Parcel forwarding from France to Saudi Arabia: prices, delays, customs
Riyadh, Jeddah, Dhahran: Saudi Arabia is well served by express, and its customs has clear rules — provided you know them. Here's how the price of a parcel from France is built, what you'll be asked on arrival, and what not to order.
Tens of thousands of French people live in Saudi Arabia, and they shop in France like anywhere else — until the checkout, where the kingdom doesn't appear. A French address sets all of that going again; what's left is a demanding customs, which goes very well when you're prepared.
This guide explains where the price of a shipment comes from, how to bring it down, and what awaits you on arrival. The exact price of your own parcel to Saudi Arabia is calculated live on our estimator, from its weight and size.
Two ways to get a parcel to you
You order yourself. On French sites that accept your card, you enter your FrenchShopper address at checkout. To the shop you're a French customer; the parcel lands at our warehouse, we receive it, and we forward it to you. The address is free and comes with your account.
We buy for you. On Vinted, Leboncoin, and any seller who only ships within France or rejects a Saudi card, you send us the link: we check it, quote it, and once you've paid, we buy with our own French account and card. The details are here.
Either way, your items wait for free for 45 days in our warehouse so you can gather several — and everything leaves in one box, with one shipping charge.
How the shipping price is built
Our price covers transport, packaging and insurance, and it depends on two things: the weight of the box and its size. Carriers charge on whichever is higher, actual or volumetric weight — a big half-empty box is billed as if it were full. For every shipment to Saudi Arabia, you see all the available offers, with their price and delivery time, before you pay.
The rule that matters: the price rises far more slowly than the weight. A lone 1 kg parcel is the worst ratio between what you get and what you pay; several orders in one box is the best. Estimate your parcel from its real weight, before you order anything.
The delivery times we see
On our measurements to Riyadh, Chronopost Express shows delivery five days after handover to the carrier, FedEx International Priority six, Colissimo International eight, and FedEx International Economy about twelve. Customs clearance is included. Each offer displays its own time before you pay.
What Saudi customs collects — and requires
A parcel from France is an import. Saudi Arabia collects customs duties on the value of the goods, transport and insurance included, and VAT at import. The carrier advances those sums and claims them from you at delivery, with a handling fee. Possible exemption thresholds and rates change: check with ZATCA, the customs authority, before a large order.
Two requirements specific to the kingdom:
- Your ID number. Clearing a parcel addressed to a private person requires the recipient's national ID or Iqama number. Give it to us with your address; without it, the parcel waits at the airport.
- The national address. Saudi Arabia has a structured address system — building number, street, district, city, postal code, additional number. Use it as is: a carrier that can't find it calls you, and a missed call is a day lost.
What we do, and what we don't
- We declare the real value of your items, as it appears on your invoices. It's the law, and it's what protects you: our insurance covers the declared value.
- We never under-declare, even on request. An under-declared parcel can be held, taxed on an estimated value, or seized.
- Duties, taxes and handling fees are never in our price: they depend on Saudi Arabia, not on us, and can only be known on arrival.
What can't come in
Beyond the air transport bans, the kingdom bans or controls at import alcohol in all its forms, products containing pork, material deemed contrary to religion or public morals, some medicines, and e-cigarettes depending on the period. Toys, cosmetics and electronics go through, sometimes with a conformity check for devices. When in doubt, ask us before ordering.
Frequently asked questions
Are Saudi customs duties and VAT included in your price?
No — they can't be. ZATCA assesses them on arrival, on the declared value, and the carrier collects them at delivery with a handling fee. Our price covers transport, packaging and insurance, never destination taxes.
Why am I asked for my ID or Iqama number?
Because Saudi customs requires it to clear a parcel addressed to a private person. Give it to us with your address: we put it on the shipment, and the parcel doesn't sit at the airport.
How long does a parcel from France to Saudi Arabia take?
On our measurements, five days with Chronopost Express, six with FedEx International Priority, eight with Colissimo International — customs clearance included. Each offer shows its own time before you pay.
Can I have perfume forwarded to Saudi Arabia?
Maybe: perfume is a flammable product, accepted in small quantities by some carriers and refused by others, and the kingdom has its own import rules. Ask us before buying, we check for the destination.
