Why was my dutiable shipment returned? | DHL Private Customer Service

Our tips to ensure that your mail items from a non‑EU country can be imported into Germany and delivered without any issues.

Do you regularly receive letters or parcels from a non‑EU country?
Have these shipments ever been returned in the past because information required for customs clearance was missing?

If so, these FAQs will help you and your senders with future shipments.
This guidance is also available in Russian, Turkish, French, and English so you can easily forward it to your sender if needed.

Häufige Fragen:

What is a customs declaration form and how must it be attached to the shipment?

Every goods shipment must include a customs declaration (Form CN 22 / CN 23). This declaration must:

be completed in German, English, or French. Other languages are not accepted.
be filled out clearly in block letters and in Latin script. Other scripts, such as Cyrillic or Arabic, cannot be processed.
be accurate and complete, especially the information about the contents of the shipment and the value of the goods.

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Does every shipment need to include an invoice?

Every goods shipment must include an invoice.

Exception: For gift shipments, an invoice is generally not required. However, certain conditions must be met for customs to recognize a shipment as a gift. You can find these requirements on the website of German Customs.

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Are there any restrictions or prohibitions on importing goods into Germany?

Certain goods (e.g., food items or plants*) are subject to restrictions or prohibitions when being imported.
Please check in advance whether your goods may be imported into the EU or into Germany. In some cases, additional documents are required for import. Detailed information can be found on the website of German Customs.

*A complete list of possible restrictions cannot be provided here due to the large number of affected products.

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Are these instructions available in additional languages so I can forward them to the sender?

Yes. Please feel free to pass this information on to your senders in non‑EU countries. You can also find these instructions in Russian, Turkish, English, and French at the following links: