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Shipping to Philippines: what is not allowed

The Philippines charges no duty or VAT on parcels worth PHP 10,000 or less, only small processing fees. Regulated products — cosmetics, supplements, medicines and food — are limited to personal-use quantities.

Not accepted for Philippines

  • Obscene or immoral printed matter, films and images
  • Adulterated or misbranded food and drugs
  • Goods infringing trademarks or copyright
  • Precious-metal goods with false fineness marks
  • Fresh or frozen meat, fish and fruit without Department of Agriculture clearance

Allowed, with conditions

  • Cosmetics — up to 5 kg; lipstick 10 pieces (max 3 per variant); perfume 5 pieces
  • Prescription medicines — as per prescription with the doctor's licence number; OTC medicines up to 50 g
  • Vitamins and supplements — up to 500 g
  • Processed or cooked food — up to 10 kg
  • Wine and liquor — 2 bottles, max 1.5 L total; excise still applies

Parcels valued at PHP 10,000 or less pay no duty or VAT; processing fees of PHP 50 plus 2.5% of value above PHP 2,000 apply, with small form and stamp fees.

Above PHP 10,000: 12% VAT plus duty by tariff line, paid by the recipient.

Quantities above the FDA personal-use limits are seized.

Quick answers: shipping from India to the Philippines

What can I not send from India to the Philippines?

The Philippines does not accept: obscene or immoral printed matter, films and images; adulterated or misbranded food and drugs; goods infringing trademarks or copyright; precious-metal goods with false fineness marks; fresh or frozen meat, fish and fruit without Department of Agriculture clearance. On every route, we also cannot carry anything with a battery, mobile phones and laptops, real gold, silver or diamond jewellery, or anything flammable or pressurised such as perfume, aerosols and nail polish.

Can I send medicines from India to the Philippines?

Yes, within limits: prescription medicines — as per prescription with the doctor's licence number; OTC medicines up to 50 g. Controlled and psychotropic medicines need clearance first, so ask us before you order them.

Can I send Indian food to the Philippines?

Yes, with conditions: processed or cooked food — up to 10 kg. Check the not-accepted list on this page before you order, because some foods are banned outright.

How long does a parcel from India to the Philippines take?

Normal transit on this route is 4 to 6 business days from our warehouse in Kerala.

Will I pay customs duty or tax in the Philippines?

Parcels valued at PHP 10,000 or less pay no duty or VAT; processing fees of PHP 50 plus 2.5% of value above PHP 2,000 apply, with small form and stamp fees. Above PHP 10,000: 12% VAT plus duty by tariff line, paid by the recipient.

Never accepted, wherever you are

These are refused by the airlines, by Indian export rules or by us, so they cannot leave our warehouse for any destination.

Prohibited, restricted and dangerous goods, in one line each. Prohibited means it cannot be sent at all. Restricted means it can travel, but only under conditions your country sets, such as a personal quantity, a prescription or a declaration; those are listed under each destination. Dangerous goods are what airlines treat as a hazard on board: anything flammable, corrosive or pressurised. We also cannot ship anything with a battery, or anything that burns, such as agarbatti and camphor.

  • Cash, currency, cheques, bullion, and loose precious stones
  • Narcotics, illegal drugs, and psychotropic substances
  • Firearms, ammunition, explosives, fireworks, and weapons (including replicas)
  • Anything with a battery, including power banks, battery-operated toys and watches
  • Mobile phones and laptops
  • Real gold, silver and diamond jewellery
  • Flammable, corrosive, or pressurised goods — perfumes/deodorant sprays, aerosols, nail polish and remover, paints, thinners, fuel, gas cylinders, lighters, and matches
  • Anything that burns: agarbatti (incense sticks), dhoop, camphor, sambrani and candles
  • Live animals, plants, seeds, soil, and products of endangered species (CITES)
  • Pornographic, obscene, or seditious material
  • Counterfeit goods and pirated media
  • Human remains, biological samples, and infectious substances
  • Radioactive and toxic substances

Medicines and supplements are the one thing to check before you order. They are not banned — almost every destination lets a personal quantity through in its original packaging with a copy of the prescription. What changes from country to country is how much counts as personal, whose name the prescription has to be in, and which ingredients need clearance from that country's health authority first.

The rule for the Philippines is under Allowed, with conditions above. Controlled and psychotropic medicines are a separate case: several countries want their own health authority to clear the parcel first, so check with us before you order rather than after it arrives with us.

If you are not sure about something, ask on WhatsApp before you order it.

The same list, talked through

Three and a half minutes on what cannot leave India, what your own country will not let in, and the things that travel perfectly well once the paperwork is right.

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What You Can and Can't Ship From India (Full List)

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