Occasions and ordering · 8 October 2026 · 4 min read
What tracking statuses mean on an international parcel
What parcel tracking statuses mean, from label created to delivered: in transit, held at customs, clearance and exceptions, and which lines need action from you.
InspirationMost lines are just scans
Most tracking statuses simply record a parcel being scanned as it moves: label created, picked up, in transit, customs clearance, out for delivery and delivered. Only a handful ask anything of you, mainly a missed delivery, a request for documents or payment, an address problem or a parcel waiting at a pickup point.
Couriers word things differently, and the same parcel can show several companies’ wording as it changes hands. The meanings below are the general ones, grouped by stage, so you can read almost any tracking page with confidence.
Before it moves
Label created or shipment information received means the sender has booked the delivery and the courier has the details. The parcel may still be with the sender, so this status can sit unchanged for a while without anything being wrong.
Picked up, collected from sender or received at origin facility is the first real scan: the courier now has the parcel in hand. From here, scans should appear as it passes through sorting centres.
On the way
In transit is a catch-all for a parcel between two scan points. Departed facility, arrived at sort facility and processed are the scans at each hub. On an international journey you may also see export cleared or departed origin country, then arrived in destination country.
Long gaps between scans are normal, particularly while a parcel is on a flight or waiting to be loaded. A tracking page that has not changed is usually a parcel that has not been scanned, not one that is lost. Some parcels are handed to a local delivery company for the last stage; the tracking may then say handed over to delivery partner and show a new reference number to use on that company’s site.
Customs lines, decoded
Every international parcel goes through customs in the destination country, so seeing these lines is expected. Our guide to delivered duty paid explains who pays the import charges and why that matters here.
- Customs clearance in progress: the parcel is with customs or the courier’s clearance team, waiting its turn or being checked. No action needed.
- Held at customs or clearance delay: customs or the courier needs more time, often to check paperwork. It does not mean something is wrong, and most parcels move on without you doing anything.
- Information required or awaiting documents: this one needs a reply. The courier may ask the receiver for an ID number or details of the contents.
- Awaiting payment of duties and taxes: the courier wants import charges paid before delivering.
- Released by customs or cleared: done; the parcel moves on to delivery.
The last stretch
- Out for delivery: on the vehicle for delivery today, in most couriers’ usage.
- Delivery attempted or recipient not available: nobody could take it. Check for a card or message and rebook, or choose a safe place or neighbour.
- Address query: the courier cannot match the address. Contact them quickly with the correct details.
- Held at depot or ready for pickup: waiting for you at a depot or pickup point, usually only for a limited time before it is sent back.
- Exception: a catch-all for something unusual, such as damaged packaging or bad weather. Read the detail line; often it clears by itself.
- Delivered: the courier has recorded delivery. If you cannot find it, check with neighbours and any safe place, then contact the courier promptly.
- Returned to sender: the parcel is going back. Contact the sender straight away.
When you are tracking an order from us
Once your outfit is shipped from Pakistan, we share the tracking details with you. Your written quote already includes delivery to your address and any import duties, taxes and customs or courier fees, so an awaiting payment status or a message asking for charges should not apply to you. If one appears, contact us before paying anything. Treat unexpected texts or emails with payment links carefully: check the status by typing the courier’s own web address yourself rather than tapping a link. Our page on worldwide delivery and our guide to what happens from quote to delivery cover the order stages around this.
On Stitching Only orders, the first journey is your own parcel of fabric to us, and the same statuses apply to it. Keep its tracking number until we confirm that the fabric has arrived. When you are ready to begin, start with a quote request.
Common questions
Why has my tracking not updated?
Usually because the parcel has not been scanned since the last update, for example while it is on a flight or waiting at a hub. If it stays unchanged for much longer than you would expect, contact the sender, who can raise it with the courier.
What does delivered mean if I do not have the parcel?
It means the courier has recorded the delivery. Check with neighbours, any safe place and your building’s post room, then contact the courier and the sender as soon as possible, as couriers often investigate missing parcels only for a limited time.
Does held at customs mean I have to pay?
Not necessarily. Many parcels are held briefly for routine checks. With our orders, import charges are included in your quote, so if you are asked to pay, contact us before paying anything.