Hello,
I hope someone can help in regards to a valuable package I am waiting on that my sister sent me from USA to UK. I have been tracking it online through USPS and Royal mail for day's now and I am worried that there is a problem or the item may have been lost as no new updates have been made since the weekend. On USPS tracking it shows "Customs Clearance, UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND, November 8, 2025, 3:50 pm" and on Royal Mail tracking it shows "Monday 10 November 2025, 15:18, Item Received, Heathrow International LC".
Can someone please put my mind at ease and help me understand where my package is in the system, and when I could possibly expect it. I have done plenty of research online but cannot find a solid answer. I appreciate your time in advance.
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US to UK Package Delayed/Tracking Information Help
Forum rules
For help with tracking please see...HERE
For information about your item being in HWDC Langley please see...HERE
For information about any other mail or if you have a complaint or general query, we first suggest you contact Royal Mail, see the link HERE.
Implications on mail after the UK's exit from the EU
From 1st January the rules for sending and receiving items to and from the EU will change.For more details please see... HERE
For help with tracking please see...HERE
For information about your item being in HWDC Langley please see...HERE
For information about any other mail or if you have a complaint or general query, we first suggest you contact Royal Mail, see the link HERE.
Implications on mail after the UK's exit from the EU
From 1st January the rules for sending and receiving items to and from the EU will change.For more details please see... HERE
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ecdelin
- Posts: 1
- Joined: 12 Nov 2025, 09:58
- Gender: Male
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yellowbelly
- Posts: 3395
- Joined: 23 Jun 2015, 15:51
- Gender: Male
Re: US to UK Package Delayed/Tracking Information Help
It's probably still with customs for assessment. Royal Mail have no insight into what is happening to your item until it is released by customs.
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Nebiroth
- Posts: 26
- Joined: 17 Mar 2022, 10:26
- Gender: Male
Re: US to UK Package Delayed/Tracking Information Help
Once it leaves the USA, any updates on USPS are reliant of getting updates from the destination's mail sysem, so USPS won't be any more up to date than Royal Mail.
Unlike years ago, many postal services have adopted a system whereby the information on the Customs Declaration is sent ahead electronically, which helps to speed up clearance processes. This explains why "Customs Clearance" can often appear before an item has actually arrived in the destination country.
In your case, you say it is a valuable item. This means that it is likely due import taxes - primarily VAT, but potentially duty also - even if it was sent as a gift because the allowance is only £39. Anything above that becomes subject to VAT. Anything above £135 becomes subject to duty - which has a varying rate depending on he nature of the item(s).
All this means that there can be holdups in UK Customs because they need to determine the taxes due. Then Royal Mail will have to pay these, if any, then bill you for them (plus a fat admin charge) before delivery. Once Royal Mial have paid the tax, it will move through the mail system and arrive at your local delivery office, and it is they who will send you a card saying "there's a customs due item for you, here;s how to pay"
It is not at all unusual for items to get delayed if they have to be assessed by Customs in this way. Moreover, HM Customs are empowered to open and inspect any package. They may do so if they consider the Customs Declaration to be unclear or incorrect in some way. They also randomly select some packages for inspection purposes. If they have decided to open and inspect, that can take weeks. Royal Mail will not be able to assist because it's in the hands of Customs. Generally speaking, Rm Customer Service will have no more tracking information than you can see yourself.
If you do decide to run them, do so at precisely 8am. That is when their lines open. Ten minutes later that queues will have built up, and you will start to hear the "Current wait times are up to 40 minutes" (yes, they really are that bad!)
I have had literally hundreds of items from the US and they have all arrived eventually. The longest delay was seven weeks, because I'd been sent a replacement for a defective DVD and they'd put a value of "zero" on the Customs forms. This was correct, as I had no paid anything for it, but looked suspect so it arrived very late covered with red and yellow tape and "Opened by HM Customs for inspection". Fortunately, there was a covering letter inside saying it was a free replacement disc!
What service was used to send the item?
Unlike years ago, many postal services have adopted a system whereby the information on the Customs Declaration is sent ahead electronically, which helps to speed up clearance processes. This explains why "Customs Clearance" can often appear before an item has actually arrived in the destination country.
In your case, you say it is a valuable item. This means that it is likely due import taxes - primarily VAT, but potentially duty also - even if it was sent as a gift because the allowance is only £39. Anything above that becomes subject to VAT. Anything above £135 becomes subject to duty - which has a varying rate depending on he nature of the item(s).
All this means that there can be holdups in UK Customs because they need to determine the taxes due. Then Royal Mail will have to pay these, if any, then bill you for them (plus a fat admin charge) before delivery. Once Royal Mial have paid the tax, it will move through the mail system and arrive at your local delivery office, and it is they who will send you a card saying "there's a customs due item for you, here;s how to pay"
It is not at all unusual for items to get delayed if they have to be assessed by Customs in this way. Moreover, HM Customs are empowered to open and inspect any package. They may do so if they consider the Customs Declaration to be unclear or incorrect in some way. They also randomly select some packages for inspection purposes. If they have decided to open and inspect, that can take weeks. Royal Mail will not be able to assist because it's in the hands of Customs. Generally speaking, Rm Customer Service will have no more tracking information than you can see yourself.
If you do decide to run them, do so at precisely 8am. That is when their lines open. Ten minutes later that queues will have built up, and you will start to hear the "Current wait times are up to 40 minutes" (yes, they really are that bad!)
I have had literally hundreds of items from the US and they have all arrived eventually. The longest delay was seven weeks, because I'd been sent a replacement for a defective DVD and they'd put a value of "zero" on the Customs forms. This was correct, as I had no paid anything for it, but looked suspect so it arrived very late covered with red and yellow tape and "Opened by HM Customs for inspection". Fortunately, there was a covering letter inside saying it was a free replacement disc!
What service was used to send the item?