Received a Swiss Post value clarification request for a China parcel? Check the notice, submit purchase evidence and separate a surcharge from taxes and clearance fees.
A Swiss Post value clarification request means the postal clearance team needs information about your China parcel before it can finish the declaration. Find out what is missing, send evidence for the goods actually inside, and keep the reply confirmation. If you already have a clearance invoice, check which line you disagree with before asking for a correction.
Rules and service information checked on 8 November 2026. This article covers parcels being cleared by Swiss Post. A different courier may use a different process and tariff.
Read the message before treating it as a bill
The next action depends on what Swiss Post has sent:
- A value clarification request, sometimes called Wertabklärung: supply the requested shipment information. A tracking update alone is not a replacement for replying.
- An import-cost payment request: open the shipment in your Swiss Post account and check the charge details and payment instructions.
- A tax assessment decision and clearance invoice: compare the assessed goods and charges with your purchase records. This is the stage for identifying a specific error.
Keep the shipment number, notification and any personal code together. Use Swiss Post’s official website or app to locate the relevant shipment if you are unsure about a message. Do not send the code to an unrelated seller or a public tracking forum.
Still choosing between retail shopping and business sourcing? The Switzerland Taobao and 1688 comparison covers that earlier decision. Here, the parcel has already reached the clearance stage.
Give the form a value that your documents can explain
Open the official Swiss Post value clarification form. It asks for the goods value including shipping in CHF and the personal code. Its document uploads accept PDF, JPG, JPEG or PNG, with a maximum file size of 5 MB. If separate notifications arrived for several parcels, answer each notification individually.
Before submitting, put yourself in the position of someone who has never seen your Taobao, Pinduoduo or 1688 order. Can they tell what the item is, what you paid and why that payment belongs to this parcel?
For a Taobao or Pinduoduo retail purchase, save the paid order details showing the selected item, quantity and actual transaction price. A current listing can show a different price or a different variant. For a purchase on 1688, ask the supplier for the commercial invoice matching the goods dispatched; a quotation or unpaid balance does not explain the full transaction by itself.
If an agent paid the seller, ask for the underlying purchase record and an explanation of the relevant charges. Show a discount or refund with its supporting record. Keep the original currency and amounts visible rather than replacing the evidence with a number you have typed into a screenshot. If the CHF conversion or treatment of a charge is unclear, ask Swiss Post how to complete the field.
Read the clearance instruction and terms beside the form before agreeing. Check the attachments are readable, then retain the submitted documents and any confirmation. Replying supplies evidence; it does not decide the final valuation or release the goods automatically.
The three-working-day rule concerns a particular surcharge
Swiss Post’s import clearance price page lists CHF 20, excluding VAT, for inspection, value clarification and storage, and says this fee does not apply to response times of up to three working days. Its FAQ specifies a written reply within that period.
Respond promptly and follow the date or instructions in your notice. If you cannot obtain a document in time, contact Swiss Post rather than assuming the clock stops while you wait for the seller. Keep evidence of when you replied. The rule does not make import VAT, ordinary clearance services or unrelated extra work free.
Do not use refusal of the consignment as a substitute for a fee query. The form offers a definitive refusal option; understand its consequences and ask Swiss Post about the particular parcel before choosing it.
A request for permission is a different problem
A payment screenshot can support a declared value. It cannot establish that a regulated product is permitted. Swiss Post has a separate route for goods requiring authorization. If the notice asks for a permit, product specification or approval, answer that request separately. For electrical or wireless 1688 goods, the Swiss plug, OFCOM and importer checks help identify the earlier checks that should already be in place.
Send the exact product description and requested documents to the named carrier or competent authority. Do not rename a purchased item as a gift, remove a battery from its description or invent a certificate to make the reply easier.
Once the invoice arrives, ask about the right line
Download the electronic tax assessment decision and the clearance invoice, rather than relying on the payment total. Swiss Post’s import FAQ says these documents are usually available within three working days after clearance and can be downloaded free for three months using the shipment number and personal code.
Separate three questions:
- Was the purchase described and valued correctly? Identify the item, quantity, transaction amount or currency that appears wrong, and attach the evidence explaining the difference.
- Is the disputed amount a government levy? Swiss import VAT is generally 8.1%, with 2.6% for certain goods. The assessment basis generally includes the purchase price, all costs up to the Swiss destination, such as transport, and import duties; see the FOCBS parcel guidance. Do not apply a rate to the shop price alone and assume the rest is an error. Non-levy thresholds are not a general exemption from declaration or carrier charges.
- Is it a Swiss Post service fee? Ask Swiss Post which service generated it and, for a value-clarification surcharge, provide the notice and your reply date. The FOCBS complaints guidance distinguishes carrier handling fees from customs charges and directs service-fee queries to the carrier.
Industrial tariff abolition does not remove every other charge: Switzerland abolished industrial tariffs in 2024, while VAT and clearance formalities remain. Avoid calling every amount on the invoice “customs duty.”
For an assessment dispute, follow the correction or appeal instructions applicable to that decision. Ask promptly which procedure and deadline apply; do not assume a customer-service enquiry pauses either a payment deadline or a formal appeal period.
YDA Express can help retrieve available buying, warehouse and dispatch records for a shipment handled through us. Send us the request and identify the parcel and missing evidence. We cannot change a Swiss Post assessment, issue a regulator’s approval or guarantee removal of a charge. For future purchases, check product restrictions before paying, compare the goods and packaging at the warehouse, and confirm the current rules and available service again before dispatch. Today’s verified fee or procedure may change.
📲 Download the YDA Express App
Use the YDA Express App to place China purchasing orders, view product check photos, manage packages, and arrange consolidation and international forwarding.