International Shipping FAQs
Can you ship this item to the destination country?
Some countries do not have shipping services or their service is temporarily suspended. As of August 2023, these include:
Afghanistan, Belarus, Bhutan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, Niue, Russia, Sudan, and Ukraine.
Laos and Yemen have not updated service since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Areas of Italy and Slovenia are experiencing disruptions due to extreme weather.
As of August 2023, Offix Edge will no longer be shipping to Mexico. Service is too unreliable.
This link has the most current list of USPS Disruptions: https://about.usps.com/newsroom/service-alerts/international/welcome.htm
Trade agreements and regulations limit what or how much of each type of item can be shipped to each country. The USPS Country Index has the most accessible list of prohibitions and restrictions: https://pe.usps.com/text/imm/immctry.htm
Can Offix Edge ship this?
Offix Edge cannot ship electronics or electronic components to China, Hong Kong, Russia, or Venezuela. These shipments require Electronic Export Information (EEI) filings and the shipper must have an Employer Identification Number (EIN).
We do not ship certain items domestically or internationally - guns, weapons, ammunition, furs, plants or seeds, tobacco, marijuana or vaping products, currency or precious metals, etc.
Offix Edge cannot ship alcohol in any form - booze, perfume, nail polish, etc.
Why do I need to provide so much information to ship internationally?
Every country in the world has a Customs organization that determines whether your shipment is to be allowed into their country, and whether they will impose import duties and taxes on that shipment. Customs uses the information provided on the Commercial/Pro Forma Invoice to calculate the duties, taxes and fees that will be applied to your shipment.
Commercial Invoice: the shipped goods are part of a sales transaction (i.e. the goods have been purchased by the receiver) and are for permanent export. Shipments with a Commercial Invoice are always dutiable. HTS and EORI are required.
Pro Forma Invoice: the shipment contains personal effects or there is not a sales transaction between the sender and the receiver. These shipments are normally not dutiable, but that depends upon circumstances and value of items being shipped.
What are import duties and taxes?
Duties and taxes are implemented by government officials to protect their domestic markets and generate revenue for the country of import. They are imposed on dutiable goods that move across political boundaries and enforced by local Customs authorities. Each country will assess each commodity differently based on trade agreements and their domestic markets. Offix Edge has no way of knowing what these fees will be.
Who pays for duties and taxes?
Typically, the receiver, the person to whom you are sending the shipment, will have to pay the applicable duties and taxes. The shipment will be held in Customs until the fees are paid. If your receiver waits too long, Customs will either destroy the shipment or return it to the shipper. If Customs returns the shipment, the shipper will return it to us, and we will return it to you. YOU WILL NOT GET A REFUND ON YOUR SHIPMENT.
What is a Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) Code? And why do I need it?
The HTS code is a standardized number that classifies traded products. It is used by customs authorities to assess duties and taxes on items being exported or imported into their country. You can classify your items here: https://uscensus.prod.3ceonline.com/
An HTS code is required for all items in each shipment to the European Union, Northern Ireland, Norway or Switzerland, and recommended for all other countries. Including the HTS code for each item will allow the correct information to be transferred to the importing country prior to the shipment’s arrival, allowing it to pass through customs more efficiently.
What is an Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number?
Shipments of sold products to the EU, Northern Ireland, Norway or Switzerland require the receiver to provide their EORI number. Recipients can be assigned an EORI number by their country's customs authorities. The EORI number will allow the customs authorities to expedite the import process.
