Understanding the DHS Notification of Receipt of Transmission – and What to Do if You Don’t Get It
Recently, there was a system failure that affected the DHS acknowledgment emails-formally called the Notification of Receipt of Transmission- raising questions about what they actually mean and what to do when they don’t arrive.
These emails are more than routine confirmations—they are the official checkpoint that determines whether your APIS manifest has been received, processed, and in the case of departures, a clearance for departure.
Why You Might Not Receive It
There are several reasons why the acknowledgment email may not appear in your inbox:
Spam – The email may be redirected
Incorrect email address – Typos or incorrect information can block delivery.
System delays – DHS servers running slowly, delaying delivery.
Failed transmission – The manifest never reached DHS.
System failures – DHS received the manifest, but no acknowledgment email was generated.
What To Do If the Email Doesn’t Arrive
If the acknowledgment email does not arrive, act quickly:
Check your spam– Many acknowledgment emails end there
Verify your eApis account details – Make sure your eAPIS account is linked to a valid and correct email address.
Confirm submission status – Log back in to the eAPIS account or your provider’s platform to verify the transmission shows as completed.
Contact CBP at the port of entry or departure. Ask them to confirm the manifest is visible in the system. Be sure to ask for the officer’s name or initials and keep a record of it.
Re-submit if necessary – If there’s no record of receipt submit it again.
The Notification of Receipt of Transmission is not just a routine message—it’s your “Good to go” confirmation. Recent system issues are a reminder that operators cannot depend only on the automatic email. Always verify, follow up with CBP when necessary, and re-submit if needed.
Taking a few extra minutes to confirm that you received the DHS email can prevent compliance violations and unnecessary operational stress on your flight.