If you're sending a package from the United States or waiting for one from abroad, keep more than the tracking number. A useful shipping file answers four separate questions:

1. What was sent, and what was it honestly worth?
2. Did the carrier accept it?
3. What happened while it was in transit?
4. Was it delivered, lost, damaged, or held by customs?

The customs declaration addresses the first question. A mailing receipt or acceptance scan addresses the second. Tracking and delivery records show later events, while receipts, photos, and messages help support a loss, damage, or valuation claim.

Most international postal parcels need a customs declaration. USPS identifies a narrow exception for nonnegotiable documents with no cash value, weighing under 15.994 ounces and sent using First-Class Mail International. Merchandise and ordinary packages don't fall within that exception merely because they're gifts or low-value items.

The exact paperwork depends on the carrier, destination, goods, value, and transport method. Check the requirements for the service you chose before handing over the package.

What to save for an international shipment

For a typical parcel, keep these records:

• Customs declaration: The description, quantity, value, and other information submitted to customs.
• Receipt or acceptance scan: Evidence that the postal operator or carrier took possession of the package.
• Tracking record: The shipment number and its movement history.
• Proof of value: A receipt, order confirmation, invoice, payment record, or other honest valuation.
• Proof of delivery: A delivery scan, signature, recipient confirmation, or delivery photo if the carrier provides one.
• Photos and communications: Images of the contents and packaging, customs notices, and written conversations with the carrier, broker, seller, or recipient.
• Extra approvals: Permits, certificates, or export filings when the product, value, destination, or transport mode requires them.

If a retailer arranged the shipment, contact the retailer as well as the carrier. Carrier terms may limit a claim to the sender, the shipping account holder, or another authorized party.

Which document proves which event?

No single record proves everything. A customs form can show what you declared, but it can't prove that the carrier accepted the box. A delivery scan can show a recorded handoff, but it doesn't prove what was inside the package.

A commercial invoice, packing list, or certificate of origin isn't automatically required for every personal gift or parcel. The carrier, customs authority, destination, and type of goods determine what must accompany the shipment.

How to complete the customs declaration

Describe the actual contents rather than only the reason for sending them. USPS says an international description should make clear what the item is, what it is made of, and what it is used for. Its customs forms guidance also explains HS tariff codes and the information required for individual items.

When filling out the form:

1. Name each item specifically. "Cotton T-shirt" or "power drill" is more useful than "merchandise," "gift," or "parts."
2. List quantity and value for each type of item. Use the currency requested by the form and follow its instructions for gifts, returns, samples, personal effects, or other categories.
3. Enter an HS or tariff code when required. USPS describes HS codes as six- to 10-digit product identifiers. Don't guess if the classification is unclear; ask the carrier, broker, or another qualified source how the item should be classified.
4. Report the contents truthfully. Calling merchandise a gift doesn't make it duty-free or exempt from restrictions. A gift can still have a reportable value.
5. Make the paperwork consistent. The customs form, invoice, packing list, shipping label, and order record should use matching descriptions, quantities, and values.
6. Keep a copy of the submitted form. Download the electronic version or photograph the paper form before giving the package to the carrier.

Example of a useful description

• Weak: Gift, one item, $10
• Clearer: Two 100% cotton T-shirts, personal gift, declared value $40 USD

The example doesn't determine the correct value for every shipment. It shows why the description, quantity, and value should be specific and honest.

Commercial invoices, packing lists, and returns

A commercial invoice supports a sale between a seller and a buyer. It generally identifies the parties, goods, quantities, price, currency, and shipping terms. A carrier, customs broker, or destination authority may request it even if the buyer paid through an online checkout.

A packing list maps the contents of a shipment. It can show which items are in each box, as well as package numbers, weights, and dimensions. It doesn't replace the customs declaration, but it can help with an inspection, shortage, or damaged-carton investigation.

A personal gift may not have an invoice. Keep the purchase receipt or another record that supports the value anyway. The absence of an invoice doesn't remove the need for an accurate customs description.

For a return, save:

• The original order confirmation and payment record
• The seller's return authorization or instructions
• The original tracking number and the new return tracking number
• The customs information submitted for the return
• Messages with the seller about the reason and terms of the return

A return label doesn't necessarily eliminate customs paperwork. Follow the carrier's instructions for identifying the shipment as a return.

If the checkout page uses terms such as DDP, DAP, or FCA, save that page and the shipping terms. These terms can allocate shipping tasks and costs between the buyer and seller, but they don't replace customs documents or guarantee that the destination will waive duties.

EEI is separate from the customs form

Electronic Export Information, or EEI, is a U.S. export filing. It isn't the same thing as the customs declaration attached to a postal parcel.

The U.S. Census Bureau's export regulations guidance describes an EEI trigger when a shipment from one U.S. Principal Party in Interest to one consignee, in one country, on one conveyance and on one day, is valued above $2,500 for a Schedule B number. EEI can also be required when an export license is needed.

That threshold isn't a blanket exemption. Exemptions and special rules may apply, and a controlled or licensed product may require a filing even when its value is lower.

Before sending a high-value or regulated item:

• Ask the carrier or freight forwarder whether it will file EEI or whether the seller must arrange it.
• Confirm the correct Schedule B classification.
• Find out what filing reference or confirmation must accompany the shipment.
• Check export-control requirements before buying postage or booking freight.
• Keep the filing confirmation with the invoice and transport record.

A normal consumer parcel shouldn't automatically be treated like a commercial freight export. Ask the carrier which rules apply to the service you selected.

Restricted items and customs holds

A customs declaration reports an item; it doesn't authorize a product that the destination prohibits or restricts.

For goods entering the United States, CBP's customs duty information says that all applicable U.S. agency requirements must be met. Depending on the product, those agencies can include the Food and Drug Administration, Consumer Product Safety Commission, and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

For goods leaving the United States, the destination country's customs and product rules control entry. The carrier may also have separate packaging and transport restrictions.

Check the rules before shipping items such as:

• Medicines, supplements, and medical devices
• Food, plants, seeds, and animal products
• Batteries, aerosols, liquids, and chemicals
• Firearms, ammunition, and other controlled goods
• Animals and animal-related shipments
• Counterfeit, branded, or intellectual-property-sensitive products

CBP's prohibited and restricted items information is a starting point for shipments entering the United States. It isn't a substitute for checking the destination authority and the carrier.

When customs puts a package on hold, ask the carrier or broker what specific document or information is missing. Use the carrier's verified website, application, or official contact channel to submit it. Save the case number, request, response, and any duty or fee notice. Verify a request before sending personal information or money.

Evidence for acceptance, delivery, loss, or damage

Collect evidence for the particular event you're disputing:

A tracking screenshot is useful, but it may not show the original package weight, declared contents, or coverage. Download the full tracking record when possible.

Proof of delivery usually shows the carrier's recorded handoff. It doesn't necessarily establish that the package went to the correct person, that every item was present, or that the contents arrived undamaged. Those issues may require recipient confirmation, photographs, inventory records, or other evidence.

How to build a shipping claim

Carrier rules and insurance terms control the deadline, eligible claimant, covered loss, and required documents. There is no single deadline for every international shipment.

Use this order:

1. Identify the event. A customs hold, delayed scan, confirmed loss, delivered-but-not-received report, damage, and missing item may be handled differently.
2. Assemble the shipment record. Start with the tracking number, mailing receipt, customs declaration, invoice or receipt, and insurance or declared-value record.
3. Document the condition. Photograph the box, shipping label, seals, internal packaging, and item. Keep the packaging until the carrier or insurer says it can be discarded.
4. Contact the carrier promptly. Ask whether the issue requires an inquiry, a claim, or a delivery investigation.
5. Notify the seller if it arranged the shipment. Send the tracking history and photographs in writing.
6. Meet the carrier's deadline. Keep the claim number and a copy of everything submitted.
7. State the loss accurately. Don't describe a shortage as total non-delivery or submit a damage claim without photos of the damage.

For USPS shipments, the Postal Explorer international inquiry process says customers must create an International Inquiry Online within the time limits listed for the applicable service. Check the service-specific timing instead of waiting indefinitely for a tracking scan to change.

An inquiry isn't automatically a payment decision. The carrier may investigate first, and payment can depend on the service purchased, exclusions, proof of value, coverage, and whether the sender or recipient is permitted to file.

If the shipment is freight rather than parcel mail

Ocean, air, rail, and truck freight use different transport records from an ordinary postal or courier parcel.

• Bill of lading: Records cargo receipt and transport terms for ocean or other freight movements. Some forms can have title-related functions, so read the document with the sales contract rather than assuming every bill of lading transfers ownership.
• Air waybill: Records an air shipment and its transport details. It isn't automatically the same document as an ocean bill of lading.
• Packing list and commercial invoice: Help the broker and carrier identify the cargo and assess the shipment.
• Delivery receipt: Shows the freight carrier's recorded handoff at the destination.
• Terminal and gate records: Can help dispute storage, demurrage, detention, or delay charges.

Keep notices showing when cargo became available, when it was collected, and when equipment was returned. Whether a delay charge applies depends on the freight contract, carrier tariff, and applicable port rules.

Keeping digital shipping evidence

Electronic records are useful when they preserve the complete original details. Download the carrier receipt, customs submission, invoice, tracking history, and delivery record instead of relying on a temporary portal or cropped screenshot.

Save:

• The original PDF or electronic receipt
• The email showing when the document was issued
• The tracking or transaction number
• The complete address and declared-value details
• Any electronic signature or delivery image
• A paper copy for a high-value or freight shipment

Acceptance of digital records varies by carrier, customs authority, insurer, and transport mode. Don't assume that a screenshot or digital bill of lading is accepted everywhere as a substitute for an original record. If a carrier or broker requests an original, follow that request and retain a scan.

Pre-shipment checklist for U.S. senders

• [ ] Check whether the item is allowed by the destination and carrier.
• [ ] Choose a service that supports the package's size, contents, value, and coverage needs.
• [ ] Describe every item clearly, including quantity and any requested classification details.
• [ ] Use an honest value and currency.
• [ ] Prepare an invoice or packing list if the carrier, broker, sale, or destination requires one.
• [ ] Check permits, certificates, dangerous-goods rules, and export filings for specialized items.
• [ ] Compare the customs declaration with the other shipment documents.
• [ ] Photograph the contents and sealed package.
• [ ] Keep the mailing receipt, tracking number, and coverage confirmation.
• [ ] Save the seller's checkout terms if the shipment is part of a purchase.

After dispatch, watch the tracking history and respond quickly to customs requests. If something goes wrong, open the carrier's official inquiry or claim process within the service's deadline and attach the records that match the specific problem.

Common questions

Do I need a bill of lading for an international package?

Usually not for an ordinary postal or courier parcel. You'll normally have a label, tracking number, receipt, or parcel waybill. A bill of lading or air waybill is more common in freight, and the forwarder should identify the transport document that applies.

Does a commercial invoice replace the customs form?

No. A commercial invoice supports a commercial transaction, while the customs declaration reports the contents and value to customs. A carrier may require both.

Is proof of delivery enough to win a claim?

Not by itself. It can show that the carrier recorded delivery, but a claim may also require proof of acceptance, value, coverage, contents, and damage or non-receipt.

Does marking a parcel as a gift remove customs duties?

Not automatically. A gift designation describes the transaction type; it doesn't override the destination's valuation, duty, or restricted-goods rules.

What should I do first if a package is stuck in customs?

Check the carrier's official tracking and contact the carrier or broker for the precise missing document or payment request. Have the customs form, invoice, tracking history, and case number ready, and verify the request before sending personal information or money.