Customs rules for parcels from abroad

When shopping internationally on platforms such as AliExpress or eBay, you will inevitably encounter customs rules, including duties, fees, and taxes whose amount depends on the value of your purchase. Each country has its own customs threshold below which such charges do not apply.

Some sellers may declare a value lower than the actual purchase price. This does not guarantee exemption from customs control: customs authorities may request proof of value or determine the customs value themselves.

Rules for combining multiple shipments vary by country. In some cases, customs authorities consider their total value, so check the destination country's rules before splitting an order.

Additionally, many AliExpress sellers now maintain local warehouses in the United States, the European Union, Russia, and other regions. When ordering from these warehouses, buyers typically do not need to worry about customs regulations.

Below is a summary of the current customs thresholds in various countries. This information is regularly updated to reflect changes (the date of the latest update is shown).

Ukraine

Date of information update: 08.04.2025

The rules apply from 30.04.2022.

Customs payments are not charged when the total invoice value of goods in the shipment does not exceed 150 EUR.

If the total invoice value exceeds 150 EUR but does not exceed 10,000 EUR, import duty of 10% and VAT of 20% are charged on the amount above 150 EUR.

The customs duty and tax are calculated using the formulas below:

Import duty: (value of goods - 150 EUR) * 10%
VAT: (value of goods - 150 EUR + import duty) * 20%

If the goods come to Ukraine through postal services, they will be responsible for the calculation and payment of VAT on your behalf.

Information was taken from this source.

Belarus

Date of information update: 08.04.2025

The rules apply from 01.04.2024.

It will be possible to import goods across the border of Belarus for personal use without paying customs duties:

totaling 500 EUR and weighing 25 kg - by any type of land transport;
within the limit of 200 EUR and not more than 31 kg in weight - in international mail or by carriers for individual recipients.
For personal goods delivered to Belarus by air, goods worth 10000 EUR and weighing up to 50 kg are not subject to customs duty.

If any of the parameters are exceeded, customs duty will have to be paid. When importing goods as luggage, customs will charge a duty of 30% of the value, but not less than 4 EUR per 1 kg. When receiving a parcel from abroad with goods over the limit, in the amount of 15% of its value, but not less than 2 EUR per 1 kg.

Information was taken from this source.

Kazakhstan

Date of information update: 08.04.2025

The rules apply from 01.04.2024.

The duty-free limit for international postal shipments is 200 EUR and 31 kg.

If the limit is exceeded, duty is 15% of the value exceeding the value threshold, but not less than 2 EUR per kg exceeding the weight threshold.

Information was taken from this source.

EU Countries

Date of information update: July 1, 2026.

From July 1, 2026, a temporary customs duty of 3 EUR per tariff-classified item applies to distance sales of goods in consignments valued at up to 150 EUR from outside the EU. The charge is based on tariff classification, not on the number of identical units and not on the parcel as a whole.

For example:

If you order three identical light bulbs (one type of item), you pay a customs fee of 3 EUR.
If you order a light bulb and a battery (two types of items), you pay a customs fee of 2 × 3 EUR = 6 EUR

Exceptions:

Packages sent between individuals containing a gift valued at up to 45 EUR. Such packages are exempt from customs duties.
Goods eligible for preferential treatment under a trade agreement or customs union may be exempt from the fixed 3 EUR duty if the applicable conditions are met, including IOSS and customs declaration requirements.

Czechia

Date of information update: 01.07.2026

In addition to the information above for "EU Countries":

The obligation to submit a customs declaration for shipments from non-EU countries remains. This is generally handled by Česká pošta on behalf of the client. In some cases, clients can clear their shipments themselves through the Czech Customs Administration's web applications, eCep and Celnička.

AliExpress: The way VAT and customs charges are collected depends on how the specific order is processed and which declaration scheme is used. Before paying, check which taxes and charges are already included in the final price.

If the goods are already located in an EU warehouse and are supplied to the buyer as an intra-EU transaction, separate import duties usually do not arise on delivery.

Information might be needed for customs duty payment:

order number by carrier
information about the sender - name, address, and country of departure.
goods price and transportation cost
goods description
weight of goods
Number IOSS - only for e-shop purchases registered in the IOSS system.

IOSS numbers:

AliExpress - IM5280002556
eBay: IM2760000742
Amazon UK: IM4420001201
Amazon EU: IM4420001201
Amazon US: IM4420001234
Amazon CA: IM4420001223
Amazon JP: IM4420001008
Discogs IOSS VAT ID: IM5280008075

Information was taken from this source.

USA

Date of information update: 19.07.2026

The de minimis duty-free exemption for shipments valued at up to 800 USD from all countries was suspended on August 29, 2025. In 2026, the de minimis exemption remains unavailable.

Russia

Date of information update: 08.04.2025

The current rules apply from 01.04.2024.

The calculation is made per shipment.

For international postal shipments, the duty-free limit is 200 EUR and 31 kg. If the limit is exceeded, duty is 15% of the amount above 200 EUR, but not less than 2 EUR per kg exceeding the weight threshold.

If the Goods are delivered to a branch of the Russian Post, the duty is paid upon receipt of the goods at the branch or online in the Russian Post app. Payment in the app will be more favorable, because when you pay directly at the branch, a 10% commission will be added to the amount of the duty.
If the goods are delivered to an outlet or courier, you will be contacted by a broker who will send you a link to pay for the receipt. A broker is an intermediary who handles the customs clearance of your order.

Duty payment also applies to purchases from popular Chinese stores (particularly AliExpress and Joom).

Information was taken from this source.

Additional Information:

Armenia. (Updated 08.04.2025) For personal-use goods in international postal shipments, the duty-free limit is 200 EUR and 31 kg.
Azerbaijan. (Updated 09.04.2024) Information about custom rules for Azerbaijan. Rules since 21 September 2020 - 1 parcel per month, up to 300 USD is duty free limit. Second parcel or more than 300USD - 36% custom duty.
Georgia. (Updated 09.04.2024) 18% VAT for parcels above 300 GEL (1 parcel limit per month)
Israel (Updated 02.06.2026) 18% VAT for parcels above 75 USD
Kyrgyzstan. (Updated 08.04.2025) Customs duty-free limits for parcels are similar to those in Kazakhstan (see above).
Moldova. (Updated 08.04.2025) The limit is 150 EUR, 1 parcel per day. 20% VAT above limit
Turkey. (Updated 30.08.2026) From February 1, 2026, goods purchased through foreign e-commerce platforms, regardless of value, are no longer processed under the simplified customs declaration procedure. Standard import procedures and the applicable customs charges apply.
Uzbekistan. (Updated 30.08.2026) The duty-free limit is 200 USD per calendar month for international courier shipments and 100 USD for international postal shipments.