Electronic Customs Declaration Must be Submitted When Sending Mail to Designated Destinations

Senders must submit electronic customs declaration when :

  1. sending all mail items containing goods destined to the following destinations:
    Continent Destination
    Asia Azerbaijan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Lao (People's Dem. Rep.), Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia (Russian Federation), Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, the Mainland, the United Arab Emirates and Viet Nam
    Africa Angola, Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco and Seychelles
    America Bahamas, Bermuda, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Chile, Cuba, French Guiana, French West Indies (Guadeloupe and Martinique), Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Tortola (British Virgin Islands), the United States of America and Virgin Islands of the United States of America
    Europe Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland*, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Türkiye
    Oceania Australia, Caroline Islands, French Polynesia, Guam, Mariana Islands (Northern), Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa (the United States of America Territory), Solomon Islands, Tonga, Wake Island and Wallis & Futuna Islands

    * Electronic customs declaration is required for sending all mail items (including containing documents or goods) to Ireland.

    Note : Sending air mails containing goods destined to and/or transited via the member states of the European Union (EU) (i.e. Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden), Norway and Switzerland requiring meeting customs requirements under EU’s Import Control System 2 (ICS2). (Please click here to view the list of destinations transited via the member states of the European Union (EU), Norway and Switzerland.)

  2. sending all Speedpost items to the United States of America and its overseas territories:

    Mandatory electronic customs declaration requirements will enlarge coverage to include all Speedpost items (including containing documents or goods) to the United States of America and its overseas territories, including Caroline Islands, Guam, Mariana Islands (Northern), Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Puerto Rico, Samoa (the United States of America Territory), Virgin Islands of the United States of America and Wake Island.

To speed up the customs clearance process, senders are encouraged to submit electronic customs declaration when sending both documents and goods to all destinations.

As reminded by the postal administrations of the above destinations, 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. 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.

Click Here to
Easy PreCustoms

(Click here to view how to use the "Easy PreCustoms" online platform.)

Customs requirements for sending air mails containing goods destined to / transited via the European Union, Switzerland and Norway from 1 March 2023

Effective from March 1, 2023, the European Union (EU), Switzerland and Norway have implemented a new security and safety programme under EU’s Import Control System 2 (ICS2) requiring all inbound and transit air mails containing goods to undergo preliminary pre-departure customs assessment at the origin of posting. Sender must submit accurate electronic customs declaration for customs assessment.

At present, senders have already been required to submit electronic customs declaration for mail items containing goods destined to the EU and Switzerland. Starting from March 1, the same requirement is also applicable to the mail items containing goods sent to Norway. Under the new programme, aforesaid overseas customs authorities will conduct preliminary assessment at the origin of posting prior to the departure of air mail items containing goods sent to/ transited via those destinations.

Senders are required to provide a local mobile phone number or email address that can receive SMS messages or emails issued by Hongkong Post on the request by destinations or relevant customs authorities related to customs clearance of the mail items. Senders shall check your SMS messages or emails for 1 to 2 days upon posting and take follow up action if required. Hongkong Post will not embed hyperlinks in the related SMS messages or emails requesting for any personal information. Members of the public could contact Hongkong Post enquiry hotline 2921 2222 direct if they have any doubts on the SMS messages or emails received.

Please click here to view the list of destinations.

Click Here for Details of
EU's Import Control System 2 (ICS2)

The required electronic customs information are the same as the current ones provided in the paper declaration forms, which includes:Open/collapse

To provide the electronic customs information, senders can make use of the various channels that Hongkong Post provides. These channels include online platforms of:Open/collapse

Senders can use computers or mobile devices to submit the information via these channels anytime and anywhere. In addition, “Easy PreCustoms” kiosk or tablet have been readily available in all post offices for added convenience to senders.

Please download “Hongkong Post Mobile App”for inputting electronic customs information in an easy way.

Hongkong Post Mobile App”(iOS)

Hongkong Post Mobile App”(Android)

A User Guide on how to use the “Easy PreCustoms” function in the Hongkong Post Mobile App is available.

Senders of mail containing goods without electronic customs information will be requested to supplement the required information or the items will be returned to them. Senders are encouraged to provide a return address on the mail items. The item will be destroyed in the absence of a return address or the sender cannot be contacted. Postage will not be refunded for return or disposal as a result of such circumstances.

Important notes:Open/collapse

  1. Speedpost and Parcel (Air and Surface) - Ways to provide electronic customs information

    • Accessible Version of Speedpost and Parcel (Air and Surface) - Ways to provide electronic customs information

    • Mail containing goods (Non-document items) shall contain electronic customs information
    • If a handwritten posting forms are to be used, senders shall select the appropriate platform including “Easy PreCustoms” or “My Speedpost” to input the customs information before posting the item.
    • At the time of posting, sender may request a transparent jacket from the counter to hold the posting forms and other relevant documents.
    • Pick-up service is not available for a Speedpost item with its posting form prepared on “Easy PreCustoms” and “EC-Ship”.
    • In using the pick-up service, customers have to make sure that the Speedpost item containing goods shall have electronic customs information. The postman may request the customer to proof (e.g. “Easy PreCustoms” confirmation email or “My Speedpost” record) for provision of electronic customs information.

  2. Registered and Ordinary Mail (Air and Surface) - Ways to provide electronic customs information:

    • Accessible Version of Registered and Ordinary Packet (Air and Surface) - Ways to provide electronic customs information

    • Mail containing goods (Non-document items) shall contain electronic customs information.
    • If sender uses “Post Now” online platform to prepare posting form and input customs information, no additional electronic customs declaration is required. Alternatively, senders may collect barcode labels, which are available at all post offices, for submitting electronic customs information on “Easy PreCustoms” before posting Registered and Ordinary mail.

    • For Ordinary Mail

      Sender can make use of “Easy PreCustoms” online platform to provide the electronic customs information by means of:

      • Collect Customs declaration form with Prefix “U” barcode label (CN22) from post offices and stick it on the mail for posting. After inputting the mail barcodes and the customs information in the platform, the item can be posted.

        CN22

    • For Registered Mail

      If senders are currently using “EC-Ship” or “Post Now” online platform to prepare posting form, no additional electronic customs information is required. If senders are not using these online platforms, they can obtain the following forms from all post offices:

      1. Registered mail barcode label starting with "R"; and
      2. Customs declaration form without barcode (CN22).

      After inputting the Registered mail barcode and the customs information in the platform, the item can be posted.

    • Sending Ordinary Mail via Street Posting Boxes

      If a sender posts an ordinary packet to the abovementioned destinations via street posting box, electronic customs information must be submitted before posting. If it is found that electronic customs information is not available on the mail items during the handling process, the mail items will be returned to the 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 and postage will not be refunded. If no return address is provided on the mail item and the sender cannot be contacted, the mail item will be destroyed, and no postage refund will be entertained.

    • Sending Mail via iPostal Kiosk

      When posting mail containing goods to the abovementioned 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.

  3. Bulk Air Mail, Bulk Lightweight Mail (Air and Surface), e-Express+

    • When senders use ”EC-Ship” or “Post Now” online platforms to prepare the abovementioned mail and customs information are completed, such information will be automatically saved as electronic customs declaration. Hence, there is no need for senders to re-submit such information. Senders can simply prepare the posting label and post the mail items as usual.

Important Notes:Open/collapse

  1. As informed by the postal operators of the above destinations, all mail categories containing goods that do not come with electronic customs information will be subject to delays in customs clearance or will be returned or even destroyed, no postage refund will be entertained.
  2. Senders of mail containing goods without electronic customs information will be requested to supplement the required information or the items will be returned to them. Senders should provide a return address on the mail items. The item will be destroyed in the absence of a return address or the sender cannot be contacted. Postage will not be refunded for return or disposal as a result of such circumstances.
  3. To speed up the customs clearance process, senders are encouraged to submit electronic customs declaration when sending both documents and goods to all destinations.
  4. Personal data collected from online platforms will only be used by Hongkong Post for the purpose of processing mail items. Such data will be transmitted to overseas postal administrations and destination customs authorities which have implemented eCustoms clearance through electronic data interchange. Hongkong Post will not use the personal data collected for any other purposes without prior consent of customers unless such use is permitted or required by law.

Frequently Asked Questions