To track an international shipment, locate the AWB (Air Waybill) number from the shipping confirmation, paste it into the origin carrier’s tracking page (DHL, FedEx, Aramex, UPS, India Post), and watch for status milestones across five stages: origin pickup, export, international transit, destination customs, and last-mile. Tracking gaps of 1-3 days during transit are normal; gaps longer than 5 days usually mean a customs hold.
This article is part of our International Shipping from India: Complete Export Guide pillar.
Find your AWB or tracking number
Every international shipment carries one master identifier — the AWB number. It appears in four places:
- The shipping confirmation email from the sender or carrier
- The receipt or invoice you received at booking
- The shipping label affixed to the parcel
- Your account dashboard on the carrier’s app or website
AWB formats are carrier-specific. DHL uses a 10-digit number. FedEx uses 12-15 digits. UPS uses 18 characters starting with 1Z. India Post EMS uses a 13-character format like EE123456789IN. Aramex uses 9-11 digits. When in doubt, the prefix on a 3-letter IATA airline code (172 for FedEx, 020 for Lufthansa, 235 for Etihad) tells you which carrier owns the parcel.
If the sender forwarded only an order number, that is not your AWB — go back to the source. For paperwork that controls customs treatment alongside the AWB, see Customs Documentation Made Simple.
The 5 stages of international tracking and what each status means
International parcels move through five distinct stages. Each stage has predictable status labels — the table below decodes the common ones so you can tell normal progress from a stuck shipment.
| Stage | Typical status labels | What it means | Normal duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Origin pickup | Shipment information received, Picked up, Processed at origin facility | Carrier has the parcel and is preparing it for export | 4-24 hours |
| 2. Export | Departed origin country, Handed over to airline, On board flight | Parcel cleared origin customs and is in the air | 1-3 days |
| 3. International transit | In transit, Arrived at transit hub, Departed transit hub | Mid-haul movement between gateways | 1-5 days |
| 4. Destination customs | Arrived at destination, In customs clearance, Held at customs, Released from customs | Local customs is inspecting, assessing duty, or releasing | 4 hours to 5+ days |
| 5. Last mile | At delivery facility, Out for delivery, Delivery attempted, Delivered | Local courier is moving the parcel to the recipient | 1-3 days |
For the underlying carrier workflow at each stage, see our comprehensive guide to international delivery from India.
Held at customs — what it actually means and what to do
“Held at customs” is the status that triggers the most anxiety. It does not mean the parcel is lost. It means destination customs has flagged the shipment for one of four reasons: duty assessment, document mismatch, declared value verification, or random inspection.
What happens at this stage:
- Customs reviews the commercial invoice against actual contents.
- If duty is due, an assessment notice is issued to the consignee or carrier.
- If a document is missing or inconsistent, customs requests clarification before release.
- If the value or HSN is contested, customs may seek an explanation.
What to do, in order:
- Wait 48 hours. Routine customs holds on India-outbound shipments clear within this window for accurate paperwork..
- Check carrier and recipient inboxes. Customs almost always reaches out — to the recipient, the carrier, or both — for duty payment or document submission. The hold sits until they respond.
- Contact the origin carrier at the 72-hour mark. Ask for the specific reason for hold; carriers see this in the carrier-customs interface even if the public tracking page only says “held at customs”.
- Pay duty or submit the requested document. Most carriers offer in-app duty payment. For complex holds (under-declaration challenge, regulated-item question), escalate to a customs broker.
- Confirm release. Tracking should flip to “Released from customs” within 4-24 hours of duty payment or document submission.
For India-bound shipments held at customs, the ICEGATE portal at icegate.gov.in shows the bill-of-entry status — useful when the carrier’s interface is vague. Most India outbound shipments transit through the Mumbai air cargo customs gateway, which is one of the highest-volume export ports in the country.
Why tracking stops updating for days (normal vs problem)
International parcels are not scanned continuously. They are scanned at handover points — pickup, export gateway, aircraft load, import gateway, customs release, delivery hub, out-for-delivery, delivered. Between scans, there is silence.
Normal silence windows:
- Express services (DHL, FedEx, UPS): up to 2 days mid-transit, longer over weekends
- Standard international (Aramex, India Post EMS): up to 5 days
- Economy international: up to 10 days mid-transit
- Surface or sea freight components: silence can extend to 2-3 weeks
When to take action:
- Express shipment with no update for 3 working days → contact carrier
- Standard shipment with no update for 7 working days → contact carrier
- Any shipment stuck on “in customs clearance” for 5+ working days → contact carrier and recipient
The most common mistake is treating a 24-hour silence as a problem. See 7 Common International Shipping Mistakes to Avoid for the panic-and-escalate pattern that wastes everyone’s time.
Universal tracking tools vs carrier-specific tracking
Two ways to track:
Carrier-specific tracking (recommended primary source):
- DHL Express: mydhl.express.dhl
- FedEx: fedex.com/tracking
- UPS: ups.com/track
- Aramex: aramex.com/track
- India Post EMS: indiapost.gov.in
Universal tracking platforms (good for multi-leg shipments):
- 17track, AfterShip, Parcels App
- These aggregators query 600+ carrier APIs in one search.
- Useful when the parcel transfers between origin carrier and destination postal service (e.g., FedEx → USPS handoff).
Rule of thumb: start with the carrier site for the most granular status. Switch to a universal tracker only when the parcel has handed over to a local last-mile partner. The same principle applies to domestic shipments — see our 5 instant tips for tracking your courier for the broader playbook.
Troubleshooting checklist — when to call carrier, when to call broker
Use this checklist before escalating:
- Confirm the AWB is correct (typo check — 0 vs O, 1 vs I)
- Confirm you are searching on the right carrier’s site
- Check for emails or SMS from the carrier or customs (sender, recipient, both)
- Verify the recipient’s phone and email are correct — customs often calls the recipient
- Check the parcel is not delivered (sometimes “delivered” updates lag the actual handover)
Escalation tree:
- Call carrier customer service for status interpretation, missed-pickup, or “where is my parcel” queries. Most carriers have 24/7 lines for international shipments.
- Call customs broker when: declared value is challenged, HSN classification is disputed, an export licence is queried, or duty exceeds USD 1,000 and you want to contest the assessment. Choosing the right broker matters — see How to Choose a Customs Broker.
- Escalate to carrier supervisor if standard customer service hasn’t moved the case in 48 hours.
For India outbound, success rate of routine “held at customs” cases resolving within 48 hours is high.
Tracking after delivery (proof of delivery, signature)
The final status — Delivered — is not always the end of the workflow. For high-value shipments, you want documentary proof:
- Signature on delivery: the receiver’s name and signature on the carrier’s PDA device, downloadable from the carrier portal.
- Photo proof of delivery (POD): standard on DHL, FedEx, UPS in most metros. Confirms the parcel was left at the correct door.
- Recipient acknowledgement: a separate email or app confirmation from the recipient, useful for legal documents and B2B shipments.
Retain the POD for at least 30 days. For lost-in-transit insurance claims, POD evidence is the primary supporting document. For commercial shipments, POD signed against your invoice closes out the order.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I track my international shipment with just the AWB number?
Paste the AWB (Air Waybill) number into the origin carrier’s tracking page — DHL, FedEx, Aramex, UPS, India Post or whichever carrier issued the shipment. For an AWB starting with 172, 020, or 235, the prefix identifies the carrier. Universal aggregators like 17track or AfterShip also accept any AWB and route it to the correct carrier automatically.
What does held at customs mean and how long does it last?
Held at customs means the destination country’s customs authority has flagged your parcel for inspection, duty assessment, or document review. Most holds clear in 24 to 72 hours once duties are paid or documents are submitted. Holds longer than 5 working days usually need active intervention — contact the carrier, pay any pending duty, or ask the recipient to submit the requested document.
Why has my international tracking not updated for 4 days?
Tracking gaps of 1 to 3 days during international transit are normal because parcels move between scan points (origin hub, export gateway, mid-haul aircraft, import gateway). Four days without an update usually means the parcel is mid-air on a long route, sitting in customs queue, or transferring between carrier systems at the destination. Wait one more business day before escalating.
Can I track a shipment without the tracking number?
Yes, but only if the carrier links shipments to your account. Log in to the courier app or website with the email used during booking and you can usually see all shipments. Without the tracking number and without an account, the carrier cannot trace the parcel — the AWB is the parcel’s only system identifier.
What is the difference between AWB and tracking number?
For international shipments the two terms are largely interchangeable. AWB (Air Waybill) is the formal aviation document number assigned when the shipment moves by air. Tracking number is the consumer-facing label for the same identifier. Some carriers issue an additional last-mile tracking number when a destination partner takes over delivery.
Conclusion
Tracking an international shipment is a five-stage process — origin pickup, export, transit, destination customs, last mile — and most “stuck” status anxiety resolves with patience and the right escalation step. Use the AWB on the carrier site as your primary tool, give silence windows their normal duration, and act only when the gap exceeds the thresholds above. For shipments stuck at customs beyond 5 days, contact the carrier and the recipient simultaneously. Track a CourierBook international shipment — every booking comes with end-to-end visibility from pickup to delivery.