Ordering Overseas

When goods are shipped into the US, the buyer ("Importer") is responsible for any fees/taxes/duty that may accrue on the merchandise when it clears Customs and Border Protection ("CBP").

Most paperwork for sending packages internationally has a section for providing CBP information. However, at the minimum it should include:

Seller's name and address;

Description of the item(s) in English;

Quantity of each type of item being shipped;

Purchase price in US dollars;

Weight of the item(s); and

Country of origin of the product itself.

Merchandise shipped through the international postal service is forwarded upon its arrival in the US to one of U.S. Customs and Border Protection International Mail Branches for clearance. If the item is less than $2,000 in value and is not subject to a quota or is not a restricted or prohibited item, a CBP official will usually prepare the paperwork for importing it, assess the proper duty, and release it for delivery.