Customer Communication for a Customs Delay
Published September 6, 2026.
An international tracking scan can indicate customs processing without explaining its cause or duration. Confirm the shipment, destination, last scan, carrier guidance, and whether a documented request for information exists.
Avoid false certainty
Do not guess why a parcel was selected or promise a release date. Explain the verified event and identify whether the carrier, merchant, broker, or recipient can provide the requested document. Use approved secure channels for invoices or identity material.
Give the customer the next review date and the route available if the shipment exceeds the service threshold. Keep duties, taxes, restricted goods, and refund eligibility separate because each may have different ownership.
Track delay duration, missing-document requests, destination, carrier, and repeat contacts. Use aggregate patterns to improve pre-shipment guidance while recognizing that support does not control customs decisions.
Related guidance covers delivery delay communication and customer commitment tracking. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection importing guide provides authoritative context.