What does “Arrival at outward office of exchange” mean? This is a tracking update that you will receive when ordering a shipment from Japan via Japan Post.
Does it mean that the item is on its way or should you expect delays?
Let’s take a look…
Summary: Arrival at Outward Office of Exchange
The “Arrival at outward office of exchange” status alert means that the package has arrived at the relevant airport in Japan, (usually Tokyo) for export. It will have to go through customs clearance before being placed onto a plane for the outward journey. It is an alert used by Japan Post when shipping internationally.
How Long Will my Package Remain on “Arrival at Outward Office of Exchange”?
How long your tracking status remains on this update depends on the speed and success of the customs clearance process.
This, in turn, is impacted by the type of shipment and whether the necessary documentation provided by the shipper is present and correct.
Your status may remain on “Arrival at outward office of exchange” for just a few hours or up to 3 or 4 days.
Note: this is for international airmail shipments. Packages sent via cargo shipping may remain stuck at the exit port for longer.
The next update you will receive after “Arrival at outward office of exchange” will either be details surrounding the customs process, (if more information is needed, for example) or an alert to state that the package has “Dispatched outward office of exchange”.
The latter status is informing you that the package has left the airport and is on the plane.
- Related Content: What Does “Departure from Outward Office of Exchange” Mean?
What Happens Next?
Once the package is dispatched, it has left Japan and is currently on its way to your country.
However, whether the package flies direct is dependent on a few factors. For example, Some countries do not have direct flights from Japan.
Also, not all U.S states will have airports with direct links to Japan.
This means that your package will travel through one or more intermediate countries/states before it arrives for delivery to your address.
This network of countries along the journey route may not scan the package for tracking updates.
Therefore, it could take several days for a new updated to occur. This will be once the package arrives in the destination country and is scanned.
- Related Content: Tracking Guide: “Depart from Transit Office of Exchange”
What Happens if my Package Remains Stuck on “Arrival at Outward Office of Exchange”?
If you know that your package is being sent via international airmail and the status remains on “Arrival at outward office of exchange” for more than 3 days, we recommend that you contact the shipper or Japan Post, (whichever is the most appropriate for your situation).
They will be able to look into what the hold-up might be, and whether any complications have occurred during customs clearance.
If any issues are not rectified in a timely manner, the package will be returned to the shipper.
Generally, postal services prefer to deal with the person or business that made the initial order. This is why it is helpful to have the shipper involved with any potential dispute.
- Related Content: USPS “Origin Post Is Preparing Shipment” – A Complete Guide 2022
Final Words
“Arrival at outward office of exchange” is a standard tracking update used by Japan Post. When you receive this alert you know that the package has arrived at the international airport in Japan, and should be in the air soon.
Keep an eye on any updates with details of the clearance process.
In most cases, you will receive a “Dispatched outward office of exchange” alert before long, signifying that the package has exited Japan and is on its way.
I’m a 25 year veteran of USPS. I’m retired now, but as the editor of Mailbox Master, I can’t quite remove myself from the carrier industry just yet. 🙂
