Courier guide · India
International Courier from India: What You Can Ship via DHL, FedEx, UPS, Aramex & WWE
Not sure whether your parcel can go abroad? This guide shows what you can ship, which courier accepts it, which papers you need and where the surcharges are published.
- DHL
- FedEx
- UPS
- Aramex
- WWE (DPD UK)
1Key rules to remember
Read these first. They apply across many items in the list below.
- Unbranded items are not allowed through DHL.
- Powder and liquid items are not allowed in Aramex and FedEx.
- Medicines are not allowed through UPS.
- Food items are not allowed through FedEx to European countries.
- WWE: no service to Germany.
- WWE to Australia: no food items and no medicines. Food to Australia can go through SELF – mention “Indian Snacks” in brackets.
- WWE: medicines not allowed to USA, Saudi Arabia and Ireland.
- WWE to Canada: no food items and no medicines.
2What can I ship? Item-wise list
A green ✓ means the courier accepts the item. A red ✕ means it does not. Search in English or മലയാളം.
Food, spices & powders
| Item | DHL | FedEx | UPS | Aramex | WWE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masala powder (branded) | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Masala powder (home made) | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Chilly powder – brandedമുളക് പൊടി | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Chilly powder – home madeമുളക് പൊടി | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Rice powder – brandedഅരി പൊടി | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Rice powder – home made, sealedഅരി പൊടി | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Wheat flour – brandedഗോതമ്പ് പൊടി | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Wheat flour – home madeഗോതമ്പ് പൊടി | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Turmeric powder – branded | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Turmeric powder – home made | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Coriander powder – branded | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Coriander powder – home made | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Rava, maida & atta | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Spices (pepper, cardamom, etc.) | Allowed | Allowed | Not allowed | Allowed | Allowed |
| Red chilly, bird’s eye chilly (kanthari) | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Saffron (kum kum flower) | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Pulsesപയർവർഗ്ഗങ്ങൾ | Allowed | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Veg pickles – brandedവെജ് അച്ചാർ | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Veg pickles – home madeവെജ് അച്ചാർ | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Non-veg pickle / non-veg foodsനോൺ-വെജ് ഭക്ഷണം | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Chips and fryums | Allowed | Allowed | Not allowed | Allowed | Allowed |
| Chilly fryums | Allowed | Allowed | Not allowed | Allowed | Allowed |
| Branded cakes (expiry not less than 15 days) | Allowed | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Salt and sugar – branded, small quantity | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Coconut oil – branded, up to 2 kg | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Horlicks | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Boost | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Milk-content foods & honey | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Rice, washing soap, leaves | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Liquid & semi-liquid items | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
Medicines & health products
| Item | DHL | FedEx | UPS | Aramex | WWE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medicines – tablets | Allowed | Allowed | Not allowed | Allowed | Allowed |
| Medicines – liquid & powders | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Unbranded medicines | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Medicated coconut oil | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Herbalife, Elements, i-Coffee products | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| i-Coffee products | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Inhaler | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Sanitary napkins | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed |
Clothing & household items
| Item | DHL | FedEx | UPS | Aramex | WWE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New clothesതുണിത്തരം | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed |
| Used clothesതുണി ഉപയോഗിച്ചത് | Not allowed | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed |
| Household utensils – newപാത്രം | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed |
| Household utensils – usedപാത്രം | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed |
Electronics
| Item | DHL | FedEx | UPS | Aramex | WWE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic items without battery | Allowed | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Electronic items with battery | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Battery | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Laptops | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Mobile phones | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Pen drive, CD (mention content in invoice) | Allowed | Allowed | Not allowed | Allowed | Allowed |
| Wired earphone | Allowed | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Earpod & headphone | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Headphone with bill | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Bluetooth speakers | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
Documents, cards & ID items
| Item | DHL | FedEx | UPS | Aramex | WWE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passport | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| SIM card | Not allowed | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| ATM card – with deactivation letter | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed | Not allowed |
| ATM card – without deactivation letter | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed | Not allowed |
| Cheque book (signed blank cheque not accepted) | Allowed | Not allowed | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed |
Beauty, personal care & jewellery
| Item | DHL | FedEx | UPS | Aramex | WWE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shampoo – branded | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Moisturizer – branded | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Face cream – branded | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Nail polish | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Gum, wax | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Spray items | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Fancy ornaments / imitation jewellery | Allowed | Allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
No items match your search. Try another word.
3Documents you need
Normal non-docs (no medicines)
- Printed invoice – HSN code needed for all destinations
- KYC – Aadhaar for individuals, GST for companies
- Purchase bill, if required (see below)
- Vendor authorisation letter
- Non-document courier checklist
Medicines – add these
- Doctor’s prescription – original
- Purchase bill – original
- MOH certificate for GCC countries (SFDA for Saudi Arabia)
- Personal medication form – a must for USA, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand
- Food supplements also need a purchase bill
Depends on item and destination
- Qatar ID of consignee, if shipment is to Qatar
- Oman ID of consignee, if shipment is to Oman
- MOH certificate for medicines to Middle East countries
- Fumigation certificate, if wooden package
- Indemnity letter for fragile contents
- Non-DG (non dangerous goods) certificate for DHL
- Purchase bill for imitation jewellery / fancy ornaments
- Box-wise invoice when sending multiple boxes
Items that need a purchase bill
- Electronic items
- High-value items (mobile, laptops, etc.)
- Fancy ornaments – GST purchase bill is a must
- Medicines
- Wooden articles – wood name must be on the bill
- Brass items
- Automotive spare parts
- Machines and machine parts, etc.
- Food supplements
4Countries where medicines cannot be shipped
Medicines cannot be shipped to these countries.
- Austria
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Belgium
- China
- Congo
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Finland
- Georgia
- Germany
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Moldova
- Netherlands
- North Korea
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Philippines
- Russia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Thailand
- Uganda
- Ukraine
Homoeo medicine is banned to UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Medicines to Middle East countries need a Ministry of Health (MOH) certificate for clearance.
5Surcharges: fuel and remote area
Fuel surcharge changes weekly
- DHL: DHL fuel surcharge page
- FedEx: see the “Shipping Surcharges” page on FedEx India’s website.
- UPS: UPS fuel surcharge page
- DTDC WWE (Premium Export / Standard): fuel surcharge is included in base rates.
Remote / extended area pincodes (RAS / ODA / EAS)
6Frequently asked questions
Can I send medicines internationally from India by courier?
Tablets can go through DHL, FedEx, Aramex and WWE (DPD UK), but not UPS. Liquid and powder medicines go only through DHL and WWE. You need the original doctor’s prescription and the original purchase bill, plus an MOH certificate for GCC countries (SFDA for Saudi Arabia). Medicines cannot be shipped to a list of banned countries.
Which documents do I need for a non-document international courier?
A printed invoice with HSN code, KYC (Aadhaar for individuals, GST for companies), a purchase bill where required, the vendor authorisation letter and the non-document courier checklist.
Can I ship home-made pickle or masala abroad?
Home-made veg pickle, masala powder, chilly powder and similar powders can go through DHL and WWE. Non-veg pickle and non-veg foods can go only through WWE. Aramex and FedEx do not accept powders and liquids, and FedEx does not carry food to European countries.
Can I courier a laptop or mobile phone abroad?
Not through the five vendors in this guide. DHL, FedEx, UPS, Aramex and WWE are all marked as not allowing laptops and mobile phones here.
Is homoeo medicine allowed to the Gulf?
No. Homoeo medicine is banned to UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Where can I check the fuel surcharge?
Fuel surcharges change weekly. Check the DHL, FedEx and UPS surcharge pages. For DTDC WWE (Premium Export and Standard), the fuel surcharge is already included in the base rates.
