In July, I shipped a batch to Saudi Arabia. It sat at Riyadh customs for four days. My forwarder told me 7 out of 10 low-value shipments now get screened. Same-day clearance? Forget it.
ZATCA and customs data are now linked. They cross-check your declared values instantly. One client declared a box of earbuds at $5. It got held, plus fines, and he lost over $8 per unit.
My take? Stop under-declaring to save a few bucks. Saudi VAT is 15%. Clearance fees went up $30-50 per shipment. Compliant files actually move faster.
Prep your packing list, invoice, COO in Arabic or English. Send digital copies to your broker for a pre-check. Build in 2-3 days of buffer. Don't run inventory too tight.
Every port is different. Dubai is still lenient; Saudi and Egypt are strict. Which gateway are you using? Hit the same snags?