork incorrectly must double-check the information and send the correct data to the department. Then the control will be completed successfully.
- The store sent a prohibited product that either cannot be exported from China or cannot be imported into Russia or another destination country. Alternatively, a special permit for transportation is required, which was not granted.
- Lack of certificate for the shipped goods. If you buy unlicensed products, you will not only not receive the item you ordered, but you may also face a large fine or other punishment.
- Incorrect estimate of the cost of the parcel. In order to avoid paying duties, sellers often cheat and indicate low prices for goods. This also helps them reduce their overall shipping costs. However, customs has its own evaluation criteria, and it will not allow products processed in violation of the rules to cross the border.
- The product being sent violates the copyright of the copyright holder. If you purchased a counterfeit brand that they tried to pass off as the original, and this was discovered at customs control, you will not receive the goods. The store will be fined and the products will not be returned.
Most often, users mark the first option. After a couple of days, the “Customs clearance failed” status disappears, followed by another one about the transfer of the parcel for further transportation to its destination.
What goods are prohibited from import?
In each of the CIS countries (and not only) the list of prohibited goods for import is very similar. It will not be possible to list a complete list here, but it is simply necessary to mention the main ones so that users do not get into an unpleasant situation, and the money does not disappear without a trace.
- Tobacco products and smoking mixtures.
- Specific products for fishing. This includes electric fishing rods, fishing nets and others.
- Any alcoholic products.
- Perishable food products.
- It is not possible to get any animals from China, except for some insects: leeches, worms, bees, etc.
- Plants and their seeds.
- Explosives, firearms and accessories.
- Any products with a spy twist: gadgets with spy functions, special devices, listening devices, etc.
- Counterfeit and pirated goods.
The list of prohibited import/export items may vary greatly between your country and China. Therefore, before ordering a particular product, you need to familiarize yourself in detail with the full list of items prohibited for import, so as not to receive messages that the parcel from the Aliexpress online store has not passed customs clearance.
What should I do if there is an error during customs clearance?
At first, do nothing and wait. You may receive a message from the customs service about the need to provide additional documentation or pay a state fee. This may happen if the free limit of goods you receive from abroad has expired and all imported products to your address are now subject to tax. In this case, either pay the specified amount or refuse the purchase. You will be refunded the cost minus shipping costs.
Aliexpress customers also report that foreign tracking number tracking services sometimes provide incorrect information or translate the status incorrectly. Thus, “Waiting for a car” can turn into “Canceling a customs error.” Then it is recommended to visit another tracking system or translate the status of the parcel from English into Russian yourself, using an online dictionary for each word separately, and not for the entire phrase.
If your package is rejected by customs, follow these tips:
- First, write to the seller about the error and try to solve the problem through him without opening a dispute - this will help maintain friendly relations with him. This is important if, for example, you need an item shipped and you are willing to pay the duty. Since the seller will send you the delivery receipt, and he may inflate the price, it is better to communicate with him politely and calmly.
- Open a dispute if you decide to refuse the parcel and some time has already passed since the status update about the customs error. If the store receives its products back, it will quickly compensate your expenses and agree to resolve the dispute in your favor.
- If you need to collect additional documents for customs authorities, begin doing so as soon as you receive notification. Often the allotted 7 days is not enough. If you don't meet the deadline, notify the seller about it.
- You should not swear and prove that you are right when you are wrong. If you have reached your limit on overseas items, do not attempt to refund shipping costs. In this case, the store is right, and you will present yourself as not being the best.
Try to control your purchases from abroad and purchase only products permitted in the Russian Federation or another destination country.
Reasons for returning to the seller
According to legal regulations, the seller is responsible for the order until the goods have been received by the buyer. If, when communicating with the customs service, it turns out that the problem arose due to an error by the sender, then you need to contact representatives of the Aliexpress store. Within a week, you need to prepare the following package of documents:
- passport (copy or original), parcel track code;
- supporting papers or certificates from relatives - this is necessary in the case when the buyer placed an order for many goods of the same type, intended for family use;
- a complete set of information about what is expected - links to products, descriptions and purposes;
- an extract or act from the financial institution through which the payment was made.
When the recipient of the parcel collects the documents, he has the opportunity to resolve the dispute with the customs service and the administration of the trading platform. This evidence is enough to confirm your case and avoid controversial issues.
On a note!
If the reason is unpaid duties or lack of documentation for the goods, you need to solve it - pay taxes and provide all forms. If this is not done, then the parcel, which the buyer has been waiting for more than one week, will be sent back to the seller.
Where does the package go after the cleaning has been successfully completed?
Customs control is an important stage in the organization of international shipments. When it completes, the tracking status usually changes to:
- import customs clearance has been completed;
- handed over to the transport company for delivery.
After this, the goods you purchased continue to move through the territory of the destination country. This is the case if transit transportation through the state is not provided. The parcel arrives at the nearest sorting center, where it is further checked and redirected in accordance with its destination.
Russian Post employees at this stage decide which route for your shipment will be the fastest, taking into account the workload of branches and transport delays. So, sometimes it is more profitable to redirect goods through Moscow sorting centers, and sometimes it is possible to immediately deliver them to the regional or regional post office.
How long do we have to wait?
The “Import Clearance Started” status may persist for several days or even weeks. It all depends on whether there will be complications during control and how many items require processing at a specific customs point. If all payments are made and the documentation is completed correctly, on average it will take about a week to change the status to “Customs Clearance Complete”.
During the period of average postal workload (not during the New Year holidays or the summer holidays), in 1-2 weeks you will already be able to receive the parcel at your post office. Thus, from the moment the status is updated, you will have to wait about 3 weeks, provided that you successfully clear customs.
Thus, customs clearance is a standard procedure for shipments from Aliexpress. Small goods, which are usually ordered from this site, in most cases pass through it successfully. If customs refuses to cross the border, contact the seller and clarify your further actions.
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Terms and costs of customs clearance of parcels and international customs clearance
The time frame for customs clearance of parcels is 1 day!
The cost of services for customs clearance of parcels and international mail (IPO) in our company is the minimum in the market and is discussed individually depending on the participant in foreign trade activities and the place (point) of customs clearance. We are ready to help you not only with customs clearance, but also with customs clearance of parcels sent to China and other countries. Attention! We do not carry out customs clearance of parcels in China and other countries.
We are confident that we will become your reliable partner at customs!
