The holy month of Ramadan is expected to begin approximately 6 May and will end on approximately 3 June, 2019, to be confirmed based on the sighting of the moon. Thereafter followed by national holidays for Eid al-Fitr (dates will vary depending on the sighting of the Moon). This is a period of prayer, fasting, charity, and self-accountability for Muslims throughout the world.
Consequently, many middle-eastern countries and territories including, but not limited to, Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Yemen, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates may have limited working hours (i.e., 8 am – 2 pm) during the holy month. Therefore, customers should expect delays during this time period as frequent backlogs in the customs clearance process are inevitable. Customs authorities in Middle East countries tend to work skeleton hours and some work for only 2-3 hours a day.
Following the Eid holiday break, customers can expect backlogs of approximately two – three weeks for customs clearance; however, this is an estimate only and extremely difficult to predict as it varies from country to country.
Your Arpin service team is aware of our partners' holiday schedules and will make the necessary arrangements in advance so that services are scheduled accordingly.