Sending to United States: at a glance
- Duty-free limit
- No de minimis duty-free threshold: the USD 800 exemption is suspended for all countries and all modes (EO 14324 from 29 August 2025, continued February 2026; CBP interim final rules published 24 June 2026).
- Tax above the limit
- Postal shipments move to a new postal informal entry process under 19 CFR Part 145; goods under HTSUS Chapters 98/99 are excluded from it and need formal entry or Entry Type 13. Check the Federal Register for the start and enforcement dates.
- Used personal items
- HTSUS 9801.00.10 (articles exported and returned); informal entry for returned goods up to USD 2,500 (19 CFR 145.35)
- Put in the parcel
- Customs declaration or commercial/pro-forma invoice listing each item, value and country of origin.
- For returned goods: proof the goods left the U.S. (receipts, purchase records, packing list) and owner or importer declaration if requested.
These are the usual rules. Customs and courier rules can change at any time, so confirm with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) before sending.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)What can you usually send?
MedicinesUsually not allowed
- Prescription drugs by international mail: The US postal service lists prescription drugs under prohibited pharmaceutical products.
- Prescription medicines: Couriers generally do not accept them; the US requires FDA approval.
Phones, laptops and batteriesUsually limited
- Lithium batteries: US international mail only accepts lithium cells and batteries properly installed in the equipment they operate; loose batteries or batteries packed with but not installed in equipment are prohibited.
Vapes and e-cigarettesUsually limited
- E-cigarettes and vapes: Generally nonmailable by US post with certain exceptions (Federal Register 21 October 2021 rule).
Your own used itemsUsual rules
- Goods are U.S. products returned (U.S. goods at any time) or foreign goods returned within 3 years of export from the U.S.
- Not advanced in value or improved in condition abroad.
- Importer has the burden to prove the claim unless a broker takes on the importer-of-record obligation.
- Above USD 2,500, CBP may ask for a foreign shipper declaration, an owner or importer declaration and a U.S. manufacturer's statement if the goods are not marked with a U.S. manufacturer's name and address.
- CBP entry (informal entry up to USD 2,500; formal entry or Entry Type 13 for Chapter 98 goods)
- owner/importer declaration and foreign shipper declaration if requested
Anything not listed here (clothes, bags, toys, your own used things) usually follows the standard parcel rules and the duty-free limit above.
Send it yourself
- Ask the office holding it whether they post items, or who may collect it for you (a written authorisation and a copy of your ID).
- Someone collects it and packs it securely.
- Book a courier with a clear description and value; outside the EU it needs electronic customs data.
- The receiver pays any import duty or tax on arrival.
Offices usually work Greek office hours, and staff may answer in Greek. A service we recommend can make the calls and handle the pickup for you.
Rather not do it yourself? Couriers we recommend
Ask whether they can collect it from the office that has it, pack it and send it, and help with the customs paperwork. Ask for the price first.
Family-run Athens courier since 1988. Sends parcels within Greece and abroad, helps with customs clearance, and can store extra bags for travellers and deliver them later. Ask for a price on their website.
We recommend services we think are useful; some may pay us a fee if you book. Prices and terms are set by the service, so check them before you book.
More details
How to do it
The US no longer has a duty-free limit for small parcels, so expect customs charges even on low-value items.
- Use a courier that handles US customs for you. List each item and its value and describe it as “used personal effects”.
- If the item is American-made or you took it with you from the US, it may come back duty-free as returned goods. Keep receipts or proof you left the US with it.
- The receiver pays duty and the courier’s brokerage fee before delivery. Medicines and loose batteries are where most US parcels get stopped — check below.
Good to know
- Courier parcels are dutiable regardless of value now that de minimis is suspended; duties on Greece-to-US shipments are paid by the receiver to the courier.
- Whether a visitor's used personal items qualify for 9801.00.10 depends on whether they are U.S. goods or were exported from the U.S.; ordinary used items from a foreign traveller may not qualify.
- Couriers charge brokerage and disbursement fees in addition to duty.