EDITORIAL

Editorial policy

Goods Across Borders is a reference site for cross-border goods information. This page explains how we choose what to cover, how we research and write, and how we publish.

What we cover

We answer practical, source-backed questions about taking goods across borders: can I carry this item, can I post it, can I import it commercially, what duty applies, what documents do I need, what does the destination's customs authority care about, and where can I verify each statement officially.

What we do not cover

Operational advice for moving illegal goods. We will not help someone evade customs controls.
Legal or tax advice for a specific shipment. We provide reference information; complex cases need a licensed broker or lawyer.
Live pricing or rate quotes from carriers, freight forwarders, or financial-services providers.
Recommendations of specific operators. We may list carriers and airlines as reference data; we do not promote any one of them.

How we research

We start with the destination's official customs authority.
We cross-check against an intergovernmental source (WCO, WHO, ICAO, IATA, IMO, UN, WTO) where one applies.
We add reputable industry / news references only as supporting context, never as the primary source.
We record every URL in the rule's sourceUrls array and stamp lastVerified with the date of the most-recent check.

Confidence levels

Every rule is tagged with a confidence level:

High: two or more independent sources, at least one official, recently verified.
Medium: one official source, verified within 12 months.
Low: templated or single-source rule pending verification.

Independence

We carry no carrier affiliate links, no broker referral fees, and no paid placements. See /commercial-independence for full disclosure.

Disclaimer

Customs and import rules change frequently. We do our best to keep this site accurate, but this is a reference, not legal or customs advice. Always verify against the destination's customs authority before acting on any rule.