International Shipping: Customs Documentation & Clearance

If your international shipment has been delayed due to customs documentation, don't worry—we're here to help.

How Echo Water Handles Customs Documentation

For all international orders, commercial invoices are electronically submitted to the shipping carrier at the time your order leaves our warehouse.

Many countries process customs documentation electronically rather than relying on printed paperwork attached to the package. Because of this, it's normal for a shipment to arrive without a physical commercial invoice, even though the required documentation has already been submitted electronically.

Why Is Customs Requesting Documentation?

In some cases, customs authorities or the local shipping carrier may request additional information or ask for documents to be resubmitted during the clearance process. This is a normal part of international shipping and does not necessarily mean that documentation was missing when your order shipped.

The Fastest Way to Resolve a Customs Hold

We've found that the quickest way to resolve customs delays is for our shipping team to work directly with your shipping carrier or customs agent.

This helps:

• Reduce unnecessary delays
• Eliminate back-and-forth communication
• Ensure the correct documentation is provided as quickly as possible
• Save you from acting as the middleman

If your shipment is being held by customs, please ask your shipping carrier or customs agent to message us directly so we can forward their request directly with our Shipping Manager directly:

Email: support@echowater.com

Our shipping team is experienced with international customs requirements and will gladly work with the carrier or customs office to provide any additional documentation they need.

Why Can't I Contact the Shipping Team Directly?

To ensure the fastest resolution, our shipping team communicates directly with shipping carriers and customs officials. Because they coordinate logistics and documentation with these organizations, they are unable to respond to individual customer inquiries.

If customs or your carrier needs additional information, simply ask them to contact our Shipping Manager directly, and we'll work together to get your shipment cleared as quickly as possible.

Why Was my Package Returned due to Customs Documentation?

Sometimes this is because the required customs documentation didn't make it through their system. While we can't see the exact internal handoff error, these issues typically stem from either:

• The electronic customs data or commercial invoice failing to transmit correctly, or

• A specific customs form or detail (like commodity description or value format) not attaching in the way local customs required.

You shouldn’t have had to chase this down with FedEx. Please file a shipping claim on our Return & Exchange Request page.