Whenever you are expecting an international package you might receive a notification stating that your “package has been released by government agencies.” Do you know what it means? Do you have to do something to get your package?
In this article, we have covered everything related to ‘packages released by Government agencies’ from how to track your package to how long you have to wait to get your package. So continue to read if you want to know more about it.
What’s the Meaning of “Package Has Been Released by Government Agencies”?
If you have received this notification “Your Package Has Been Released by Government Agencies” regarding your shipment. It means that your package has got customs clearance from the authorities and has been released to continue its normal path for delivery.
Every country has its own customs rules and regulations which are required to be followed by every international package. Customs clearance is basically a process to ensure that no prohibited or illegal items enter the destination country. It also ensures that all the applicable taxes and duties are paid if a shipment is being imported from any other nation.
So, if you have received a notification stating that your package has been released by Govt Agencies then it means the required process of customs clearance is completed without having any issue. After that, your package will resume its normal journey to get delivered to the delivery address.
Can your package get held at Govt Agencies?
Yes, your package can get held at Govt agencies if they find something suspicious or wrong about it. Down below, we have listed a few of the reasons why your package gets held at customs or govt agencies.
Inspection
Sometimes your package can be held up by government agencies on account of suspicious reasons. It happens to ensure that no illegal or prohibited items like drugs, or weapons enter the destination country. However, if the authorities doesnt find anything illegal then they will relax your package to continue its normal journey.
Tax & Duties Payments
A package can also get held up by govt agencies if the payment receipt of the tax & duties are missing from the package documentation. If you have not paid any tax then you need to contact your shipping carrier and figure out a way to pay them.
FedEx and UPS generally pay the fees on the user’s behalf and once the package gets released in its normal way, they deliver it to the recipient’s address. However, the recipient is required to the bill (that has all the taxes and other charges) before the package gets delivered to their address.
Incomplete Paperwork
Before your package makes its way to the Govt agencies or customs officials make sure it has all the important documentation like the commercial invoices, permits required, and receipt of tax payments. So that the officials can process it more efficiently without taking much of the time.
However, if officials find any certificate or important documentation missing then you might have to provide them by contacting your shipping carrier. Until that time your package will be held at the customs facility.
How long does a package take to move from the “Released By Government Agencies” status?
To be true there is no ideal time frame for how long it will take but in normal scenarios, it takes from 24 hours to 2 weeks to get your package moving after the release by government agencies update.
Firstly, the package gets delivered to the shipping carrier in the destination country. Thereafter it gets delivered to the govt agencies aka customs facilities to get clearance. The agency then reviews the documentation, checks the package content, and calculates if there are any taxes and duties owed to be paid. If everything seems to clear then the package gets customs clearance and released back to the shipping carrier to make the final delivery.
If you are in between the process then there is nothing to worry about just continue to check the tracking status of your package. But if more than two weeks have passed and your tracking status remains stuck at the same update, then you need to contact the carrier and ask them to provide the true status of your package.
What to do if a package is delayed after the ‘released by a government agency’ update?
- Be Patient: Keep in mind, that the entire process where your package gets released by govt agencies takes time. It’s ideal to not hear anything for weeks. In the meantime, you need to be patient and check the tracking status of your package regularly.
- Contact the Shipper: If your package is getting unnecessarily delayed, you need to ask the shipper to file a dispute with the carrier and request them to work with customs if your package is still stuck there.
- Necessary Documentation: Make sure all the important documents are attached to your package invoices, licenses, certificate of origin, permits required, and receipt of tax payment. If any important documentation is missing or is suspected to be forged then your package will be held up for further inspection.
- Consider Authorized Broker: If you are expecting a complex international package then go ahead with the licensed custom broker as they can help you get your package/consignment released faster as compared with the standard process of releasing.
What really happens when your package gets the clearance/released?
Once your package gets released by the govt agencies then it’s handed over to the required shipping carrier to make the last mile delivery.
After that, the carrier sends the package to its local facility where it gets processed and sorted out. Finally, all the packages get loaded up in the delivery truck after a manual scan to let the recipient know that their package has been out for delivery.
Usually, once your package gets released from govt agencies you will be able to track the progress of your package on the tracking status and know how long it will take to get delivered to your address.