The meaning of “US customs” on Aliexpress

You may notice the progress bar below the delivery date with the “US customs” message while checking the status of your Aliexpress order. No problem if you can’t understand what it means and what is your order’s next step — here’s an explanation.

If the progress bar says “US customs” — it means that your order has reached the United States and is awaiting customs clearance. Also, if you see the bar is moving to this status, it means that you’ll be able to receive the parcel at home really soon. The package is already halfway there so you need to wait for just a little.

Also, the abbreviations may vary in every country — the first two letters indicating the name: for example, PL customs — Poland, BE customs — Belgium, etc.

What is customs clearance?

Customs control in the United States is the process of controlling the movement of goods and people across the state border. Customs control is an important component of the country's security system, as it is aimed at protecting the interests of the state and preventing the importation of dangerous goods into the United States.

In the process of customs control, customs officers inspect all goods and baggage transported across the border in order to identify prohibited or restricted goods, as well as goods on which customs duties have not been paid.

One of the main features of customs control in the United States is the use of technology, such as X-ray devices and metal sensors, to examine luggage and identify any potential dangers. In addition, baggage can be scanned using modern technology to detect even the smallest prohibited items.

In general, customs control in the United States is a very strict and detailed process that ensures the security of the country. Therefore, carriers should be prepared for security measures and follow all the rules and procedures to avoid any problems when importing goods to the United States.

“US customs” status is not updating

Sometimes this status doesn’t change for weeks. The order is stopping and the progress bar doesn’t move — what does it mean?

 In that case, you need to see if your order is ordinary or certified. You cannot track ordinary shipments once they arrive at the destination country, so the progress bar basically stops with the same message. You’ll get an SMS or other type of notification once your parcel is ready to pick up.

Also, consider that sometimes the clearance could be terminated due to unexpected circumstances.

If something happens at customs — you will get a message or see the status change. Any inconveniences should be noticed right away.

What happens after the customs process? 

Once the clearance is finished successfully, your order will be accepted by the logistics operator — the local carrier company that delivers packages to your home. If you choose a premium delivery option such as EMS, DHL, or UPS — you’ll receive the order with another method.

Distribution center

The packages are being sorted and sent to the smaller or bigger centers right in these centers, considering the area they need to be delivered to.

Delivery office

This is one of the final steps. Arrivement at the delivery office means that the carrier should bring it to your house soon. Some buyers choose self-pick-up often — that’s another option.  

As you can see, you have no reason to worry about “US customs” status. The overall goal of customs control in the United States is to protect national security and public health. At the same time, the customs control process is optimized as much as possible so it takes less time but still remains effective.

Tags: Aliexpress US