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As reminded by the postal administrations of the designated destinations (for the full list of designated destinations please refer to Question 2), mail items which do not come with accurate electronic customs information may be subject to delay during customs clearance, or may not be processed and be returned, no postage refund will be entertained. To comply with the above requirement, senders shall submit electronic customs declaration via Hongkong Post’s dedicated online platforms or facilities before posting any mail items from Hong Kong to the designated destinations.
Senders should provide the return address and a local mobile phone number that can receive SMS. Items returned without sender’s information will be destroyed.
Hongkong Post has made available various channels, including online platforms (Easy Pre-Customs, EC-Ship, My Speedpost and Post Now), the Hongkong Post mobile App and the kiosk or tablet in all post offices, for senders to submit their electronic customs declaration.
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For details on the designated destinations, please refer to: https://www.hongkongpost.hk/en/other/2020/ecustoms/index.html
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If a mail item without eCustoms data is found during acceptance at counter office, we will not accept the mail and will ask the sender to use the "Easy PreCustoms" online platform or Hongkong Post Mobile App to enter the eCustoms data. If it is found that electronic customs information is not available on the mail items during the handling process, the item will be withheld. If there are ways to contact the sender, before further processing the item, Hongkong Post will request the sender to re-submit the required information, or will return such item to the sender. No postage refund will be entertained for returned items not providing supplementary electronic customs information within a specified timeframe. Hence, sender should input eCustoms data in the relevant platforms before posting mail items to designated destinations. Items returned without sender information will be destroyed without postage refund.
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Yes. Apart from the United States of America, it is necessary to provide electronic customs data for sending mail items containing goods, and Speedpost items containing goods or documents to overseas territories of the United States of America, including Caroline Islands, Guam, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Marina Islands (Northern), Palau, Puerto Rico, Samoa (the United States of America Territory), Virgin Islands of the United States of America and Wake Island.
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Senders are required to submit eCustoms data before posting mail items to designated destinations (for the full list of designated destinations please refer to Question 2). For Speedpost item posted via pick-up service, the eCustoms data shall be provided before collection by postman. For senders who prepare their posting form at any of HKP’s online platforms, completion of online posting preparation will provide the necessary posting information for eCustoms.
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Hongkong Post has provided multiple online platforms and facilities for senders to provide the electronic customs information. Customers can make use of Hongkong Post “Easy PreCustoms”, “Post Now”, “EC-Ship” or “My Speedpost” online platforms to prepare posting form and provide electronic customs information in one-go before posting the mail items. The customs information collected by Hongkong Post will be transmitted electronically to overseas customs authorities for pre-clearance through their respective postal administrations. “EC-Ship” or “My Speedpost” online platforms require pre-registration, while “Easy PreCustoms” and “Post Now” online platforms do not require pre-registration. In addition, kiosks or tablets have been readily available in all post offices for added convenience to senders.
All the customs information (including sender’s information) shall be provided in English or local language.
Senders can download “Hongkong Post Mobile App” for inputting electronic customs information in an easy way.
Hongkong Post Mobile App”(iOS)
Hongkong Post Mobile App”(Android)
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Customers shall enter customs information by themselves since the information contains personal and customs information. Staff of Hongkong Post will provide assistance and guidance to those customers in need to facilitate the completion of customs declaration process.
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Senders can make use of “Easy PreCustoms” or “Post Now” online platform to prepare a posting form and provide electronic customs information in one go, and then print out and stick the posting form on the mail for posting. Alternatively, senders can collect barcode labels, which are available at all post offices, for submitting electronic customs information on “Easy PreCustoms” before posting Registered and Ordinary mail by the following steps:
For Ordinary Mail, sender can collect customs declaration form with Prefix “U” barcode label (CN22) from post offices and stick it on the mail for posting preparation. After inputting the mail barcodes and customs information in “Easy PreCustoms”, the item can be posted.
For Registered Mail, if senders use “EC-Ship” or “Post Now” online platform to prepare posting form, no additional electronic customs information is required. If senders choose not to use online platforms for posting preparation, they can provide electronic customs information by obtaining at a post office:
After that, input the registered mail barcode and the customs information on “Easy PreCustoms” for posting the item.
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The eCustoms data is not required to be completed in “Easy PreCustoms” if customers prepare their mail on "EC-Ship", “Post Now” or "My Speedpost" online plaform for services of Speedpost, e-Express+, registered mail, parcel or ordinary mail (posting of 100 items or above).
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After submitting the eCustoms data, the sender will receive an email notification. If the sender wishes to amend the eCustoms data, the sender can click the relevant link in the confirmation email to log on the system again for any amendment before posting. The posting information cannot be edited any more if the mail item has been posted as the data has been submitted to the overseas postal administration.
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If mail item containing goods (non-document item) is posted, the Customs declaration form (CN22) shall be affixed regardless of the size of the mail item. (if online posting form is prepared, it is not necessary to fill in the Customs declaration form, which has been contained in the online posting form already). For details, please refers to Post Office Guide, Section 9.9.
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eCustoms information is required for all the mail items containing goods (non-document items) and Speedpost items containing goods or documents to the United States of America. Since it is necessary to link the eCustoms information with the barcode, all customers have to collect the mail barcode label in advance (See Q8). If an online posting form is prepared, it is not necessary to do so since the online posting form has already contained the barcode label. The newly developed online platforms or facilities is to facilitate customers to provide the data in different scenario conveniently.
There is no difference for the customer in preparing the Registered or Ordinary mails. If mail item containing goods (non-document item) is posted, the Customs declaration form (CN22) shall be affixed regardless of the size of the mail item. (if online posting form is prepared, it is not necessary to fill in the Customs declaration form, which has been contained in the online posting form already). For details, please refers to Post Office Guide, Section 9.9.
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The mail items that may allow bulk posting include Speedpost, Ordinary or Registered mails. At present, the online platforms can provide the function of “Upload electronic customs data for bulk posting”. Customer can simply base on the instruction to load the eCustoms information into an “Excel” file which shall then be uploaded in the system. Customer can use “My Speedpost” online platform to upload eCustoms information of Speedpost items, or use “EC Ship” online platform to upload the eCustoms information of Registered or Ordinary mails. For details (EC Ship), please take reference from the link below:
“EC-Ship” or
“My Speedpost” online platforms
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Yes. Since there is a growing trend for postal items to provide eCustoms information, we encourage customers to adapt, as soon as possible, to making use of the online platforms to submit eCustoms information or prepare the posting forms.
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The Customs declaration form with Prefix “U” barcode label is provided for the purpose of electronic customs declaration and is applicable to all outward ordinary mail.
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When senders call the pick-up services, the customer service will remind the customer to input the data. Upon pick-up, the postman will check whether eCustoms information has been submitted by scanning the barcode. If there is no information shown on the system, customers are required to provide the proof for provision of the e-Customs information in order to ensure that the Speedpost item has contained the information.
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If a sender posts an ordinary mail containing goods (non-document item) to abovementioned destinations via the posting box, electronic customs information shall be submitted before posting. If it is found that electronic customs information is not available on the mail items containing goods during the handling process, the mail items will be returned to a designated post office and a notification letter will be issued based on the return address to inform sender to re-submit the required information at the designated post office. If supplementary electronic customs information is not provided within a specified timeframe, such items will be returned to sender, no postage refund will be entertained. If no return address is provided on the mail item and the sender cannot be contacted, the mail item will be destroyed.
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When posting mail which requires mandatory electronic customs declaration to the designated destinations via iPostal Kiosk, if the posting label and electronic customs information have not yet been prepared on online platforms, senders may directly entre the electronic customs information when preparing the posting label at iPostal Kiosk. If it is found that electronic customs information is not available on the mail items during the handling process, the sender will be contacted and requested to re-submit the required information at a designated post office. If supplementary electronic customs information is not provided within a specified timeframe, such item will be returned to sender, no postage refund will be entertained. If no return address is provided on the mail item and the sender cannot be contacted, the mail item will be destroyed.
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The postal operators of the above destinations request that any mail items without eCustoms data shall not been posted to the designated destinations. As no sender address is available for returning the item, it will be disposed of without postage refund. Hence, senders shall provide eCustoms data before posting their mail items.
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Mail item to the designated destinations which does not contain eCustoms data cannot be accepted by Hongkong Post. If a mail item has contained eCustoms data, the delivery standard will be counted from the date of providing the eCustoms data or date of posting, while the latest date among both dates shall be the basis. To remind, time for customs clearance will not be counted in the delivery standard.
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Since the sender fails to provide eCustoms data in accordance with the requirement and Hongkong Post has processed the mail item, the postage cannot be refunded.
Ans.: The key purpose of requiring the eCustoms data by the overseas customs authorities is to facilitate the customs clearance process. For enquiries on the tax / duties imposed at the destination, please contact the destination customs authority.
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Please check with the overseas customs authorities.