Courier food items to USA from India — FDA prior notice, what's allowed and charges

Rules & rates last verified: 15 August 2026 · by Mrs. Madhu Satija, Managing Director, CargoCharges

Yes — commercially packaged, shelf-stable food can be couriered from India to the USA: packaged snacks, dry sweets, tea, spices, ghee in sealed tins. US shipments need an FDA prior-notice filing, which we submit for you as part of the ₹2,000 food surcharge. Meat, dairy-fresh and homemade unlabelled items cannot go.

The rules that apply

US FDA requires PRIOR NOTICE for imported food — we file it electronically before dispatch; parcels without it are refused entry. This filing is included in our food surcharge.
USDA bans meat and poultry products outright (including meat masala mixes with dehydrated meat content).
A ₹2,000 food surcharge applies over the standard parcel rate.
Everything must be commercially sealed with ingredient labels in English — homemade or repacked items fail FDA screening.

Charges: standard rate + ₹2,000 food items premium

Your parcel is charged at the normal USA rate for its weight — from the carriers that accept food items on this lane (DHL, FedEx, UPS, Self, Prompt) — plus a one-time ₹2,000 handling premium. Worked example: 5 kg ≈ ₹6,085 (CargoCharges.com) + ₹2,000 premium = ₹8,085, excl. 18% GST. Express transit: 2-3 Working Days from Delhi dispatch, with free pickup across Delhi NCR.

Documents you need

Itemised packing list with brands and quantities (used for the FDA prior notice)
Purchase invoices
Receiver's full US address with ZIP and phone
Ingredient labels in English on every item

Limits & what is not accepted

No meat or poultry content of any kind (USDA)
No fresh, frozen or refrigerated items
Personal-gift quantities — bulk is commercial import (separate FDA registration)
Sealed commercial packaging only

📞 Unsure about your specific items? Send us the list on WhatsApp +91 97186 61166 — we confirm shippability before you pack, free.

Food Items to USA — FAQs

What is FDA prior notice and do I have to file it?

A pre-arrival declaration the FDA requires for all food entering the USA. You do not file anything — we submit it electronically from your packing list before dispatch; it is covered inside the ₹2,000 food surcharge.

Can I send Diwali mithai to the USA?

Yes if commercially boxed and sealed (branded sweet-shop boxes with labels). Khoya/fresh milk sweets are risky — they are dairy-perishable; dry sweets (soan papdi, laddu in sealed packs) clear reliably.

How much does a food parcel to the USA cost?

For example: 5 kg ≈ ₹6,085 (CargoCharges.com) + ₹2,000 premium = ₹8,085, excl. 18% GST. GST of 18% applies on the total bill.

Will food parcels to the USA get customs-delayed?

With prior notice filed and labels intact, food clears in the normal 2-3 Working Days window from Delhi dispatch; unfiled or unlabelled food is where the horror stories come from.

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Mrs. Madhu Satija — Managing Director, CargoCharges. 25+ years in international logistics; these rules reflect what our carriers and customs partners enforce on real shipments, updated as carrier policy changes.