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 returned items to.
- 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
Working days from dispatch, for shipments leaving Istanbul:
- European Union2–4working days
- United Kingdom2–4working days
- United States4–6working days
- Everywhere else4–10working 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, 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 and bank cards follow their own rules. We can often find a way, but it is decided case by case. Wedding and engagement rings can be sent abroad; jewellery that can be used as money, such as gold coins or bars, can only be sent within Turkey.
A tracking number is issued for every return. Insurance costs USD 15 plus 1% of the declared value, with no upper limit — ask before dispatch if you want it. Without insurance, we refund USD 100 if the parcel is lost or damaged.
What we still do not promise
Customs clearance in the destination country can add time.
- 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. Beyond the insurance you choose, the carrier gives no guarantee.
- 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.