International Deliveries - Product Restrictions

Modified on Fri, 31 Oct at 12:39 PM

Comprehensive guide to prohibited and restricted items by destination country

How to use this guide: Click on any country section below to expand and view detailed restrictions. Click again to collapse.

⚠️ URGENT - US Shipments: New FDA regulations have significantly impacted shipments of cosmetics, food, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals to the United States. Aramex has suspended DDU service for these products. Click the FDA section below for full details and required actions.

Dangerous Goods (DG) Shipments: Quiqup only allows the shipping of Dangerous Goods internationally via Aramex, once client has confirmed their list of SKUs and shared the Material Safety Data Sheet for each SKU. DG shipments to the United States, France and Norway are currently suspended.

FDA Regulations for US Shipments - IMPORTANT UPDATE Action Required

Recent Regulatory Changes

New FDA requirements have significantly impacted shipments of FDA-regulated goods (including cosmetics, food, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals) to the United States.

FDA-Regulated Product Categories

The following product categories require FDA pre-registration and are subject to these new regulations:

Commodity	HS Code	Category
Medical items	HS 9018	Medical Devices
Veterinary products	HS 3004	Veterinary Medicine
Cosmetics (including bath oils)	HS 3307	Cosmetics
Dental instruments (including toothbrushes)	HS 9018	Medical Devices
Pharmaceuticals (including reagents, peptides, serums)	HS 3002	Pharmaceuticals
Drugs	HS 3004	Pharmaceuticals
Medicine	HS 3004	Pharmaceuticals
Eyewear (eyeglass lenses, frames, prescription lenses)	HS 9003	Medical Devices
Contact lenses	HS 9001	Medical Devices
Dietary supplements (including vitamins and herbal supplements)	HS 2106	Food
Food (including meat, poultry, fish, eggs)	HS 1602	Food
Baby formula	HS 1901	Food
Electronics (compact-disc players, microwave ovens, TVs with cathode ray tubes)	HS 8521, 8516, 8528	Electronics
Radiation devices (infrared, laser, ultraviolet-emitting products)	HS 9027, 9013, 8543	Radiation Devices

New Requirements for Shipments Under $800

All FDA-regulated goods require prior registration with the FDA by the shipping partner before customs clearance
Shipments must include detailed manufacturer name and address for each product

Aramex Service Updates

Service Suspension Notice

Due to customs clearance constraints, Aramex has suspended DDU (Delivery Duty Unpaid) service to the US for all FDA-regulated products.

For Aramex shipments, FDA-regulated products must now be:

DDP (Delivery Duty Paid)with the following charges:
- $30-40 handling fee
- 10% tariff
- 2.5% internal forwarding fees
Accompanied by detailed manufacturer name and address for all products

Shipments currently in transit: Any Aramex shipments currently in transit under DDU terms will be returned unless you confirm conversion to DDP with applicable charges.

DHL Service Status

DHL continues to accept FDA-regulated goods under $800 as usual without service interruptions.

Recommended Actions

Quiqup Recommendation: To minimize operational risks and ensure reliable delivery, we strongly recommend setting up shipping rules to automatically route US-bound FDA-regulated shipments via DHL.

Our account managers and support teams can assist you in configuring these rules through Quiqdash. Please contact your account manager or support team for assistance.

Summary of Changes

Carrier	Service Status	Notes
Aramex	DDU Suspended for FDA goods	DDP only + manufacturer details + additional fees
DHL	Operating normally	Operating as usual for shipments under $800

General Restrictions (Apply to All Countries) 20+ items

These items are commonly restricted or prohibited across most international destinations:

Alcohol & Tobacco Products

Alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, liquor) - HS 2203-2208
Cigarettes and cigars - HS 2402
Tobacco leaf and chewing tobacco - HS 2401
Electronic cigarettes and vaping products - HS 8543.70

Weapons & Dangerous Items

Firearms and ammunition - HS 9301-9304, 9306
Knives and blades - HS 8211
Explosives and fireworks - HS 3601-3606
Poison and toxic substances - HS 2839, 2842, 2846
Radioactive materials - HS 2844

Adult & Offensive Content

Pornographic materials and media - HS 4901, 8523
Sex toys and adult items - HS 9019.10
Items offensive to local culture or religion

Controlled Substances

Narcotics and illegal drugs - HS 1211, 2939
Cannabis and hemp products with THC - HS 1211.90
Spice, K2, and synthetic drugs
Prescription drugs (without proper authorization)

Intellectual Property

Counterfeit goods and trademark violations
Pirated media and copyright violations - HS 8523, 4901

Important Note

Even if an item is not restricted globally, always check country-specific restrictions below. Cultural, religious, and legal differences mean items acceptable in one country may be prohibited in another.

Saudi Arabia 68.24% 30+ restrictions

Cultural & Religious Items

All religious books (Qur'an, Bible, Buddhism texts, etc.) - HS 4901.99
Items offensive to Muslim culture or Saudi Royal family
Any media displaying female anatomy

Entertainment & Games

Playing cards - HS 9504.40
Pokemon toys - HS 9503
Video games with graphic material - HS 8523.49
Magic games and gambling items - HS 9504

Electronics & Surveillance

Walkie talkies (personal use) - HS 8517.62
Items with hidden cameras (pens, watches, etc.) - HS 8525.80
Electronic smoking devices - HS 8543.70
Laser pointers - HS 9013.20
Metal detectors (personal use) - HS 9027.90

Health & Personal Care

Male enhancement supplements (creams, tablets, sprays) - HS 3004, 2106
Masks - HS 6307.90

Food Products

Dates - HS 0804.10
Herbal tea - HS 2106.90
Herbal products - HS 1211, 2106

Other Items

Tattoo machines - HS 8543.70
Mannequins - HS 9618.00
Electrical shockers (personal use) - HS 8543.70
Smart cards - HS 8523.52

Jewelry Restrictions

Jewelry (gold, silver, platinum, pearls, stones, diamonds) with declared value above USD $500 is prohibited and will be confiscated. All commercial jewelry shipments are prohibited.

Kuwait 13.80% 12 restrictions

Cultural & Political Items

Items offensive to Muslim culture or Kuwaiti Royal family
Any media displaying female anatomy
Israeli goods or products of Israeli origin
Printed material urging terrorism, racism, violence, anti-Semitism, or fascism

Precious Metals & Jewelry

Gold 14K and below - HS 7108, 7113
All jewelry requires Ministry of Commerce approval (regardless of value) - HS 7113-7116

Food Products

Dried beef - HS 0210.20
Pork meat and fat - HS 0203, 0209

Financial & Magical Items

Cash, currency, negotiable instruments - HS 4907
Magic items/black magic materials

Qatar 8.61% Similar to GCC

Qatar follows similar restrictions to other GCC countries. Please refer to general restrictions and consult with customs for specific requirements.

Note: Cultural and religious restrictions similar to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait apply. Items offensive to Muslim culture, pornographic materials, and certain electronics may be prohibited.

Bahrain 2.01% 13 restrictions

Cultural Items

Antiques - HS 9706
Items offensive to Muslim culture
Political propaganda

Animal Products

Furs - HS 4301-4304
Hide and skins for traditional medicine - HS 4101-4103
Ivory and rhino horns - HS 0507
Shark bones - HS 0511

Other Items

Incense (burning type) - HS 3307.41
Stamps - HS 4907.00
Knives - HS 8211
Batteries (UN3090, UN3480 with Section II) - HS 8506-8507

Oman 1.91% 10 restrictions

Industrial & Commercial Items

Ball bearings - HS 8482
Graphite products - HS 3801, 6815
Credit card blanks - HS 8523
Cashier's checks - HS 4907

Other Items

Furs - HS 4301-4304
Walkie talkies - HS 8517.62
Ice Blue (synthetic drug)
Items offensive to Muslim culture

United States 1.53% 15+ restrictions

Food & Agricultural Products

Kinder Surprise Eggs - HS 1806.90
Soil (prohibited unless USDA permit) - HS 2530
Birds/poultry from H5N1 regions - HS 0105, 0207
Craft wood items from China with bark > 1cm diameter - HS 4401, 4403

Wildlife & Ivory

African elephant ivory (with limited exceptions) - HS 9601.10
Wildlife commodities requiring Fish & Wildlife clearance - HS 0106, 0508

Controlled Items

Switchblade knives - HS 8211.92
Drug paraphernalia (smoking pipes) - HS 9614
Hemp products containing THC - HS 1211.90, 3307, 5305
Seditious or treasonable matter - HS 4901
Petroleum products of Syrian origin - HS 2709-2710

Labor & IP Violations

Articles violating copyright, trademark, or patent laws
Merchandise produced by convict, forced, or indentured labor

Special Clearance Required

Items requiring USDA Plant Protection, Food Safety Inspection Service clearance, or other specialized facility inspections must follow proper procedures.

United Kingdom 0.78% 18 restrictions

Weapons & Dangerous Items

Firearms (including toy, replica, antique, paintball) - HS 9301-9304
Flick and gravity knives - HS 8211
Self-defense/deterrent sprays - HS 3808
Ammunition - HS 9306

Food & Animal Products

Eggs (excluding SPF) - HS 0407
Personal consignments with animal origin products - HS 0201-0210
Jerky products for private importation - HS 0210
Whale by-products - HS 0508

Media & Cultural Items

Horror comics and printing materials - HS 4901, 4903
Life-size anatomically correct mannequins - HS 9618

Other Restrictions

Carcinogenic substances - HS 2903-2942
Foreign prison-made goods
Straw - HS 1213
Unprocessed wood - HS 4401, 4403
Video-senders (470-854 MHz band) - HS 8525
Infectious substances - HS 3002
Iranian origin products

Plant Restrictions: Specific plants from India are prohibited including Aubergine, Patra leaves, Bitter gourd, and Snake gourd.

Germany, France, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, Egypt, Pakistan, India, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan 40+ restrictions

Additional restrictions apply to other destinations. Key highlights include:

Germany

Medication (OTC and certain supplements) - HS 3003-3004
Meat and milk products to private individuals - HS 0201-0210, 0401-0406
Ozone depleting substances - HS 2903.41-2903.49
Live animals (with exceptions) - HS 0106
Iranian origin products

France

Asbestos - HS 2524
Doping products and Creatine - HS 2942
Melatonin - HS 2933
All tobacco products - HS 2401-2403
Bird feathers, cut flowers, seeds, plants - HS 0602-0604, 6701
Products containing lead salt & nickel
Iranian origin products

Canada

Cannabis in any form - HS 1211.90
Ivory (processed or unprocessed) - HS 9601.10
Personal alcohol and tobacco shipments - HS 2203-2208, 2402
Unlicensed vaping products - HS 8543.70
Hemp products containing THC
Personal imports of pet food from non-US countries

Australia

Beef and meat products - HS 0201-0210
Unpopped popcorn - HS 1005.90
Pine cones - HS 0604
Honey - HS 0409
Health supplements (Hoodia, Yohimbe, DHEA) - HS 2106.90
Paintball guns - HS 9304.00

Netherlands

Laser pointers (Class III & IV) - HS 9013.20
Animal products - HS 0201-0511
All tobacco products - HS 2401-2403
Products containing dimethylfumarate (DMF)
Iranian origin products

Egypt

Smart watches with camera/phone - HS 9102
GPS devices (personal use) - HS 8526
Remote controlled toys - HS 9503
Electronic cigarettes and Shisha vaporizers - HS 8543.70
Individual shipments over USD $2,000
Items offensive to Muslim culture

Pakistan

Products from or manufactured in India
Herbal medicines and supplements - HS 1211, 2106, 3003
All used mobile phones (no RTS option) - HS 8517
SIM cards - HS 8523.52
Satellite equipment - HS 8525-8529
Items offensive to Muslim culture

India

Gems and jewelry (must use BSO service) - HS 7101-7118
Food with less than 60% shelf life or 3 months - HS 1601-2106
Baby gender test kits - HS 9027
Milk products from China - HS 0401-0406, 1806

Turkey

Gambling devices - HS 9504
Rifle scopes - HS 9013.10
Iranian origin products and US-embargoed countries
Food supplements/vitamins to individuals without prescription
Cosmetics to individuals (companies with license only)
Mobile phones with SIM cards to individuals - HS 8517

Lebanon

Minerals and mineral products - HS 2501-2530
Graphite products - HS 3801, 6815
Sunglasses with cameras - HS 9004
Items offensive to Muslim culture
Products from Palestine Autonomous regions

Jordan

Prescription drugs - HS 3003-3004
Electronic cigarettes and Shisha - HS 8543.70
Herbal tea and herbal products - HS 1211, 2106