Short answer: Save the tracking record, receipts, order details, and photos; notify the seller or marketplace; then file an inquiry or claim through the carrier's official process. If you paid by credit card and were billed for goods you never received, a separate written billing dispute may also be available.

There isn't one U.S. form for every international shipping problem. The correct route depends on whether the shipment is delayed, lost, damaged, held by customs, or billed incorrectly. The carrier's service terms, the seller's or marketplace's order policy, and your payment method can all impose different deadlines and evidence requirements.

What controls an international shipping complaint

Before filing, identify which rule or policy applies:

• Carrier terms: These usually explain who may file, the claim deadline, proof requirements, declared-value or coverage limits, and exclusions.
• Seller or marketplace terms: An Amazon, eBay, AliExpress, or other order dispute may have its own deadline. A marketplace case is separate from a carrier claim.
• Customs and import terms: Duties, taxes, brokerage, and document requests aren't automatically treated as a lost-package claim. Check the order's delivery terms and the customs notice.
• Payment method: Credit-card billing disputes follow different rules from debit, prepaid, bank-transfer, and payment-app transactions.

Don't rely on a generic promise that every claim takes 14 to 45 days or that every uninsured package has the same liability cap. Response times and potential recovery vary by service, country, shipping contract, coverage, and evidence.

Match the problem to the right first step

How to file the complaint step by step

1. Preserve the evidence

Create one folder for the shipment. Save:

• Tracking number, air waybill number, or postal label number
• Shipping receipt and proof of postage
• Order confirmation, invoice, and payment record
• Screenshots of the tracking history, including the last scan
• Photos of the box, label, damage, and contents
• Customs notices and messages from the carrier
• Your messages with the seller, marketplace, or carrier
• Proof of the item's value, such as a receipt, commercial invoice, or appraisal

For damage or missing contents, don't discard the box, wrapping, labels, or items you did receive. USPS specifically requires customers to retain the mailing container, damaged articles, packaging, and contents for certain indemnity claims. Its rules also call for evidence of insurance or service coverage and proof of value. See the USPS rules on evidence for loss and damage claims.

2. Check the actual status

A delayed shipment isn't necessarily lost. Look at the last scan and determine whether the package is:

• Still moving through the network
• Waiting for customs documents or payment
• Marked delivered
• Returned to the sender
• Confirmed lost or damaged

If customs is requesting information, ask the carrier exactly which document is needed and where to submit it. Use the carrier's official website or app rather than links in an unexpected text message.

If tracking has stopped, ask for an inquiry or trace. Don't wait for an arbitrary number of days if the applicable policy has an earlier filing deadline.

3. Find the deadline and authorized filer

Read the terms for the specific service shown on the receipt or label. Loss, damage, delay, postage-refund, and customs complaints may have different procedures.

Also ask who's authorized to file. Some carrier workflows distinguish between the sender and receiver, and the shipping account holder may need to submit the claim. If you bought the item from a retailer or marketplace, tell the seller in writing and ask whether it'll file the carrier claim. Continue with the marketplace's process if its rules allow it.

Record the deadline before contacting support. A seller's promise to investigate doesn't necessarily pause a carrier or marketplace filing period.

4. Notify the seller or marketplace

Send a short, factual message that includes:

• Order and tracking numbers
• The expected delivery date
• The current tracking status
• What went wrong and when you noticed it
• The remedy you want, such as a replacement or refund
• A list of attached evidence

Ask the seller to confirm whether it's the authorized claimant under the carrier's terms. If the seller agrees to refund you, keep the written promise and ask when it'll be processed.

5. Submit the carrier inquiry or claim

Use the carrier's official claims or international-inquiry page. Enter the tracking or air waybill number exactly as shown on the receipt. Choose the correct issue category:

• Delay or inquiry when the shipment may still be moving
• Loss when the carrier's process calls for a missing-package claim
• Damage or missing contents when the parcel arrived in poor condition
• Billing or service complaint for an incorrect charge or service failure

Describe the facts in date order. State the last known scan, the value supported by your documents, and the remedy requested. Upload readable files and keep the confirmation page or case number.

For a damage claim, photograph the outside of the box before moving or repacking anything if possible. Include close-ups of the shipping label, cushioning, damaged product, and any puncture, crushing, or water exposure.

6. Track the case and follow up in writing

Save the case number, submission date, agent's name, and any promised response date. If support calls you, summarize the conversation in an email or portal message.

If the stated response period passes, send one concise follow-up. Ask:

1. Is the claim open, pending, or closed?
2. What document or action is still missing?
3. Which service term controls the decision?
4. When can you expect a written resolution?

Avoid opening duplicate claims unless the carrier instructs you to do so. Duplicate submissions can make it harder to track which file contains the evidence.

7. Escalate a denial or nonresponse

Escalate in this order:

1. Reply through the claim portal or ask for a supervisor.
2. Request the denial reason and the specific term or missing evidence involved.
3. File an appeal before the carrier's appeal deadline.
4. Pursue the seller or marketplace's separate resolution process.
5. If you paid by credit card, evaluate a written billing dispute.
6. Review arbitration, court, and jurisdiction clauses before starting a formal legal action.

A regulator complaint may document a service problem, but it doesn't automatically produce a refund. For a private courier, the relevant escalation route depends on the company, service, and country involved. Don't assume that a small-claims filing is available in your location or that it overrides the carrier's contract.

Carrier-specific procedures

USPS international mail

USPS generally starts with an international inquiry, which can lead to a claim if the service and circumstances qualify.

1. Find the 13-digit USPS Tracking or label number on the receipt.
2. Gather the receipt, proof of value, service or insurance information, and correspondence.
3. Use the USPS international claims page to create an inquiry and follow the required document instructions.
4. Check the applicable time limits in the USPS International Mail Manual.
5. Keep the package and all contents until the matter is resolved.

USPS separates loss or damage claims from requests for international postage or fee refunds. Follow the route shown for the particular problem rather than submitting a generic domestic damage form.

If USPS denies the claim, its international inquiries guidance says a written appeal may be filed within 60 days of the original decision. Read the current instructions for the correct appeal address and method.

DHL

DHL Express and DHL Parcel can use different systems, and the process may vary by country. Start with the current DHL support or claims route for the service shown on your shipment.

DHL's published shipment-claim guidance illustrates the information commonly requested: an air waybill number, confirmation of whether you're the sender or receiver, photographs, and supporting documents. Treat that page as an example of the evidence process, not as a universal deadline for every DHL service.

FedEx and UPS

Use the current official claims workflow associated with the tracking number or shipping account. Before submitting, check:

• Whether the sender, receiver, or account holder must file
• The deadline for delay, loss, or damage claims
• Whether declared value or optional coverage applies
• Which proof of value and damage evidence are required
• Whether the shipment is governed by a separate freight or account agreement

FedEx and UPS terms aren't interchangeable with USPS rules. Don't assume that a USPS inquiry process, appeal period, or compensation limit applies to a private courier.

Amazon, eBay, and AliExpress orders

A marketplace dispute is often the most practical route for a buyer, especially when the seller purchased the shipping label. Open the order's current delivery or item-condition case before the deadline displayed in the account or policy.

• AliExpress: Use the order's dispute process for non-delivery, damage, or an item that doesn't match the listing. Upload tracking and seller messages.
• Amazon: Start with the order support flow. If the order qualifies for an A-to-Z or other buyer-protection process, follow the instructions shown for that order.
• eBay: Use the order or Resolution Center flow for an item not received or an item that arrived damaged, and keep all communication in the case where possible.

The exact deadline and eligibility can vary by country, seller, fulfillment method, order type, and payment method. A carrier claim doesn't replace the marketplace case, and a marketplace refund doesn't automatically decide a separate carrier claim. Tell each party if another party has already refunded you so you don't seek duplicate recovery.

Customs delays and unexpected charges

A customs hold usually requires a different response from a lost-package claim. Ask the carrier or customs broker:

• What's holding the shipment?
• Which document or payment is required?
• Who's responsible for duties, taxes, or brokerage under the order terms?
• What's the deadline to respond?
• Is the charge from the carrier, a broker, customs authority, or seller?

Request an itemized invoice. Compare it with the order confirmation and the delivery terms. If the charge is wrong, dispute the invoice with the party that issued it and notify the seller or marketplace.

Don't describe an import-duty dispute as a damaged shipment. Customs charges, postage, taxes, and brokerage may follow different refund policies. Whether any of them is refundable depends on the relevant order, carrier, and customs terms.

Credit-card disputes for goods you never received

A carrier claim and a credit-card billing dispute are different processes. For a U.S.-issued credit card, the Federal Trade Commission's guidance on billing errors says that a billing error generally must be disputed in writing within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent.

Send the letter to the card issuer's address for billing disputes, not necessarily the address used for payments. Include:

• Your name and account information
• The merchant and transaction amount
• The date of the charge
• The expected delivery date
• The tracking history and your attempts to resolve the matter
• The amount disputed and the reason
• Copies of the order, correspondence, and carrier records

The FTC says the issuer must acknowledge the dispute in writing within 30 days unless it's already resolved the problem. It must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles and no later than 90 days after receiving the letter. During the investigation, you generally don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance charges, but you should continue paying undisputed amounts on time.

Some issuers may extend the 60-day period for a shipment that's delayed, but don't rely on an extension. Ask promptly. These protections concern credit-card billing errors; don't assume the same process applies to a debit card, prepaid card, wire transfer, or payment app.

Complaint email template

Subject: Shipment complaint for [tracking number] - [delay, loss, damage, or charge]

Hello [seller, carrier, or claims team],

I'm requesting assistance with shipment [tracking number] from [origin] to [destination]. It was expected on [date], and the current status is [status].

The problem is: [brief factual description]. I first reported it on [date], using [contact method], under reference [case number if available].

I'm requesting [refund, replacement, postage refund, or other remedy available under the applicable terms]. The attached documents include [order confirmation, receipt, tracking history, photographs, proof of value, customs notice, or invoice].

Please confirm whether you're the authorized party to file the carrier claim. If so, please provide the claim reference number and the next deadline. If you deny the request, please identify the relevant term and explain any appeal process.

Thank you,
[Name]
[Address and contact information]

Keep the message factual and avoid unsupported demands for a fixed compensation amount. Request the remedy that the order, coverage, or carrier terms may provide.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting for a seller's investigation until the carrier deadline expires
• Throwing away damaged packaging
• Uploading a screenshot without the tracking number or date
• Claiming the full purchase value without an invoice or other proof
• Treating a customs invoice as evidence that the parcel is lost
• Assuming optional insurance guarantees payment for every type of loss
• Filing a credit-card dispute only by phone when written notice is required
• Accepting a refund and then seeking the same amount from another party

Start today by saving the tracking history and purchase records, photographing the package if it's damaged, notifying the seller, and submitting the correct official carrier inquiry before the applicable deadline.