AliExpress Tracking: What “Started Customs Clearance Process” Actually Means

You’ve been watching your AliExpress tracking for weeks, and suddenly it says “Started Customs Clearance Process.” Is that good news? Bad news? Does it mean your package is about to be seized? After tracking hundreds of international orders, we can tell you the answer is almost always the same: it’s completely normal and you almost certainly don’t need to do anything. This guide explains exactly what happens at customs, how long it takes, when to actually worry, and what to do if things go wrong.

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What Does “Started Customs Clearance Process” Mean on AliExpress?

This status means your package has physically arrived in your country and is now being processed by customs officials at the airport or seaport of entry. Every single international shipment goes through this — it is not a flag, not a warning, and not a sign of a problem. It is simply the point where your country’s government checks what is coming in.

Customs serves three core functions for every package that crosses a border:

• Verification — confirming the contents match the declared shipping documents.
• Compliance — ensuring no prohibited or restricted items are entering the country.
• Taxation — calculating and collecting any import duties or VAT owed on the package’s value.

From our experience: Out of hundreds of AliExpress orders we have tracked through customs, the overwhelming majority cleared without any action needed from us. Seeing this status is a good sign — it means your package made it to your country.

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The Full AliExpress Customs Tracking Status Sequence

Most guides explain one status in isolation. Here is the complete sequence you will see on your tracking, so you always know exactly where your package is in the process.

Tracking Status	What It Means	Action Required?
Arrived at destination country	Package has entered your country	No — just wait
Started customs clearance process	Customs inspection has begun	No — this is normal
Import clearance failure	A problem was found — missing docs or unpaid duties	Yes — act quickly (see below)
Held by customs	Package detained pending resolution	Yes — contact courier and seller
Customs cleared / Customs clearance complete	Package passed all checks, released for delivery	No — delivery is coming
Handed over to local carrier	Your national postal service has taken over	No — track with local carrier now
Delivered	Package arrived at your address	Check contents before confirming receipt

Note: statuses do not always appear in strict order. AliExpress sometimes skips updates entirely and jumps directly from “Started Customs Clearance Process” to “Delivered” — especially with economy shipping methods.

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What Actually Happens During Customs Clearance?

Customs officials at the airport or seaport process your package through several steps — most of which happen in the background without you ever knowing.

1. Document review — customs checks the invoice, packing list, and declaration form provided by the seller. If anything is missing or inconsistent, this is where delays begin.
2. Physical or X-ray inspection — most packages are not physically opened. The majority go through X-ray scanning. Packages flagged by the scan may be opened for manual inspection.
3. HS code classification — customs assigns a Harmonized System code to your item, which determines the applicable import duty rate for that product category.
4. Duty and VAT calculation — if the package’s declared value exceeds your country’s tax-free threshold, customs calculates what is owed. The courier then contacts you for payment before delivering.
5. Release or hold — if everything checks out, the package is released to your local carrier. If there is an issue, the status updates to “Import Clearance Failure” or “Held by Customs.”

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How Long Does Customs Clearance Take?

For most AliExpress packages, customs clearance completes within 24 to 48 hours and the status moves on without you noticing. However, several factors can extend this significantly.

Situation	Typical Clearance Time
Standard small package, accurate docs	24–48 hours
Random physical inspection selected	2–5 business days
High-value item requiring duty payment	3–7 business days after you pay
Missing or incorrect documentation	1–3 weeks (seller must resubmit)
Peak periods (11.11, Christmas, Black Friday)	Up to 2 weeks due to volume

When should you start worrying? If the status has not moved past “Started Customs Clearance Process” after 10 days under normal conditions, contact both the seller and your local postal service to check if action is required.

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Who Pays Import Taxes — You or the Seller?

This is the question most guides avoid answering directly. The short answer: you, the buyer, are responsible for paying import duties and VAT in most countries. The seller only prepares the shipping paperwork. Once the package crosses the border, any taxes owed fall to the importer — which is you.

Your courier or local postal service will contact you with a payment notice before attempting delivery. Do not ignore these notifications — an uncollected package gets returned to the sender and refunds become complicated.

Tax-free thresholds by region (below these values, no import tax applies):

Region / Country	Tax-Free Threshold	Notes
United States	$800 USD	De minimis threshold — most AliExpress orders are under this
European Union	€0 (VAT applies to all orders)	Since July 2021, VAT applies from the first euro
United Kingdom	£135	VAT applies above this; customs duty on higher-value goods
Canada	CAD $20	Low threshold — many AliExpress orders will attract duties
Australia	AUD $0 (GST applies to all orders)	GST collected at point of sale for most platforms

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What Does “Import Clearance Failure” Mean?

This is the status that causes the most panic — and it is more common than many buyers expect. Import Clearance Failure means customs found a problem that is preventing the package from being released. It does not automatically mean your package is seized or lost.

The most common causes in our experience and from real buyer reports:

• Missing or incomplete documentation — the seller filled out the customs form in Chinese, left fields blank, or used the wrong product description. This is the most common cause and is fixable.
• Unpaid or underpaid import duties — the package’s declared value triggered a duty payment that hasn’t been processed yet.
• Under-declared value — some sellers mark packages as lower value to reduce customs fees. If customs detects a mismatch, the package gets flagged.
• Restricted or prohibited item — electronics with certain battery types, cosmetics, food, or branded goods that customs suspects are counterfeit.

What to do if you see Import Clearance Failure:

1. Check your email and physical mailbox for a notification from your local courier or customs office.
2. Contact the seller immediately — ask them to resubmit correct documentation to the shipping company. The seller is responsible for accurate paperwork.
3. Contact your local courier (not AliExpress) — they are the direct link to customs and can tell you exactly what is missing.
4. If duties are owed, pay them promptly. Delays in payment extend detention time.
5. If the package is ultimately returned or destroyed, open a dispute on AliExpress with documentation of the clearance failure. You are entitled to a refund.

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When Your Package Gets Stuck at Customs: Step-by-Step Action Plan

If your package has been sitting at “Started Customs Clearance Process” or “Held by Customs” for more than 10 days with no movement, follow this sequence:

1. Check tracking on 17Track or your local postal service website — AliExpress’s built-in tracker is often delayed. Your national carrier’s tracking (USPS, Royal Mail, Deutsche Post, etc.) may show more detail.
2. Message the seller — explain the situation and ask them to verify the customs documentation was submitted correctly. Give them 3 to 5 days to respond.
3. Contact your local courier directly — they can confirm whether action from you is needed and what it is.
4. Monitor your buyer protection expiry date — if the package is still stuck and the window is approaching, extend buyer protection from within your AliExpress order page before it expires.
5. Open a dispute if needed — if the package is returned, destroyed, or clearly lost, open a dispute on AliExpress with screenshots of every tracking update and communication as evidence.

Our rule: Never let buyer protection expire on a package that has not arrived. Set a calendar reminder 10 days before the deadline. That window is your safety net — once it closes, getting a refund becomes significantly harder.

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How to Avoid Customs Problems on Future AliExpress Orders

• Choose AliExpress Standard Shipping when possible — it uses established logistics partners with better documentation practices, which means fewer clearance failures than economy methods.
• Buy from sellers with high feedback scores and long store history — experienced sellers know how to fill out customs forms correctly. New or low-rated stores are more likely to submit incomplete paperwork.
• Avoid ordering obviously restricted items — counterfeit-branded goods, certain electronics with batteries, laser devices above certain power ratings, and food products all carry higher customs risk.
• Provide accurate contact details — if customs or your courier needs to reach you about a fee or document, they need a working phone number or email. Missing their notification delays delivery further.
• Do not rely on under-declared values to avoid tax — some sellers offer to mark packages as “gift” or declare a lower value. This is illegal in most countries and is the primary cause of Import Clearance Failures.

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Final Thoughts

“Started Customs Clearance Process” is one of the most anxiety-inducing tracking statuses on AliExpress — and one of the least deserving of that anxiety. In the vast majority of cases, your package clears within 48 hours and moves straight to delivery without you lifting a finger.

The one thing we never skip: checking buyer protection expiry dates on orders stuck at customs. If clearance is taking longer than expected and the protection window is closing, extend it immediately. That simple step has saved us from losing money on delayed orders more than once.

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Frequently Asked Questions