Disaster relief / aid shipment
Sending humanitarian aid (medicines, water filters, blankets, food) to disaster-affected destinations: expedited customs, donor declarations, in-country partner.
Checklist
- 01
Coordinate with UN OCHA, WFP, or a destination NGO before shipping. Random unsolicited aid often gets stuck in customs.
- 02
Use the destination's emergency-aid customs lane: pre-approved NGOs get expedited clearance + duty waiver. Without NGO partnership: standard customs clearance + duty.
- 03
Documentation: shipper letter declaring humanitarian purpose + destination NGO partner; commercial invoice marked 'NO COMMERCIAL VALUE' + actual donation value.
- 04
Restricted aid items: medications need destination Drug Regulatory Authority approval; food items need health-certification.
- 05
Cash: do not include cash with the shipment. Send wire via humanitarian-corridor banking if needed.