Your tracking has been sitting on “In Customs” or “Customs Clearance” for days. Maybe more than a week. The package clearly made it to your country, but it hasn’t moved since it arrived. You’re wondering whether it’s been seized, whether you owe money, whether it’ll ever actually arrive.
Take a breath. Customs delays are one of the most common AliExpress complaints, and they’re almost always temporary rather than terminal. Here’s what’s actually happening and exactly what you can do about it.
Quick Answer
Most AliExpress packages clear customs within one to five business days for standard compliant shipments. Delays beyond that happen because of high import volumes at customs facilities, random selection for physical inspection, declarations that need verification, or duties owed that require payment before release. In almost all cases, the package clears eventually. Your buyer protection remains active during customs delays. The only situation requiring immediate action is if customs sends you a formal notice requesting duty payment or additional documentation, in which case you need to respond to them directly.
What “Stuck at Customs” Actually Means
When your tracking shows something like “Arrived at Customs,” “Customs Clearance in Progress,” or “In Customs Review,” the package is physically in your country at a customs processing facility. It arrived. It’s there. It’s just being checked.
Customs facilities process enormous daily volumes of international packages. Not every package gets the same level of attention. Some go through automated processing in hours. Others are flagged for manual review, which takes days. A small number are held pending additional documentation or duty payment notification.
The key distinction for AliExpress buyers:
Routine processing delay: The package is in the queue. Customs is working through it. No action required from you. The package clears and continues to your carrier within a few days.
Duty or documentation required: Customs has assessed your package and determined that import duties are owed, or they need additional information about the contents. In these cases, your carrier or customs authority will contact you with instructions.
Held pending investigation: Rare. Happens when the declared contents or value appear inconsistent with the actual package, or when a prohibited item is suspected. Your carrier notifies you.
For the vast majority of AliExpress orders, what’s happening is the first scenario. The package is in a processing queue and will come out the other side without you doing anything.
How Long Does Customs Actually Take?
For standard, compliant AliExpress packages:
Typical: One to five business days. This covers the majority of standard shipments.
Busy periods: Five to ten business days. During peak shipping volumes like November and December, the lead-up to 11.11, and post-COVID backlogs, customs facilities work through larger queues.
Manual inspection: Three to ten business days. A random or triggered inspection adds time but is still not unusual.
Duty assessment and payment: Variable. Once customs issues a duty demand, the clock on clearing depends on how quickly you respond and pay.
If tracking hasn’t moved for more than 10 business days and you haven’t been contacted about duties: This is worth investigating. Contact your carrier and check whether there’s a duty notice or other correspondence waiting for you.
Why Some AliExpress Packages Take Longer at Customs
Value close to the duty threshold
In the UK, orders above £135 face formal customs assessment. In Canada, orders above CAD 20 technically attract duty. In Australia, GST applies to all imports. If your package’s declared value is close to or above these thresholds, it’s more likely to receive detailed attention.
Multiple items in one package
A package containing several different product types requires more classification work than a single item. Customs officers assigning HS codes to multiple product categories takes longer.
Unusual or inconsistent declarations
If the declared contents don’t match what the package appears to contain based on size, weight, or X-ray screening, customs holds the package for closer inspection.
High-volume periods
Christmas, November sales periods, post-lockdown demand surges. More packages at the border means longer queues for everyone.
Electronics and restricted categories
Electronics, particularly anything with lithium batteries, attract more scrutiny than simple household goods. This is particularly relevant for AliExpress buyers who order tech accessories and gadgets.
How Risky Is This Really?
A customs delay is almost never a package loss. The package is at a government facility. It’s tracked. It will either clear and continue to you, or customs will contact you with a specific request. It doesn’t just disappear.
The genuine risk is your buyer protection deadline approaching while the package is held. If your protection deadline closes while the package is stuck at customs and eventually comes through after that point, your ability to dispute problems with the package’s condition is reduced.
Keep an eye on your protection deadline even during customs delays. If you’re within three weeks of it and the package is still showing as customs-held, consider opening a dispute as a precaution, noting in the dispute that the package is delayed in customs.
Country-Specific Customs Information
United States
The US CBP (Customs and Border Protection) processes enormous volumes of international mail. Most packages under the $800 de minimis threshold clear without inspection or duty. For packages above this, CBP sends a CBP Form 6478 requesting duty payment. USPS handles the notification for postal route shipments. If you receive a notice about a CBP hold or duty payment, respond promptly at cbp.gov.
Realistically, very few standard AliExpress packages to US addresses get stuck at customs for meaningful periods. Most clear in a few days without any buyer action.
United Kingdom
HMRC processes UK imports. Packages above £135 attract customs duty and may require duty payment before release. For packages below £135, 20% VAT is collected by AliExpress at checkout (for registered sellers), meaning they should pass through customs smoothly.
If a package is held for customs assessment, your carrier (usually Royal Mail or Parcelforce) sends a letter or card to your address with instructions for paying any duties owed. The Royal Mail customs clearance fee is around £8 for handling the duty payment on your behalf, in addition to the duty itself.
Canada
Canada Post handles most duty collection on AliExpress packages. If your package attracts duty, Canada Post issues a “Customs Duties Owing” notice through their tracking system and sometimes a physical card. You pay online at canadapost.ca and the package is released. Canada Post adds a handling fee of $9.95 to $14.95 for the customs collection service.
If your package is stuck in Canadian customs without any duty notice for more than 10 business days, contact Canada Post directly with the tracking number.
Australia
Australian Border Force handles customs for packages entering Australia. Most standard AliExpress packages clear without issue because AliExpress collects 10% GST at checkout for registered sellers. If a package is flagged for inspection or has incorrect GST status, Australia Post notifies you through the tracking system or by card. Respond to any Australia Post customs notices promptly.
Step-by-Step: What to Do When Your Package Is Stuck at Customs
1. Check how long it’s been in customs. If it’s been fewer than five business days, wait. Routine processing delays at this length are standard. Don’t contact anyone yet.
2. Check your email, physical mail, and carrier portal for a duty notice. Customs authorities communicate through your carrier when duties are owed. Check your email inbox and spam folder for notifications from USPS, Royal Mail, Canada Post, or Australia Post. Also physically check your mail for any card or letter about a customs hold.
3. Check the carrier’s tracking portal directly with your tracking number. Sometimes more detail is available on the carrier’s own website than on the AliExpress app or 17Track. Look for any customs assessment status, “duty pending” flags, or notices.
4. If a duty notice exists, pay it promptly. The sooner you respond to a customs duty demand, the sooner the package clears. For UK buyers, Royal Mail/Parcelforce sends a payment link. For Canadian buyers, Canada Post has an online payment system. For Australian buyers, Australia Post directs you to pay through their portal.
5. If no duty notice exists and it’s been more than 10 business days, contact the carrier. Call or email the carrier with your tracking number and ask about the status of your package in customs. They have access to internal systems that aren’t visible in public tracking.
6. Note your AliExpress buyer protection deadline. If your protection deadline is within three weeks and the package is still in customs, open a precautionary dispute in “My Orders” noting that the package is delayed in customs. This protects your right to a refund if the package is ultimately refused or returned.
7. If customs refuses entry and returns the package, open a dispute immediately. This is the scenario that requires the fastest action. Open a dispute selecting “Package Not Received” and note that customs refused the entry. AliExpress and the seller will work with you on resolution.
Tips for Customs Delays
Don’t contact AliExpress or the seller first. When a package is stuck at customs, the seller has no ability to influence the process. Customs is a government function. Contact the carrier or customs authority directly rather than messaging the seller.
Check for a physical customs notice in your mail. A common reason for extended holds is a duty notice sent by post that the buyer hasn’t seen yet. Letters from customs authorities in all countries sometimes go unnoticed in regular mail. If your package has been held for a week, physically check your recent mail.
For UK buyers: use Royal Mail’s tracking portal, not just the AliExpress app. Royal Mail’s portal sometimes shows customs assessment status that doesn’t appear in AliExpress tracking.
Respond to any customs notice the same day if possible. The faster you respond, the faster the package clears. Many customs holds wait entirely on the buyer’s response. Same-day payment of duties can mean delivery within 24 to 48 hours.
Don’t ask the seller to undervalue future declarations. Some AliExpress sellers offer to declare a lower value on packages to help buyers avoid duties. This is customs fraud and puts the buyer at legal risk in addition to the seller. The duty saved is rarely worth the risk.
Keep the buyer protection deadline in your calendar. This is the most actionable thing during a customs delay. As long as you know when it closes and act before it does, your financial protection remains intact regardless of what customs does with the timing.
What Happens If Customs Refuses the Package
This is rare for standard consumer goods but does happen, usually for prohibited items (certain restricted electronics, products with IP issues, items violating import regulations). If customs refuses the package, it typically returns to the sender in China.
If this happens to your AliExpress order, open a dispute immediately through “My Orders.” Select “Package Not Received” and explain that customs refused the package. You’re entitled to a refund in most legitimate cases of customs refusal, as the item wasn’t delivered to you.
Note that buyer protection covers non-delivery, not intentional import of prohibited items. AliExpress doesn’t issue refunds for packages refused because the buyer attempted to import restricted or illegal goods.
Takeaway
A package stuck at customs is almost always a temporary delay rather than a permanent loss. The package is in a government facility, tracked, and will either clear or generate a specific notification for you. In most cases, waiting a few more days is the right call.
The things worth doing right now: check your email and physical mail for any duty notices, look at the carrier’s tracking portal for any pending payment flags, and note your buyer protection deadline.
If a duty notice exists, pay it. If no notice exists and it’s been more than ten business days without movement, contact the carrier directly. And if the protection deadline is getting close, open a precautionary dispute.
Customs is slow. It almost always clears.
FAQ
How long does AliExpress take to clear customs? Most standard compliant packages clear in one to five business days. Busy periods and manual inspections can extend this to ten or more days. If your package has been in customs for more than ten business days without a duty notice, contact your carrier directly.
Will my AliExpress package be seized at customs? Seizure is rare for standard consumer goods. It typically only happens for prohibited items, significant IP violations, or dramatically undervalued declarations. Standard AliExpress purchases of electronics accessories, clothing, home goods, and hobby supplies very rarely get seized.
Do I have to pay customs duty on my AliExpress order? It depends on your country and order value. US buyers rarely owe duty under the $800 threshold. UK buyers on orders above £135 may owe duty. Canada charges duty on orders above CAD 20. Australia Post collects GST on some packages where AliExpress didn’t collect it at checkout. Your carrier notifies you if duty is owed.
My AliExpress package has been in customs for two weeks. What should I do? Contact your carrier directly with the tracking number and ask about the status. Check your physical mail for any duty notice or customs correspondence that may not have been prominently communicated digitally.
Does customs delay affect my AliExpress buyer protection? The customs delay doesn’t affect your protection, but the buyer protection deadline continues counting down regardless of where the package is. If your deadline is within three weeks while your package is in customs, open a precautionary dispute noting the customs delay.
Can I do anything to speed up customs clearance for my AliExpress order? If there’s a duty notice outstanding, paying it immediately speeds things up significantly. If it’s a routine processing delay with no outstanding action required from you, there’s nothing to do. Customs processes at its own pace.
What if my AliExpress package is returned to the seller after customs delays? Open a dispute through “My Orders” immediately and select “Package Not Received.” Explain that customs returned the package. AliExpress will review the case and typically issues a refund for legitimate non-delivery situations.
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