A tracking status showing a customs hold produces more panic than almost any other message, and in most cases it resolves itself in a few days with no action from you. Knowing which holds are routine and which need a response is the whole skill.
The three kinds of hold
Routine processing, where the shipment is simply in the queue and typically clears within one to three business days. Documentation hold, where something is missing or unclear and someone needs to supply information. And examination, where the shipment has been selected for physical inspection, which commonly adds three to seven days and occasionally longer during peak season.
How you find out which one you have
Routine processing usually shows a generic status and moves on its own. A documentation hold generates contact from the carrier or broker, typically by email, requesting information. If nobody has contacted you and the status has not changed in five business days, that is when to contact the carrier with the tracking number and ask specifically which type of hold it is.
What actually gets requested
Most often a commercial invoice with accurate values, a description clear enough to classify the goods, or evidence of what you paid. Vague descriptions such as gift or goods are the leading cause of documentation holds. Responding within a day usually clears it; ignoring the request leads to storage fees and eventually to return or abandonment.
What you cannot do
You cannot expedite an examination, and paying for faster shipping does nothing once a shipment is held. Calling repeatedly does not move it up a queue. The productive actions are supplying requested documents quickly and accurately, and making sure the carrier has a working contact address for you. Contacting a government agency directly is usually unproductive as well, since the carrier or broker holds the entry and is the only party who can act on it.
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Start a buy-for-me order →Frequently asked
How long can a hold last?
Routine holds clear in one to three business days, examinations typically three to seven, and documentation holds last exactly as long as it takes you to respond. Holds running past two weeks usually mean a request went to an address nobody is monitoring.
Will I be charged for the delay?
Storage charges can accrue after a free period, often several days. Responding quickly is the only way to avoid them.
Can I go and collect it myself?
For most consumer shipments no, since the goods are in a carrier facility rather than a public counter. The clearance process has to complete before release regardless of who collects.