There are a number of reasons why you may need to ship a package internationally. Whether you yourself are shipping a package to someone abroad, someone is sending something to you or else you’re ordering something from another country. Each of these can come with things to think about, whether it’s the type of items you can legally ship, the taxes or duty that may need to be paid, or whether the place you want to order from even delivers to your country. If that last one is the case, you may need to use a forwarding service like forward2me, but we’ll go into more detail on how to do that in our guide on shipping packages internationally which you’ll find below. 

Step 1: Check restrictions on packages in the county you’re shipping to 

First of all you need to make sure that what you are shipping can be done so legally. Some items will be banned completely from shipping, whereas others will be restricted, so it’s worth taking some time to digest the list of items. Remember, while we have our own list of prohibited items that we won’t forward, some countries will have their own restrictions in addition to these and you should check those before you ship an item.

Items that can’t be shipped include high-value items, monetary items, hazardous materials, unidentifiable items, weapons, drugs & tobacco and animals. Check the full list for more details, and keep in mind that other items, like batteries, alcohol and aerosols, among other things, may be allowed but have certain restrictions in place.

Check if there is any duty or tax to pay 

In addition to the fees you may have to pay for postage, each country may have its own set of additional fees. These can come in the form of tax or import duty. Customs duty is taken into account in many countries when shipping items across borders. This is generally done to protect the economy and  industry in those countries. These duties are generally calculated as a percentage of the total value paid in the country of purchase. Even if you’re using a package forwarding service to get items from another country, you’ll need to consider that these fees may be payable.

If you’re shipping a package internationally through us that’s subject to additional duty or tax, you’ll need to make sure you cover this yourself as it’ll be your responsibility to sort this out. More information on this can be found in section 8.2 of our terms of trade.

Find the right package forwarder and courier 

Shipping items internationally can be made much easier by using a package forwarding service like forward2me. Giving you an address in the country, or customs union, that you are ordering from can be advantageous when buying certain items. It can allow you to group several orders into one package, or order from places that don’t ship to your country.

In addition to choosing the right package forwarding company, it’s imperative to select the right courier to make the delivery. If you’re sending something internationally yourself it’s worth checking what those couriers will ship, and what their rates and capabilities are. Each courier may have different methods of tracking or delivery and limitations on time or type. It’s worth checking whether there is any limitation on shipping large packages.

We work with a number of respected couriers, like DHL, P2P, UPS, TNT, DPD and DSV to make sure that anyone forwarding packages through us has a number of options when it comes to their delivery. Some couriers will only deliver to certain countries however, so check for any limitations, and some may have additional restrictions on items they won’t shop.

Ensure you have all the correct contact and delivery information

It sometimes feels like it goes without saying, but having the correct contact and delivery information is essential for shipping packages overseas. If you’re delivering a package to someone then it’s important they have your details and you have theirs, plus the contact details and tracking information of the courier you’ve used. This means that if there are any issues everyone can be in touch with the relevant sources.

If you’re ordering from another country it’s essential that the details you provide are correct. This allows you to be contacted if there are any problems with your order, and that your item is delivered to the correct place.

No need to fill out the required paperwork, forward2me can handle that for you 

If you’re shipping something internationally, or ordering from another country, there’s a good chance you’ll have to fill in paperwork. If you order a package through us to be shipped internationally we take care of all of these details. While you are still responsible to cover any import duties or taxes, we’ll sort everything else, from the logistics of a delivery,the admin and paperwork & offer customer support until the shipment arrives at your door.

Ship Worldwide with forward2me 

Using a package forwarding service like forward2me allows you to order from a country as if you live in it. It gives you access to a free delivery address in the country you’re ordering from and, with forwarding addresses in the UK, Turkey, Germany and Japan, we can give you access to a whole host of renowned brands and products that you may not have access to in your own country.

Whether you’re after limited items off of Amazon that aren’t available in your country, or a brand from a high street retailer that you can’t get your hands on where you live. 

Sign up for your free account and access your free forwarding address today. We’ve got more information on how package forwarding works, and you can trust forward2me as experts in package forwarding.