If you’re sending a parcel from Italy to Russia, the duty-free limit in 2026 is €200 in declared value and 31 kg per parcel. Stay under both numbers and the recipient pays nothing at customs. Go over the €200 threshold and the parcel still goes through — the recipient simply pays a duty of 15% on the amount above €200 (minimum €2 per kg). The same €200 / 31 kg rule applies across the whole EAEU customs union — Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia; countries outside the EAEU set their own national thresholds, and we check those for you before you ship. No drama, no confiscation, just simple math. Here’s how it all works, with real numbers.
Updated: July 2026
What is the duty-free limit for parcels to Russia and the EAEU?
For Russia — and for every other member of the EAEU customs union (Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia) — the duty-free threshold for private individuals is €200 in declared value and 31 kg in weight per parcel. For CIS destinations outside the EAEU — Georgia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan — the thresholds are national: see the section below.
The important part most people get wrong: exceeding €200 is not a problem and not a ban. Your parcel is still perfectly legal — the recipient just pays import duty on the difference:
- Duty = 15% of the amount above €200, minimum €2 per kg.
- Example 1: you send Italian clothes and shoes declared at €350. The excess is €150, so the duty is €150 × 15% = €22.50. That’s it.
- Example 2: declared value €260. The excess is €60, so the duty is €60 × 15% = €9.
- Declared value €180? Zero duty. The parcel sails through.
Want to know the exact duty before you ship? Send us your packing list on WhatsApp at +39 353 491 0246 and we’ll calculate it in advance — no surprises for the recipient.
Who handles the customs paperwork?
We do — all of it. BPD Express prepares the CN23 customs declaration, the EAD export document and the invoice based on the packing list you give us. You don’t fill in a single form in Italian, and in the standard case the recipient doesn’t do anything either: under €200 the parcel is simply delivered, and above €200 they pay the calculated duty on receipt.
Our customs rejection rate on the Italian export side is under 1%. BPD Express has been recognized by the Universal Postal Union with its own International Postal Exchange Point since 2003, so parcels travel as international postal items under the Universal Postal Convention — a fully legal channel. For Russia and Belarus, the EU restricts certain specific categories (sanctioned and dual-use goods), but ordinary personal items — clothing, cosmetics, kids’ items, food — are not affected. If you’re unsure about a specific item, send us the packing list on WhatsApp and we’ll check it before shipping.
What about Kazakhstan, Belarus and the other CIS countries?
Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia are members of the EAEU customs union, so the same rule as for Russia applies: €200 and 31 kg duty-free per parcel, then 15% duty on the excess (minimum €2 per kg). Georgia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are not in the EAEU — each applies its own national threshold and customs procedure, and those limits can change during the year.
The practical approach: before you pack, message us your destination country and packing list on WhatsApp at +39 353 491 0246. We ship to ten CIS countries regularly and will tell you the current threshold, whether any duty applies to your specific parcel, and how to declare it to keep the total cost down. Support is available in English, Italian or Russian.
What can you send — and what is prohibited?
Most everyday items are fine: clothing, shoes, cosmetics, books, toys, household goods and food. A few categories have rules worth knowing before you tape the box shut:
- Food: allowed, up to 5 kg of food per parcel, nothing past its expiry date. Cheese and cured meats (prosciutto, salami) are welcome — but only vacuum-sealed, because the parcel travels around two weeks without refrigeration.
- Perfume: allowed if factory-sealed, up to 500 ml.
Prohibited items:
- Liquids (other than sealed perfume up to 500 ml)
- Prescription medicines
- Weapons and ammunition
- Lithium batteries shipped separately from their devices
- Cash and securities
- Perishable food without vacuum packaging
For Russia and Belarus there are additional EU restrictions on sanctioned and dual-use goods — we check your packing list against them before shipping. Passports, diplomas and other original documents travel under a separate procedure (see below). Need the full prohibited list? Ask on WhatsApp and we’ll send it over.
How much does shipping from Italy to Russia cost in 2026?
Shipping a 5 kg parcel from Italy to Russia starts at €49.95. Anything under 5 kg is billed as 5 kg; the maximum per box is 30 kg for the pickup-point tariff and 31 kg for EMS courier, and heavier shipments are simply split into several boxes on the same terms. Current prices for Russia:
| Weight | To pickup point (15–20 days) | EMS courier to door (10–15 days) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 kg | €49.95 | €54.95 |
| 10 kg | €74.90 | €84.90 |
| 20 kg | €124.80 | €144.80 |
Payment is in euros only — card (Visa/Mastercard), Apple Pay, SEPA transfer or cash at the drop-off point. After drop-off you receive a tracking number (it starts with “b…”) on WhatsApp, and you can follow the parcel in the tracking form at the top of our website.
Full details for the main destination: shipping from Italy to Russia. More guides on prices, customs and packing are in our English-language blog.
Insurance and shipping original documents
Every parcel is automatically insured up to €100 — included in the price. The cover applies to loss and transport damage, and compensation is paid according to your packing list (one more reason to write it properly). Sending something more valuable? Extended cover costs €1 for every additional €100 of declared value, up to a maximum of €2,000.
Original documents — passports, diplomas, certificates — travel under a separate procedure as registered international mail: flat €50, 10–15 days, EMS courier to the recipient’s door. The envelope moves as mail under UPU rules and is not opened at customs.
FAQ: customs and limits for parcels from Italy to the CIS
Will the recipient in Russia pay customs duty on my parcel?
In most cases, no. The duty-free threshold for Russia is €200 and 31 kg per parcel. Above €200, the recipient pays 15% of the excess amount (minimum €2 per kg) — for a €350 parcel that’s €22.50.
Is it still legal to send parcels from Italy to Russia in 2026?
Yes. BPD Express ships as an operator recognized by the Universal Postal Union with its own International Postal Exchange Point since 2003, under the Universal Postal Convention. EU restrictions apply only to specific sanctioned and dual-use categories — ordinary personal items are not affected.
Can I send cheese and prosciutto from Italy?
Yes — food is allowed up to 5 kg per parcel. Cheese and cured meats must be vacuum-sealed, because the parcel spends about two weeks in transit without refrigeration.
Do I need to fill in any customs forms myself?
No. You give us a simple packing list (item, quantity, value in euros — in any language, we translate it), and we prepare the CN23 declaration, EAD and invoice ourselves.
What is the duty-free limit for Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia?
The same as for Russia: these countries are all part of the EAEU customs union, so parcels up to €200 and 31 kg are duty-free, and above that the recipient pays 15% of the excess (minimum €2 per kg). For Georgia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan the thresholds are national — message us your destination and packing list on WhatsApp at +39 353 491 0246 and we’ll confirm the current rules before you ship.
How is the parcel’s value determined for customs?
From the packing list you provide — each item with its estimated value in euros. We file exactly what you declare, and we can pre-calculate any duty from that list before you ship.
Ready to send? Message us on WhatsApp at +39 353 491 0246 with your destination and packing list — we’ll confirm the customs math, quote the exact price and book your box onto the next departure. Support in English, Italian or Russian.