Your Complete Guide to Track EMS International Shipments

When you're tracking an EMS international shipment, the first thing you need is your 13-character tracking number. This code is your golden ticket, unlocking the door to real-time updates as your package makes its way across the globe.

It usually looks something like this: EE123456789XX.

Getting to Know Your EMS International Shipment

Waiting for a package from another country can feel like a guessing game. But once you understand how EMS (Express Mail Service) operates, the whole process becomes a lot clearer.

Here's the key thing to remember: EMS isn't one giant, single company. It’s a global cooperative, a network of national postal services working together to provide a faster, premium mail service. This means your package is passed from one postal operator to another like a baton in a relay race.

For example, a package sent from Japan starts its journey with Japan Post. Once it lands in the United States, it’s handed over to USPS to complete the final leg of the delivery. If it's headed to the UK, Royal Mail takes over. This global partnership is what makes EMS such a popular choice for cross-border shipping.

The Worldwide Reach of EMS

The EMS network is a backbone of global logistics, especially for e-commerce. It links the postal services of over 175 countries and territories, creating a surprisingly efficient system for express deliveries.

The market for this kind of service is huge and growing. Valued at USD 300.83 million, the global express mail service industry is only getting bigger as more people shop online internationally. This growth is built on the trust that sellers and buyers have in services like EMS, which often deliver packages within 3-7 days on most major routes.

Key Takeaway: Your EMS shipment is a team effort. It's passed from one national postal service to another, which is why tracking updates might pause during transit between countries.

What to Look for When You Track

Before you can start tracking, you need to make sure you have the right number. The entire system hinges on that 13-character alphanumeric code. It's crucial not to confuse it with your order number from the seller—they're two completely different things.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the typical EMS tracking number format:

• It almost always starts with the letter 'E' (for Express), followed by another letter.
• Next up are nine digits that are unique to your package.
• It finishes with two letters representing the country code where the package started, like 'JP' for Japan or 'CN' for China.

Once you’ve got this number, you’re ready to go. You can pop it into a universal tracking platform like Instant Parcels or use the websites for the origin and destination postal services. Knowing this structure helps you confirm you have the right info from the very beginning.

Where to Find Your EMS Tracking Number

Locating your tracking number is usually straightforward. The seller provides it once your order has been shipped. Here are the most common places you'll find it:

After checking these spots, if you still can't find your number, the best next step is to contact the seller directly. They can look it up and provide it to you.

Getting Started: Finding and Using Your EMS Tracking Number

Before you can see where your package is, you need its unique tracking number. For EMS, this is a 13-character code that the seller sends you as soon as they ship your order.

Don't confuse it with your order number. The EMS tracking ID has a very specific format. It nearly always starts with the letter 'E' and ends with a two-letter country code, like EE123456789CN for a package coming from China.

You'll usually find this code in a shipping confirmation email, which is a different message from your initial order receipt. It’s also often available in your account's order history on sites like AliExpress or eBay. If you're having trouble locating it, our guide on how to find your tracking number can help.

The Quickest Way: Using a Universal Tracker

Once you have your number, the simplest approach is to use a universal tracking platform like ours at Instant Parcels. These tools are designed to automatically recognize tracking codes from hundreds of different couriers worldwide.

Just copy and paste your 13-character EMS code into the search field, and the system handles the rest. It instantly identifies the package as an EMS shipment, fetches the latest updates from the origin post, and keeps an eye on it as it travels internationally. This completely removes the guesswork of trying to figure out which country's postal website to check.

A universal tracker stitches everything together into a single, easy-to-read timeline. It translates confusing shipping jargon and shows you the package's complete path, which is a lifesaver when a shipment gets handed off between different national postal services.

The Manual Route: Tracking on Official Postal Sites

If you'd rather do it yourself, you can track directly with the postal services. This is a two-part process since your package will be handled by at least two different postal operators—one at the origin and one at the destination.

First, you'll want to use the website of the postal service in the country where the package was sent from.

• Package from China? Head to the China Post tracking portal.
• Shipped from Japan? Use the Japan Post website.
• Coming from South Korea? You'll need the Korea Post tracking service.

Keep using the origin country's site until the status confirms your package has left the country and is on its way.

Pro Tip: The origin country’s postal site is your best source for granular details on the first leg of the journey, like export processing and international dispatch times.

Once the tracking updates to show the package has arrived in your country and passed through customs, it's time to switch gears. Your local postal service has taken over.

From this point on, use the same EMS tracking number on your own national post's website. For instance, if you’re in the United States, you'll switch to the USPS website for the most accurate local updates, right down to the final "out for delivery" scan. Following both stages is key when you track EMS international packages manually.

Decoding Common EMS Tracking Statuses

Tracking updates for an international package can sometimes feel like trying to decipher a secret code. You see statuses like "Origin Post is Preparing Shipment" or the slightly alarming "Held at Customs," and it's not always clear what's going on. Let's break down this jargon into plain English so you know exactly where your package is.

Once you understand what these messages mean, you'll have a much clearer picture of your shipment's journey. You'll know when everything is running smoothly and when you might need to look a little closer.

From Seller to Your Doorstep

The journey of any EMS package follows a pretty standard path, starting with the seller and ending with your local mail carrier. Grasping this flow is the key to making sense of the tracking updates you see.

Here are the most common updates you'll encounter and what they actually mean.

• Posting/Collection: This is the first official scan. It’s confirmation that the seller has dropped off your package and it's now in the hands of the postal service in the origin country.
• Arrival at Outward Office of Exchange: Your package has made it to an international mail facility in its home country. Think of this as the departure lounge for parcels.
• Dispatch from Outward Office of Exchange: The package is on a plane and headed to your country. It's completely normal to see a temporary pause in tracking updates at this stage.

After it's dispatched, your package is physically in the air. Don't panic if you don't see any new scans for a few days—the next update will only pop up once it lands and gets processed on your side of the world.

Key Insight: The "in-transit" status often causes confusion. It’s a general term meaning the package is on the move between two points, whether by truck or plane. You can read our detailed guide to better understand what "in transit" means for your shipment and why the status can sometimes remain unchanged for a while.

Navigating Customs and Final Delivery

Once your package touches down, it begins the next phase of its trip: customs clearance and handover to your local postal service. This is where the updates can get a little more complex, but it’s all part of the standard process.

Held at Customs / Presented to Customs: This one sounds more serious than it usually is. For 99% of packages, this is just a routine check. Your item is simply waiting its turn to be inspected by customs officials to make sure everything is in order.

Item Returned from Customs: This is a good sign! It means your package has successfully cleared customs inspection and has been released back into the care of your country's national postal service.

Arrival at Inward Office of Exchange: Your shipment has been scanned at the first postal facility in your country after clearing customs. It’s officially in the local mail stream.

From this point on, the tracking updates will start to look much more familiar as your local carrier takes over. You'll soon see statuses like "Arrived at Sorting Center" and "Out for Delivery," which means your package is on the home stretch.

To help you keep things straight, here’s a quick-reference table for the most common (and sometimes confusing) updates you’ll see when you track EMS international shipments.

Common EMS Tracking Statuses Explained

Knowing what these common terms mean can take a lot of the stress out of waiting for an international delivery.

Troubleshooting International Tracking Problems

We’ve all been there. You’re excitedly tracking an international package, hitting refresh, and then… nothing. The updates just stop. For days, the status is frozen. It’s one of the most common frustrations when you track EMS shipments, but nine times out of ten, it doesn't mean your package is lost in the great abyss.

Most of these tracking hiccups are just temporary blips in the complex world of cross-border shipping. Getting a handle on why they happen is the first step to navigating them without the stress.

This decision tree gives you a good visual of a package's typical journey and the main checkpoints where things can slow down.

As you can see, "In Transit" and "At Customs" are perfectly normal stages, but they’re also the spots where most delays pop up before your package finally hits "Delivered."

My Tracking Number Is Not Found

Seeing a "not found" or "invalid" error after you punch in your tracking number is a classic head-scratcher. But it almost never means the number itself is wrong. More often than not, it’s just a timing issue.

Here’s what happens behind the scenes: a seller creates a shipping label, and the system assigns a tracking number. This can happen long before the package is physically in the hands of the postal service. That number only goes "live" and starts showing updates after its first scan at a postal facility. This can easily take 24-72 hours.

If you're still getting an error after three business days, it’s probably time to circle back with the seller. They can confirm if the package has actually been shipped or if there was a snag on their end. It’s also worth noting that in rare cases, you might need to track a package without a tracking number, which presents its own unique set of challenges.

Why Is My Package Stuck in Customs?

The status "Held at Customs" can sound a little intimidating, but it's a completely standard part of the process for any international shipment. Every single package has to be cleared by a country's customs officials, and a few things can cause it to pause there:

• Sheer Volume: Major international hubs are processing thousands, sometimes tens of thousands, of packages a day. Your item is simply waiting its turn in a very long queue.
• Missing Paperwork: If the seller’s customs declaration form is incomplete or has errors, officials will hold the package until the information is corrected.
• Taxes or Duties Owed: The package might be held until import fees are paid. If this happens, your local postal service will almost always notify you about the amount due and how to pay it.

A "customs hold" is usually just a routine checkpoint, not a real problem. Most packages get through within a few days without you having to do anything at all.

However, if your package has been stuck for more than a week, it’s smart to give your local postal service a call. They often have more detailed information than what you can see on the public tracking page.

No Updates for Days

It's completely normal for a tracking history to go dark for several days at a time, especially when your package is hopping between countries. I call this the "in-flight black hole." The package is on a plane or a container ship, and there are simply no scanners out in the middle of the ocean.

Once it lands, clears customs, and gets its first scan from your local postal carrier, the updates will kick back in.

The data backs this up. The EMS system is overwhelmingly reliable, with an average international delivery success rate of 96.8%. Actual package loss rates are incredibly low, under 0.2%. While delivery times average a speedy 3-7 days to Europe and 5-8 days to Australia, some routes, particularly to Latin America, can naturally take longer. A pause in tracking updates is far more likely to be a simple logistical delay than a lost package.

Pro Tips for Shoppers and Sellers

A smooth delivery, especially across borders, really boils down to solid communication between the buyer and the seller. Whether you’re the one eagerly waiting for a package or the one who sent it, knowing how to navigate the inevitable shipping hiccup can make all the difference.

For shoppers, seeing a package stall in transit is incredibly frustrating. Your first move should be to contact the seller, but how you do it matters. Instead of a generic "Where is my order?", shoot them a message with your order number and the EMS tracking ID right up front.

Politely mention the last tracking update you saw and the date it was posted. Then, ask if they might have any extra information from their side. This simple approach gives them all the details they need to start digging into the problem for you immediately.

What if tracking says "Delivered" but your package is nowhere to be found? Before you panic, take a quick look around your property, check with your neighbors, or ask your building's front desk. It's surprisingly common for a carrier to mark a package as delivered a few hours before it actually arrives. If a full 24 hours go by and it’s still missing, reach out to the seller with these specifics so they can launch an official trace with the postal service.

Guidance for E-commerce Sellers

As a seller, being proactive with communication is your best defense against customer anxiety and a flood of support tickets. The key is to manage expectations from the get-go, which is especially true for international orders where delays are almost a given.

• Set Clear Timelines: Be realistic on your product and checkout pages. A delivery window of "10-21 business days" is far more helpful and trustworthy than a vague promise of "fast shipping."
• Automate Shipping Notifications: Use an app or built-in store feature to automatically email customers their tracking number the moment you create the shipping label.
• Create a Tracking Page: Consider a branded tracking page on your own site. It keeps customers within your ecosystem and lets you control the messaging and experience around the delivery process.

When a package is genuinely lost, remember that only the sender can file an official claim with the origin post office. As the seller, it's your responsibility to initiate this process for your customer without delay.

The world of global shipping is constantly in flux. We're seeing a massive 66.5% drop in traditional international letter mail, while express services like EMS have become the go-to for e-commerce. With major carriers like UPS and USPS rolling out significant rate hikes, EMS often remains a more budget-friendly option for sellers needing to track ems international shipments. If you're interested in the nitty-gritty of these changes, the Universal Postal Union's 2025 report offers a deep dive into the evolving postal sector.

Your Top EMS Tracking Questions, Answered

Sending or waiting for a package from overseas can feel a bit like a black box. You've got your tracking number, but what do all those statuses really mean? Here are some of the most common questions I get asked, along with practical, no-fluff answers based on years of experience with international shipping.

My New EMS Tracking Number Isn't Working. What's Going On?

Don't panic! It's completely normal for a new EMS tracking number to show "Not Found" for the first 24 to 72 hours.

Here's a little inside baseball: a seller often generates the shipping label and tracking number when they prepare your order, which could be hours or even a day before it's actually handed over to the post office. The tracking number only goes live in the system after the package gets its first physical scan.

If you're past the three-day mark and still see nothing, that's a good time to drop a polite message to the seller just to confirm they've officially shipped it.

Why Has My EMS Tracking Stopped Updating?

Seeing your tracking history go silent for a few days can be nerve-wracking, but it's usually just a sign that your package is on the move between major hubs. This "quiet period" often happens when a shipment is on a long flight across an ocean or waiting its turn in a massive customs facility.

Since there are no scanning events happening mid-flight or in a holding queue, the status won't update. You’ll almost always see the tracking spring back to life once the package lands in your country and gets scanned by your local postal service.

Key Takeaway: A few days without an update is a standard part of the international shipping process. It's very rarely a sign that your package is lost.

Can I Still Track My EMS Package Once It Reaches My Country?

Yes, you absolutely can—and you should! Once an EMS parcel clears customs, it’s handed off to the national postal service for the final leg of its journey. Think of it as a relay race where the baton is passed.

• In the United States, that’s USPS.
• In Canada, Canada Post takes over.
• In the UK, it will be Royal Mail.

The great part is you don't need a new number. You can use the same 13-character EMS tracking ID on your local post's website. Often, their tracking system gives you more detailed, local updates like "Out for Delivery" that you wouldn't see on the origin country's site. Of course, a solid all-in-one tracker like Instant Parcels automatically pulls this information for you, so you don't have to switch between sites.

What's the Plan If My EMS Package Seems Lost?

If the tracking has been stuck for an unusually long time—let's say more than 10 to 15 business days—and you're well past the expected delivery date, it's time to be proactive.

Your first move should always be to contact the seller. They are the official sender, which means they are the only ones who can file a claim or start an official investigation with the postal service in the origin country. Give them your order details and the tracking number, and they can kick off the process to either find the package or sort out a refund or replacement for you.