Service
International lost property shipping
Most people who lose something abroad have already gone home. Once an item is recovered we can arrange a cross-border return — conditionally, because a border adds rules that neither you nor we control.
What a cross-border return depends on
Whether a return is possible at all, and what it involves, is decided by four things — none of which we can promise in advance.
The destination
Different countries apply different rules to incoming goods, and a carrier may not serve every address.
The item itself
Lithium batteries, liquids, and high-value or restricted goods carry restrictions. Some items cannot be sent at all.
Customs requirements
A return may need a customs declaration, and a parcel can be held for inspection or attract duties in the destination country.
Carrier acceptance
The carrier decides whether it will accept the item for the route in question. That decision is theirs.
We review the item’s suitability and the destination before accepting a case, and tell you if a return is not possible.
Where we send items
These are the destinations we have actually returned items to, grouped so the list reads rather than sprawls.
- Most returns: the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, the United States and the rest of Europe.
- Also served: France, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Poland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
- Russia and Ukraine are possible, but the carrier depends on the destination.
If your country is not listed, ask. The list reflects where we have sent items, not a boundary.
How long it takes
Measured from dispatch to arrival at the destination country's customs, for shipments leaving Istanbul:
- 01
Germany
24 to 36 hours.
- 02
United Kingdom
48 to 72 hours.
- 03
United States
3 to 5 working days.
- 04
Everywhere else
5 to 12 working days.
Your item is handed to the carrier within one to three working days of collection unless we tell you otherwise. Delivery follows customs clearance — where clearance is quick it is usually the next day.
Carriers, and what we cannot send
We ship with DHL and UPS. Phones, tablets and laptops carry lithium batteries and count as dangerous goods; we box, document and label them to aviation rules, which is one reason a general courier will often refuse them.
- We do not accept or ship suitcases over 8 kg.
- Cigarettes, alcohol, illegal substances, cash, precious metals, any liquid, and anything else prohibited by IATA cannot be shipped.
- Anything whose import or export may be restricted is declined on safety grounds.
- Passports, identity cards, bank cards and jewellery follow their own rules. We can often find a way, but it is decided case by case.
A tracking number is issued for every return. Transit insurance is available for an additional fee, on the carrier's terms — ask before dispatch if you want it.
What we still do not promise
The times above are transit times, not delivery dates, and the difference matters. We would rather be plain about this than have you find out later.
- No delivery date. Once a parcel reaches the destination, its customs authority sets the pace, not us.
- No promise that an item will clear customs, or that duties and import taxes will not apply. Those are charged by your country and are yours to pay.
- No carrier guarantee. Where transit insurance is taken, it applies on the carrier's terms.
- Every destination is still checked against the item before we accept a case.
How the return works
- 01
Suitability review
We check what the item is and where it is going, and tell you whether a cross-border return is realistic before anything is collected.
- 02
Written quote
A quote depends on the item, where it is held, the packing it needs and the destination. We confirm it in writing before collection.
- 03
Packing and documentation
We choose packing appropriate to the item and prepare the documentation the carrier and customs require.
- 04
Dispatch and handover
We book the return with a carrier and pass on whatever tracking that carrier issues, then keep you informed until it is delivered.
Questions about this service
Who we are, and who we are not
Loyal Couriers is an independent service. We are not an airport, airline, hotel, booking platform or official lost-property authority, and we hold no official affiliation with any of them. We can only act once the venue holding your item has confirmed it and agreed to release it to an authorised courier.