The traveler's guide to airport customs with sender packages

Carrying sender packages through customs is something thousands of Sendways travelers do every week without incident. Good preparation makes it routine.

Know the declaration threshold at your destination. Every country has a value above which goods must be declared and duty paid. Know this number before you travel. Carry a total value estimate of all sender packages you are transporting.

Declare proactively if in doubt. In most countries, voluntarily declaring goods results in a simple duty assessment and payment. Failing to declare and being caught can result in confiscation and fines that dwarf the value of the goods. When uncertain, declare.

Have the contents list ready. A simple typed or printed document listing each package, its contents, estimated value, and the sender's name makes customs conversations brief and professional.

Keep packages accessible. If you are asked to open luggage, be cooperative and calm. Explain that you are a peer-delivery traveler (this is increasingly common and understood). Have your Sendways booking reference ready on your phone.

Do not carry anything you cannot describe. If a sender gave you a sealed package and refused to describe the contents, you should not have accepted it. If you are asked what is inside, you need to be able to answer.

Separate sender packages from your personal items. Packing all sender packages together in one area of your luggage makes it easier to present them for inspection without disrupting your personal belongings.

The vast majority of traveler customs interactions take less than two minutes. Preparation and honesty are the only tools you need.