Send a package to America easily via Shipit.
The United States is also known as The United States, United States of America (USA), Amerikan Yhdysvallat, and America.
USA postal codes consist of five digits.
Commercial invoice: Fill in a proforma or commercial invoice via Shipit. This document is mandatory for customs clearance and must be filled out in English.
Phone number country code: In the United States, the country code +1 is used.
Currency: United States Dollar (USD).
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has implemented enhanced ACAS inspection (Air Cargo Advanced Screening), which targets incoming shipments with ambiguous or unclear product descriptions. This means that all shipments to the United States that do not have an accurate product description and do not pass the ACAS inspection may be refused for transport already in the country of origin, or their entry into the United States may be denied and they will be returned to the sender. Courier companies aim to investigate these already in the country of origin, and an unclear description may result in the shipment being returned at the sender’s expense.
Filling out the commercial invoice:
The commercial invoice must always be completed in English and must include an accurate description of the goods, country of origin, and the recipient’s contact details. With this information, the customs clearance process runs quickly and efficiently.
Accurate description: provide precise and clear descriptions of the goods, what the product is, what it is made of, and what it is used for, e.g., men’s 100% cotton t-shirt. Avoid generic names.
Country of origin: specify where the products were manufactured.
Recipient’s contact details: complete contact details are essential.
Read more about filling in the Commercial and Proforma Invoice.
The United States 10-digit HS code
You can find more information and the correct HS code on the U.S. Customs website.
Note that as of April 1, proforma or commercial invoices must be filled in electronically when placing the order through Shipit’s program or integrations.
Accurate product descriptions, correct declaration of the country of origin, and other required information help avoid customs delays. In addition, communication with the recipient and clearly stated possible import costs can prevent surprises in charges.
Prohibited shipments:
Money, securities, traveler’s checks, precious metals such as platinum, gold, and silver, as well as gemstones and jewelry.
Alcohol, lottery-related materials, certain medicines, contraceptives, meat and agricultural products, cotton and its seeds.
Weapons such as stilettos, switchblades, combat knives, spikes, and other sharp objects, as well as materials related to animal fighting.
Tobacco products, e-cigarettes, and newspaper or printed matter supplements if their return address is in the United States.
Foodstuffs.
Gifts and personal shipments:
Gifts valued under 100 USD and personal shipments valued under 200 USD are duty-free.
Mark gifts as “Gift” and personal shipments as “Personal Shipment.”
Restrictions:
Special restrictions apply to feathers, plants and seeds, bees, vaccines, Cuban and North Korean products, and tobacco products.
All food imported for commercial purposes requires a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) import notification.
This can be done on the FDA website at http://www.access.fda.gov. The sender must register at the same address before making the notification.
Important note when sending to the United States
We recommend mentioning already at the order stage (e.g., at the online store checkout) that the recipient is responsible for all local taxes and charges. This helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures smoother delivery.
The recipient pays duties and taxes based on the content, value, and country of origin.
If the recipient does not collect the shipment, the costs are transferred to the sender – even if the shipment is returned or destroyed.
Always check the U.S. Customs regulations before shipping, as the rules may change.