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A Diwali parcel usually gets stuck in customs because of missing documents, a vague or undervalued invoice, restricted food items, or unpaid duty. To clear it, check your tracking for the hold reason, send customs what it asked for through your courier, and pay any duty owed. Most holds clear once that's done.
Diwali is the busiest season for food parcels from India. Families send faral (the snacks and sweets made at home for Diwali, such as chakli, chivda, karanji and besan ladoo), mithai and dry fruits to relatives abroad. Countries like Australia and Canada check food closely, so a hold during the festive rush can mean the gifts arrive after the festival.
This guide covers why Diwali parcels get held, how to clear one, what customs officers check, and the rules for six popular destinations. If your shipment isn't a festive one, our guide on what to do when a courier is stuck in customs covers the same process for any parcel.
Every parcel sent from India has to clear customs in the destination country before delivery. Diwali parcels are mostly food, so customs checks them for food safety as well as paperwork.
These are the most common reasons for a hold:
Tip: Check the invoice against the box contents before pickup. Most holds start with a small paperwork error.
To get a held parcel released, give customs the documents or corrections it asked for and pay any duty or tax due. Your courier usually deals with customs for you, so start there.
Follow these steps to resolve the issue:
After you complete the required steps, customs will review the shipment before deciding whether to release it. Clearance time depends on the reason for the hold and the checks required.
Officers compare what's in the box with what the invoice and packing list say. For a Diwali parcel, they usually check:
Follow these steps in order:
Check tracking on your courier's own website. A hold usually shows as "Held in customs", "Clearance delay" or "Awaiting documents". Take a screenshot with the date and time. Our international shipping tracking guide explains what each status means.
Call or email your courier with the tracking number. Ask why the parcel is held and whether customs want documents, payment, or both.
Send the requested documents through your courier. Pay any duty through the courier or the official customs portal only. Fake "customs fee" messages sent by SMS and email are common, so don't pay through a link you didn't expect.
Once customs have everything, ask your courier how long reprocessing will take. If tracking hasn't changed after 3 to 5 working days, follow up again.
The best way to avoid a hold is to make the paperwork match the box exactly and to leave out anything the destination bans. Ship 2 to 3 weeks before Diwali so there's time to sort out a hold before the festival.
Put the real market value of each item on the commercial invoice. A value that looks too low for the contents invites extra checks.
List every item with its quantity and weight, for example "Kaju katli, 2 boxes, 500 g each". Customs uses this list to match the box to the paperwork.
An HS (Harmonized System) code is the 6-digit number customs uses to classify goods. Add the right code for each item on the invoice. A wrong or missing code can lead to queries, and your courier can help you find it.
The names, addresses, weight and number of boxes on the air waybill must match the invoice. Any difference raises customs queries.
Some items need a health certificate, licence or import permit in the destination country. If you're not sure, ask your courier before booking.
Don't write "gift", "hamper" or "samples". Write what's actually inside, such as "besan ladoo", "chakli" or "almonds and cashews". For packing tips, see our guide to packaging Diwali faral for international shipping.
Tip: Keep a copy of the invoice and packing list. If customs ask a question, you can answer the same day.
Each country sets its own rules for food and gifts coming in from India. Check the rules for your destination before you ship, and confirm current limits with your courier, because they change.
| Country | Customs Rules |
|---|---|
| Australia | Australia has strict biosecurity rules, enforced by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Parcels from India may be X-rayed and inspected. Seeds, some spices, dairy and meat products can be refused, so declare all food. |
| Germany | EU rules apply. Meat and dairy products in personal parcels from India are banned. Gifts between private individuals worth up to €45 are free of duty and VAT. Above that, German VAT (19%) and possibly duty apply. |
| UAE (Dubai) | Low-value parcels from India can be exempt from customs duty. Above the exemption limit, 5% customs duty and 5% VAT can apply. Declare every food item by name. |
| Canada | The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) controls food imports, and meat, fresh fruit and some dairy are restricted. Gifts worth up to CAD 60 enter free of duty and tax (alcohol and tobacco excluded). |
| France | EU rules apply, the same as in Germany. Gifts between private individuals worth up to €45 are free of duty and VAT. Above that, French VAT (20%) applies. |
| Singapore | The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) regulates food imports, and some items are banned. List every food product separately on the invoice. GST (9%) applies to most imported goods. |
Atlantic International Express has shipped parcels from India to more than 180 countries since 2010. For Diwali parcels, our team helps you check your items against the destination's rules, prepares the invoice and packing list with you, and tracks the shipment through customs. If a parcel is held, we deal with customs and tell you what's needed.
You can send Diwali faral abroad or send Diwali gifts internationally with doorstep pickup. Call +91 8600006372 or email info@atlanticcourier.net for a quote.
Many holds clear within 1 to 7 days once customs has the documents or payment it needs. A parcel that needs a physical or biosecurity inspection, or one where documents arrive late, can take 2 weeks or longer. See our country-wise guide to international shipping times from India for normal delivery windows.
Check tracking for the hold reason. In Australia it's often a biosecurity inspection. Contact your courier, send any documents the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry asks for, and pay any charges. Food that fails the biosecurity check may be treated, sent back or destroyed at the owner's cost.
Contact your courier first, not customs. The courier files the customs entry, so it can tell you the reason and what to send. For Atlantic shipments, call +91 8600006372 or email info@atlanticcourier.net.
Most Diwali parcels are held because of missing or wrong documents, a vague description such as "gifts", restricted food like ghee or seeds, or unpaid duty and tax.
It depends on the country and the parcel's value. Canada lets gifts worth up to CAD 60 in free of duty and tax, and the EU allows gifts between private individuals worth up to €45. Above those limits, the recipient usually pays duty, VAT or GST before delivery.
Your tracking will show a status such as "Held in customs" or "Clearance delay". If it hasn't changed for 3 to 5 working days, contact your courier and ask for the hold reason.
Yes, to many countries, if the sweets are dry, sealed and declared by name. Long-life items like chakli, chivda, besan ladoo and burfi travel best. Avoid milk-based sweets for strict countries such as Australia. Read our key factors for sending Diwali faral abroad before you pack.
