Courier from India to the USA
India to the United States is the busiest lane ExpressBox runs. It carries D2C orders for Indian brands with American customers, product samples going to US buyers, documents, and personal parcels from families to relatives in the US. Everything moves by express air with the export paperwork prepared before pickup, so the parcel is not waiting on a form once it reaches the airport.
Customs and document notes on this page were last reviewed on . Rules change; we confirm the current position when you book.
Who sends parcels from India to the USA with us?
D2C and marketplace sellers
Indian brands fulfilling US orders one parcel at a time, with a commercial invoice per order and a tracking number the buyer can follow.
Exporters sending samples
Garment, handicraft, leather and engineering firms sending pre-production samples to US importers ahead of a bulk order.
Families and students
Personal effects, gifts and documents to relatives, students and new arrivals in the United States.
What happens between pickup in India and delivery in the USA?
- Quote and booking
- Pickup from your address
- Export clearance in India
- Express flight
- Customs in the USA
- Delivered with proof
Every shipment gets an ExpressBox tracking number at booking. The milestones above are the standard sequence for this lane; the status of a specific shipment comes from the tracking page.
Export paperwork in India, import clearance in the USA
Export side (India)
Courier exports from India are cleared as either CSB-IV (personal, gift and sample shipments) or CSB-V (commercial shipments by a registered exporter with an IEC and GST registration). We tell you which applies and prepare the shipping bill from your invoice.
Import side (USA)
CBP assesses duty on the declared value and HS classification. Since 29 Aug 2025 the US no longer exempts low-value parcels from duty, so most commercial shipments now attract duty regardless of value; rates depend on the product and its origin. Duty and any brokerage are estimated in your quote and can be billed to the sender or the receiver.
Documents we need
A commercial or proforma invoice with HS codes, the receiver's full address and phone number, and for CSB-V shipments your IEC, GSTIN and, where applicable, the export licence or certificate for the goods.
What does shipping from India to the USA cost?
| What | How it is worked out |
|---|---|
| Chargeable weight | The greater of the actual weight and the volumetric weight (length × width × height in centimetres ÷ 5000). A light but bulky box is charged on volume. |
| Lane rate | Quoted per shipment for India to the USA, based on chargeable weight and the delivery area. Published slabs are not available yet; the quote is the price. |
| Duties and taxes | Assessed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on the declared value. Estimated in the quote and billed to the sender or the receiver, as you choose at booking. |
| Included | Pickup, export documentation, express air freight, import clearance handling and delivery with tracking. |
What cannot be sent from India to the USA?
Food and supplements for resale, cosmetics without FDA-compliant labelling, lithium batteries shipped loose, and plant or animal products need checking before booking. Currency, weapons and dangerous goods never travel on this lane. The full list, including items that need approval first, is on the prohibited and restricted items page; where one country is stricter than the other, the stricter rule applies to this lane.
Questions people ask before shipping to the USA
Which US cities do you deliver to?
The whole of the United States, including Alaska, Hawaii and PO boxes, through the carrier's domestic network after customs entry.
Do I need an IEC to send a parcel to the USA?
Not for personal shipments, gifts or samples under the CSB-IV route. You need an IEC and GST registration if you are exporting commercially and want the shipment on your export record (CSB-V).
Who pays the US import duty?
Either side. Tell us at booking whether you want duties billed to you (delivered duty paid) or collected from the receiver before delivery.
Can you pick up from my factory or home?
Yes. Pickup is arranged from your address in India after the booking is confirmed; the pickup city and weight are part of the quote.
How is the price calculated?
By chargeable weight: the greater of the actual weight and the volumetric weight (length × width × height in cm ÷ 5000), per lane. Ask for a quote with your dimensions and we reply with the figure.
What if my parcel is held by US customs?
We receive the hold reason from the carrier, tell you what is missing (usually a value query or a product description) and resubmit. Holds caused by prohibited contents cannot be resolved, which is why we check the item list before pickup.