International shipping

You can easily handle foreign addresses and customs forms directly through the Shippo API when shipping internationally (this includes shipping to US Territories for USPS). We've created a guide to make sure your packages clear customs and arrive safely!

Create the Sender & Recipient Address Objects and Parcel Object

As with every Shipment, you need to first create or retrieve your two Address (sender and recipient) and Parcel objects first. Check out our address validation tutorial on how you can validate global addresses.

The only special requirement in this case is that the phone number of the sender and recipient are required. Apart from that there's nothing special about them for international shipments.

Create a Customs Declaration and Customs Items

You will need to create a customs declaration and specify the items that are inside your international shipment. This is to ensure that the country you import goods into accepts your package at the border. The USPS website has a great Shipping Restrictions page with some general no-goes, as well as a more detailed Index of Countries and Localities.

What information do I need to submit for a Customs Declaration?

You can find an overview of all available fields in our Customs Declaration reference section. Most carriers require you to specify certifycertify_signercontents_typeeel_pfc and incoterm. Although not all carriers require it, we also recommend submitting the items field -- this significantly reduces the risk of the package being stuck in customs.

There are many optional fields that can be filled out depending on who you're shipping with, so please do your research ahead of time to make sure that you have all the required fields covered.

Create your Customs Declaration and Items inline

To create a customs declaration, send a POST request with the necessary information to the Customs Declarations endpoint. You can create your Customs Items within the items attribute. Alternatively, you can create customs items individually via the Customs Items API endpoint.

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curl https://api.goshippo.com/customs/declarations/\
    -H "Authorization: ShippoToken <API_TOKEN>"\
    -H "Content-Type: application/json"\
    -d '{
          "contents_type": "MERCHANDISE",
          "non_delivery_option": "RETURN",
          "certify": true,
          "certify_signer": "Simon Kreuz",
          "incoterm": "DDU",
          "items": [{
                    "description": "T-shirt",
                    "quantity": 20,
                    "net_weight": "5",
                    "mass_unit": "lb",
                    "value_amount": "200",
                    "value_currency": "USD",
                    "tariff_number": "",
                    "origin_country": "US"
            }]
    }'
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customs_item = {
    :description => "T-Shirt",
    :quantity => 20,
    :net_weight => "1",
    :mass_unit => "lb",
    :value_amount => "200",
    :value_currency => "USD",
    :origin_country => "US"
}

customs_declaration = Shippo::CustomsDeclaration.create(
    :contents_type => "MERCHANDISE",
    :contents_explanation => "T-Shirt purchase",
    :non_delivery_option => "RETURN",
    :certify => true,
    :certify_signer => "Simon Kreuz",
    :items => [customs_item]
)
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customs_item = {
    "description":"T-Shirt",
    "quantity":20,
    "net_weight":"1",
    "mass_unit":"lb",
    "value_amount":"200",
    "value_currency":"USD",
    "origin_country":"US",
    "tariff_number":"",
}

customs_declaration = shippo.CustomsDeclaration.create(
    contents_type= 'MERCHANDISE',
    contents_explanation= 'T-Shirt purchase',
    non_delivery_option= 'RETURN',
    certify= True,
    certify_signer= 'Simon Kreuz',
    items= [customs_item]
)
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$customs_item = array(
    'description'=> 'T-Shirt',
    'quantity'=> '20',
    'net_weight'=> '1',
    'mass_unit'=> 'lb',
    'value_amount'=> '200',
    'value_currency'=> 'USD',
    'origin_country'=> 'US');

$customs_declaration = Shippo_CustomsDeclaration::create(
array(
    'contents_type'=> 'MERCHANDISE',
    'contents_explanation'=> 'T-Shirt purchase',
    'non_delivery_option'=> 'RETURN',
    'certify'=> 'true',
    'certify_signer'=> 'Simon Kreuz',
    'items'=> array($customs_item)
));
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var customsItem = {
    "description":"T-Shirt",
    "quantity":20,
    "net_weight":"1",
    "mass_unit":"lb",
    "value_amount":"200",
    "value_currency":"USD",
    "origin_country":"US",
};

shippo.customsdeclaration.create({
    "contents_type": "MERCHANDISE",
    "contents_explanation": "T-Shirt purchase",
    "non_delivery_option": "RETURN",
    "certify": true,
    "certify_signer": "Simon Kreuz",
    "items": [customsItem],
}, function (err, customsDeclaration) {
    // asynchronously called
});
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HashMap<String, Object> customsItemMap = new HashMap<String, Object>();
customsItemMap.put("description", "T-Shirt");
customsItemMap.put("quantity", 20);
customsItemMap.put("net_weight", "1");
customsItemMap.put("mass_unit", "lb");
customsItemMap.put("value_amount", "200");
customsItemMap.put("value_currency", "USD");
customsItemMap.put("origin_country", "US");

HashMap<String, Object> customsDeclarationMap = new HashMap<String, Object>();
customsDeclarationMap.put("contents_type", "MERCHANDISE");
customsDeclarationMap.put("contents_explanation", "T-Shirt purchase");
customsDeclarationMap.put("non_delivery_option", "RETURN");
customsDeclarationMap.put("certify", true);
customsDeclarationMap.put("certify_signer", "Simon Kreuz");
customsDeclarationMap.put("items", customsItemMap);

CustomsDeclaration.create(customsDeclarationMap);
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Hashtable customsItemTable = new Hashtable();
customsItemTable.Add("description", "T-Shirt");
customsItemTable.Add("quantity", 20);
customsItemTable.Add("net_weight", "1");
customsItemTable.Add("mass_unit", "lb");
customsItemTable.Add("value_amount", "200");
customsItemTable.Add("value_currency", "USD");
customsItemTable.Add("origin_country", "US");


resource.CreateCustomsDeclaration(new Hashtable(){
    { "contents_type", "MERCHANDISE"},
    { "contents_explanation", "T-Shirt purchase"},
    { "non_delivery_option", "RETURN"},
    { "certify", true},
    { "certify_signer", "Simon Kreuz"},
    { "items", new Hashtable[] { customsItemTable }}});

Create the Shipment, Get Rates, and Purchase Label

The only difference between this Shipment request and a domestic Shipment request is that you must include customs declaration in the Shipment API call. After that, you can retrieve Rates and create labels just like for domestic shipments.

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curl https://api.goshippo.com/shipments/\
    -H "Authorization: ShippoToken <API_TOKEN>"\
    -d address_from="d799c2679e644279b59fe661ac8fa488"\
    -d address_to="42236bcf36214f62bcc6d7f12f02a849"\
    -d parcels="7df2ecf8b4224763ab7c71fae7ec8274"\
    -d customs_declaration="b741b99f95e841639b54272834bc478c"\
    -d async=false
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# Create the shipment object
shipment = Shippo::Shipment.create(
    # you can also use the object_id directly for the following, but this is more convenient
    :address_from => address_from,
    :address_to => address_to,
    :parcels => parcel,
    :customs_declaration => customs_declaration,
    :async => false
)
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# Create shipment object
shipment = shippo.Shipment.create(
    address_from = address_from,
    address_to = address_to,
    parcels = [parcel],
    customs_declaration = customs_declaration,
    async = False
)
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// Create shipment object
$shipment = Shippo_Shipment::create(
    array(
        "address_from" => $fromAddress,
        "address_to" => $toAddress,
        "parcels" => array($parcel),
        "customs_declaration" => $customs_declaration -> object_id,
        "async" => False
    )
);
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// Create shipment object
shippo.shipment.create({
    "address_from": addressFrom,
    "address_to": addressTo,
    "parcels": [parcel],
    "customs_declaration": customsDeclaration,
    "async": false
}, function (err, shipment) {
    // asynchronously called
});
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HashMap<String, Object> createShipmentMap = new HashMap<String, Object>();
createShipmentMap.put("address_to", addressToMap);
createShipmentMap.put("address_from", addressFromMap);
createShipmentMap.put("parcels", parcelMap);
createShipmentMap.put("customs_declaration", customsDeclarationMap);
createShipmentMap.put("async", false);

Shipment.create(createShipmentMap);
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resource.CreateShipment(new Hashtable(){
	{ "address_to", toAddressTable},
	{ "address_from", fromAddressTable},
	{ "parcels", parcelTable},
	{ "customs_declaration", customsDeclarationTable},
	{ "async", false}});

You will get a response with a rates attribute. The rates usually contains multiple rates -- use your own business logic to filter out the rate you want to use and grab the corresponding Rate's object_id.

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{
   "object_created":"2014-07-17T00:04:06.163Z",
   "object_updated":"2014-07-17T00:04:06.163Z",
   "object_id":"89436997a794439ab47999701e60392e",
   "object_owner":"shippotle@shippo.com",
   "status":"SUCCESS",
   "address_from": {
        "object_id": "0943ae4e373e4120a99c337e496dcce8",
        "validation_results": {},
        "is_complete": true,
        "company": "",
        "street_no": "",
        "name": "Mr. Hippo",
        "street1": "215 Clayton St.",
        "street2": "",
        "city": "San Francisco",
        "state": "CA",
        "zip": "94117",
        "country": "US",
        "phone": "+15553419393",
        "email": "support@shippo.com",
        "is_residential": null
    },
    "address_to": {
        "object_id": "4c7185d353764d0985a6a7825aed8ffb",
        "validation_results": {},
        "is_complete": true,
        "name":"Mrs. Hippo",
        "street1":"200 University Ave W",
        "city":"Waterloo",
        "state":"ON",
        "zip":"N2L 3G1",
        "country":"CA",
        "phone":"+1 555 341 9393",
        "email":"support@shippo.com",
        "is_residential": false
    },
   "address_return":null,
   "parcels": [{
        "object_id": "ec952343dd4843c39b42aca620471fd5",
        "object_created": "2013-12-01T06:24:21.121Z",
        "object_updated": "2013-12-01T06:24:21.121Z",
        "object_owner": "shippotle@shippo.com",
        "template": null,
        "length":"5",
        "width":"5",
        "height":"5",
        "distance_unit":"in",
        "weight":"2",
        "mass_unit":"lb",
        "value_amount": null,
        "value_currency": null,
        "metadata": "",
        "line_items": [],
        "test": true
    }],
   "shipment_date":"2013-12-03T12:00:00Z",
   "extra":{
      "insurance": {
         "currency": "",
         "amount": "",
      },
      "reference_1": "",
      "reference_2": ""
   },
   "customs_declaration":"b741b99f95e841639b54272834bc478c",
   "rates": [
        {
            "object_created": "2014-07-17T00:04:06.263Z",
            "object_id": "545ab0a1a6ea4c9f9adb2512a57d6d8b",
            "object_owner": "shippotle@shippo.com",
            "shipment": "89436997a794439ab47999701e60392e",
            "attributes": [],
            "amount": "5.50",
            "currency": "USD",
            "amount_local": "5.50",
            "currency_local": "USD",
            "provider": "USPS",
            "provider_image_75": "https://cdn2.goshippo.com/providers/75/USPS.png",
            "provider_image_200": "https://cdn2.goshippo.com/providers/200/USPS.png",
            "servicelevel": {
               "name": "Priority Mail",
               "token": "usps_priority",
               "terms": ""
            },
            "days": 2,
            "arrives_by": null,
            "duration_terms": "Delivery in 1 to 3 business days.",
            "messages": [],
            "carrier_account": "078870331023437cb917f5187429b093",
            "test": false,
            "zone": 1
        },
        ...
    ],
   "carrier_accounts": [],
   "messages":[],
   "metadata":"Customer ID 123456"
}

POST to the Transaction endpoint with your Rate object_id to purchase your international shipping label.

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curl https://api.goshippo.com/transactions\
    -H "Authorization: ShippoToken <API_TOKEN>"\
    -d rate="cf6fea899f1848b494d9568e8266e076"
    -d label_file_type="PDF"
    -d async=false
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# Get the first rate in the rates results.
# Customize this based on your business logic.
rate = shipment.rates.first

# Purchase the desired rate.
transaction = Shippo::Transaction.create( 
  :rate => rate["object_id"], 
  :label_file_type => "PDF", 
  :async => false )

# label_url and tracking_number
if transaction["status"] == "SUCCESS"
  puts "Label sucessfully generated:"
  puts "label_url: #{transaction.label_url}" 
  puts "tracking_number: #{transaction.tracking_number}" 
else
  puts "Error generating label:"
  puts transaction.messages
end
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# Get the first rate in the rates results.
# Customize this based on your business logic.
rate = shipment.rates[0]

# Purchase the desired rate. 
transaction = shippo.Transaction.create( 
    rate=rate.object_id, 
    label_file_type="PDF", 
    async=False )

# Retrieve label url and tracking number or error message
if transaction.status == "SUCCESS":
    print transaction.label_url
    print transaction.tracking_number
else:
    print transaction.messages
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// Get the first rate in the rates results.
// Customize this based on your business logic.
$rate = $shipment["rates"][0];

// Purchase the desired rate.
$transaction = Shippo_Transaction::create( array( 
    'rate' => $rate["object_id"], 
    'label_file_type' => "PDF", 
    'async' => false ) );

// Retrieve label url and tracking number or error message
if ($transaction["status"] == "SUCCESS"){
    echo( $transaction["label_url"] );
    echo("\n");
    echo( $transaction["tracking_number"] );
}else {
    echo( $transaction["messages"] );
}
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// Get the first rate in the rates results.
// Customize this based on your business logic.
var rate = shipment.rates[0];

// Purchase the desired rate.
shippo.transaction.create({
    "rate": rate.object_id,
    "label_file_type": "PDF",
    "async": false
}, function(err, transaction) {
   // asynchronous callback
});
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// Get the first rate in the rates results.
// Customize this based on your own business logic
Rate rate = rates.get(0);

Map<String, Object> transactionParameters = new HashMap<String, Object>();
transactionParameters.put("rate", rate.getObjectId());
transactionParameters.put("async", false);
Transaction transaction = Transaction.create(transactionParameters);

if (transaction.getStatus().equals("SUCCESS")) {
    System.out.println(String.format("Label url : %s", transaction.getLabelUrl()));
    System.out.println(String.format("Tracking number : %s", transaction.getTrackingNumber()));
} else {
    System.out.println(String.format("An Error has occured while generating you label. Messages : %s", transaction.getMessages()));
}
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// Get the first rate in the rates results.
// Customize this based on your business logic.
Rate rate = shipment.RatesList[0];

Hashtable transactionParameters = new Hashtable();
transactionParameters.Add("rate", rate.ObjectId);
transactionParameters.Add("async", false);

// Purchase the desired rate.
Transaction transaction = resource.CreateTransaction(transactionParameters);

if (((String) transaction.Status).Equals("SUCCESS", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase){
    Console.WriteLine("Label url: " + transaction.LabelURL);
    Console.WriteLine("Tracking number: " +
		 transaction.TrackingNumber);
} else{
    Console.WriteLine("Error generating label. Messages: " +
		transaction.Messages);
}

You will receive a JSON serialized Transaction object with your label, commercial invoice, and tracking information.

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{
    "object_state": "VALID",
    "status": "SUCCESS",
    "object_created": "2013-12-27T19:14:48.273Z",
    "object_updated": "2013-12-27T19:14:48.273Z",
    "object_id": "64bba01845ef40d29374032599f22588",
    "object_owner": "shippotle@shippo.com",
    "was_test": false,
    "rate": {
        "object_id": "cf6fea899f1848b494d9568e8266e076",
        "amount": "5.50",
        "currency": "USD",
        "amount_local": "5.50",
        "currency_local": "USD",
        "provider": "USPS",
        "servicelevel_name": "Priority Mail",
        "servicelevel_token": "usps_priority",
        "carrier_account": "078870331023437cb917f5187429b093",
    },
    "tracking_number": "ZW70QJC",
    "tracking_status": {
        "object_created": "2013-12-27T23:17:41.411Z",
        "object_id": "a21b3d6831c14ceaba6730179ce6e784",
        "status": "UNKNOWN",
        "status_details": "",
        "status_date": "2013-12-28T12:04:04.214Z"
    },
    "tracking_url_provider": "https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction.action?tLabels=ZW70QJC",
    "eta": "2013-12-30T12:00:00.000Z",
    "label_url": "https://shippo-delivery.s3.amazonaws.com/96.pdf?Signature=PEdWrp0mFWAGwJp7FW3b%2FeA2eyY%3D&Expires=1385930652&AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJTHP3LLFMYAWALIA",
    "commercial_invoice_url": "",
    "metadata": "",
    "messages": []
}

What about commercial invoices?

Most international shipments require you to add 3 commercial invoices in the package's "pouch", a special envelope attached on the package. Shippo automatically creates these 3 copies for you, which will be returned in the Transaction's commercial_invoice field.