U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Securing America's Borders
CBP Information Center
Mail - Lost / Missing package
My package is lost / missing; does CBP have it?
If your package is long overdue or you think it may be lost in the mail, you should contact your local post office and request that a parcel tracer action be initiated to locate it. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, (CBP) is unable to track packages into or out of our facilities unless you have received a notice of detention issued by CBP, otherwise we will not be able to locate your package even if it is being held by CBP.
The International Sorting Center (ISC) is a U.S. Postal Service Processing Facility and not a CBP one. If the post office has a tracking number that indicates the package went into CBP, but no record of it exiting the facility, you might ask USPS's customer service representatives to work directly with the CBP facility to see if it is still there - although the absence of a record is not proof that the package is still in the CBP area.
CBP enforces a wide range of laws, including health, safety, and intellectual property rights, so other U.S. agencies also may need to inspect packages. This is particularly common for goods subject to Food and Drug Administration regulations, such as medicine, medical devices, and food items.
If CBP has detained your package for some reason (for example, lack of a proper invoice, bill of sale, or other documentation, a possible trademark violation, or if the package requires a formal entry) the CBP International Mail Branch holding it will notify you of the reason for detention (in writing) and how you can get it released.
When you have fulfilled the requirements necessary to effect release, CBP will clear the package, note how much duty is owed, and return it to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) for delivery. Usually, you will receive notification in a matter of days, but it can take as long as 30-45 days.
Note: If a package is shipped through private-sector couriers, such as FedEx, DHL., etc (commerical delivery services) are usually used by customs brokers and/or agents to clear merchandise through CBP, which is a service you pay for in additon to the charge for shipping and any duty or processing fees owed to CBP.
Questions about the USPS Customs Declaration Forms 2976 and 2976A should be directed to the United States Postal Service 1800-ASK-USPS/1800-275-8777. For copies of the forms visit Customs Forms .
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Updated 12/12/2018 05:58 PM
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