The rules that keep Karivias trusted.
What travelers may carry, what shippers may send, how packages must be packed, and how the platform handles disputes, insurance, and customs. Built so each side knows exactly what to expect before the handoff.
For travelers
If you're flying one of our corridors with spare luggage space, this is what we ask of you — and what we cover on your behalf.
Items you may carry
Anything sealed, declared, and legal at both ends of your route is suitable as long as it fits the corridor's weight and size limits.
- Sealed, factory-packaged goods with original receipts or invoices.
- Personal correspondence, sealed documents, and printed materials.
- Apparel, footwear, and fashion accessories in new condition.
- Non-perishable food in unopened retail packaging.
- Sealed media, books, and small electronics with serial numbers removed or covered.
- Pharmaceuticals in original pharmacy packaging, with a copy of the buyer's prescription where required by destination law.
Items you may not carry
Karivias matches you with verified packages only — but you're responsible for declining anything that falls into these categories at handoff.
- #1Narcotics, controlled substances, illicit drugs, and any related paraphernalia — at any quantity.
- #2Loose, unsealed, or excessive liquids; only sealed, factory-packaged liquids within airline cabin limits.
- #3Flammable, corrosive, explosive, oxidizing, or radioactive materials — including lithium batteries shipped standalone.
- #4Perishable food, fresh plants, seeds, soil, and biological samples.
- #5Firearms, ammunition, bladed weapons (over the cabin limit), tasers, and weapon parts.
- #6Counterfeit goods, pirated media, replica branded items, and items infringing trademarks or copyrights.
- #7Cash, banknotes, precious metals, gemstones, and bearer instruments over USD 1,000 in aggregate value.
Weight and size limits
Limits match the typical airline cabin allowance for a single traveler. Specific corridors vary — see the corridor guidance below.
Limits are guidelines for the standard offer. Bulky or oversized shipments (furniture, large instruments) are reviewed case by case — open a request and we'll quote custom handling.
Packaging standards
A package that arrives intact starts with the shipper's packaging. Confirm every shipment meets these baseline requirements before accepting it.
- Outer box: rigid, new corrugated cardboard, in good condition with no crushed corners.
- Sealed on all six sides with packing tape — no staples, no string, no loose wrapping.
- Internal cushioning: at least 5 cm of bubble wrap, packing paper, or foam around the contents.
- Shipping label affixed flat on the top surface; customs declaration form attached in a clear pouch on the side.
- Fragile or liquid contents marked with the appropriate handling symbols on at least two sides of the box.
Traveler responsibilities
When you accept a shipment on Karivias, you take responsibility for safe handoff at both ends of the route.
- Verify the package matches the description and photos the shipper posted before accepting it at pickup.
- Carry the package in your personal luggage — never check it as airline baggage and never leave it unattended.
- Cooperate with customs if asked. The customs declaration is the shipper's, but you may be asked to confirm the contents.
- Confirm delivery on the Karivias app as soon as you hand the package to the named recipient at destination.
Traveler insurance coverage
Underwritten by Lumera Travel Cover, our third-party insurance partner.
What's covered
- Loss in transit up to USD 500 per package when both pickup and delivery were confirmed in the Karivias app.
- Visible damage at delivery, up to the declared value or USD 500, whichever is lower.
- Theft of a sealed package from verified personal luggage during the covered leg of your trip.
- Medical expenses up to USD 1,500 if you are injured while handling a Karivias package at a handoff point.
- Trip interruption reimbursement up to USD 250 if you miss a connection because of an extended customs hold on a verified Karivias package.
What's not covered
- Loss reported more than 48 hours after the documented delivery time.
- Damage to items you packed yourself as your own personal luggage (not Karivias shipments).
- Consequential damages (lost business income, missed meetings) beyond the direct loss.
- Shipments you accepted outside the Karivias app or with a missing / tampered seal at pickup.
Code of conduct
Karivias is a community. The following standards are necessary to keep shippers trusting travelers, and travelers trusting the platform.
- Communicate respectfully with shippers and recipients in the Karivias chat — no threats, no harassment, no discriminatory language.
- Never open, inspect, or use a Karivias shipment. The seal is your record that the package left the shipper intact.
- Never solicit a shipper off-platform. Karivias fees, insurance, and dispute resolution all depend on the in-app record.
- Decline any package that does not match its posted description — Karivias will reassign it without penalty to you.
- Report unsafe, suspicious, or prohibited items to Karivias support within 24 hours, even if you have already declined the shipment.
- Do not transport packages on behalf of someone other than the named shipper without prior approval from Karivias support.
Cancellation policy
Either side may cancel up to 24 hours before the scheduled handoff. After that, the rules below apply.
- 1Traveler cancellation 24-72 h before pickup: full reassignment at no cost; no fee on either side.
- 2Shipper cancellation 24-72 h before pickup: full reassignment at no cost; the traveler keeps any non-refundable reimbursement for travel time.
- 3Cancellation under 24 h before pickup: the cancelling party pays a USD 15 coordination fee to the other side.
- 4No-show at pickup with no message within 1 h of the scheduled time: the no-show party pays a USD 25 coordination fee.
- 5Cancellations after the traveler has already accepted and taken possession of the package follow the dispute process.
For shippers
For shippers
If you're sending a package through one of our corridors, prepare it according to these standards — and understand what Karivias covers if something goes wrong.
Eligibility
Karivias serves individuals and small businesses shipping parcels to family, customers, suppliers, and partners across our corridors.
- You must be at least 18 years old with a verified Karivias account.
- The contents must be legal at origin, transit, and destination — Karivias can refuse any shipment that fails this check.
- The total declared value per package must not exceed USD 2,500 without prior written approval.
- You must be able to drop off the package (or arrange pickup) within the corridor's posted service windows.
Items you may not send
Karivias does not move these items under any circumstance. Attempting to ship them may result in permanent account suspension.
- #1Narcotics, controlled substances, illegal drugs, and any related paraphernalia.
- #2Loose or unsealed liquids; only sealed, factory-packaged liquids within airline cabin limits.
- #3Flammable, corrosive, explosive, oxidizing, or radioactive materials.
- #4Perishable food, fresh plants, seeds, soil, and biological samples.
- #5Firearms, ammunition, bladed weapons (over cabin limits), tasers, and weapon parts.
- #6Counterfeit goods, pirated media, replica branded items, and anything infringing trademarks or copyrights.
- #7Cash, banknotes, precious metals, gemstones, and bearer instruments over USD 1,000 in aggregate value.
Packaging requirements
Better packaging on your end means fewer damaged deliveries and faster customs clearance at the destination.
- New, rigid corrugated cardboard in good condition with no crushed corners.
- All six sides sealed with packing tape — no staples, string, or loose wrapping.
- At least 5 cm of internal cushioning (bubble wrap, packing paper, or foam) around every item.
- Shipping label printed flat on the top surface; customs form attached in a clear pouch on the side.
- Fragile or liquid contents marked with handling symbols on at least two sides of the box.
Accurate declaration of contents
Customs clearance depends entirely on what you write on the declaration. Misdeclaration — even when well-intentioned — exposes you and your traveler to penalties at the border.
- Declare every item in the package, with full description and quantity. Group similar items under a single HS-like description.
- Attach a scanned or printed invoice for any commercial goods with declared value over USD 100.
- Mark gifts, samples, returns, and repairs with the correct customs code — never label a sale as a gift to skip duty.
- List the actual retail value in USD. Inflating reduces your insurance; deflating raises customs risk.
- Update your declaration if you change the contents of a package after booking — the original seal must be replaced and Karivias notified.
Shipper responsibilities
What you do before pickup determines how smoothly your shipment reaches the destination.
- 1Measure and weigh the package accurately before posting — Karivias bills and traveler limits depend on truthful dimensions.
- 2Use the packaging standards above on every shipment — no exceptions, even for "just documents" envelopes.
- 3Be available in the Karivias chat during the pickup window. Travelers may have questions about the contents or handoff point.
- 4Confirm pickup on the Karivias app the moment the traveler takes possession of the package.
- 5Notify Karivias support immediately if any seal is broken, the package is damaged in transit, or the recipient does not acknowledge delivery within 48 hours of arrival.
Shipper insurance coverage
Every Karivias shipment is automatically covered for loss and visible damage up to USD 500 in declared value.
- Loss in transit: full reimbursement up to the declared value or USD 500, whichever is lower.
- Visible damage at delivery: reimbursement of repair or replacement cost up to the declared value or USD 500.
- Theft from sealed personal luggage at any covered leg of the trip.
- Delay reimbursement of USD 25 if delivery is more than 5 days late for reasons attributable to the traveler.
- Optional top-up: pay an additional 2% of declared value to extend coverage above USD 500, up to a USD 2,500 maximum per package.
Cancellation policy
You may cancel a shipment before the traveler accepts it. Once accepted, see the dispute process below.
- 1Cancellation before a traveler has been matched: free, no fee on either side.
- 2Cancellation after a traveler has been matched but before acceptance: free, though you may be charged a USD 5 coord fee for repeat cancellations.
- 3Cancellation within 24 h of pickup, before acceptance: USD 15 coordination fee to the matched traveler.
- 4Cancellation after acceptance (package in the traveler's possession): follows the dispute process and may incur package return costs.
- 5No-show at pickup with no message within 1 h of the scheduled time: USD 25 coordination fee charged to the shipper.
Dispute policy
If something goes wrong — damaged contents, missing items, no delivery confirmation — Karivias mediates. Here's how.
- Step 1Open a dispute in the Karivias app within 48 hours of expected delivery, attaching photos of the package and contents.
- Step 2Karivias reviews the in-app record: pickup proof, transit photos, seal integrity, and delivery confirmation.
- Step 3If the package was lost or damaged in covered transit, Karivias reimburses up to the declared value or the USD 500 default — whichever applies.
- Step 4If a customs hold, recipient unavailability, or shipper misdeclaration caused the loss, Karivias does not cover the value but will help coordinate resolution.
Platform policies
Platform policies
The Karivias platform is the surface where travelers and shippers meet. These are the terms that govern your use of it.
Terms of use
By creating a Karivias account you agree to these terms. They exist so the marketplace stays level for both sides.
- Accounts are personal — you may not transfer, sell, or share access with anyone else.
- Identity verification is required before posting shipments or carrying packages. Verification may include ID, address, or biometric checks.
- Karivias charges a service fee on every completed shipment, deducted automatically at the time of payment.
- You may not use Karivias to move items prohibited above, or to circumvent customs in any country on the route.
- Karivias may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these terms, with no refund of unused service fees.
- These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, United States. Disputes that cannot be resolved through Karivias are handled in Delaware courts.
Privacy policy
Karivias stores only the data it needs to verify users, match shipments, and process payments. We never sell user data.
- Account data: name, email, phone, verified ID, and address — used for identity verification and route eligibility only.
- Chat and shipment data: messages and shipment metadata retained for 24 months to support dispute resolution, then deleted.
- Payment data: handled by our PCI-DSS compliant payment processor. Karivias never stores raw card numbers.
- Marketing: we never send marketing emails to shippers in service-only corridors. Traveler updates are opted in explicitly.
- Your data: request a copy or deletion any time from settings → privacy, or by emailing karivias@polsia.app.
- Subprocessors: a current list lives at /legal/subprocessors and is updated within 7 days of any change.
Dispute resolution process
Karivias is the mediator of first resort for every shipment. Here's the path a dispute follows.
- Step 1Open a dispute from the shipment detail page in the Karivias app within 48 hours of expected delivery.
- Step 2Karivias reviews evidence from both sides — photos, chat logs, seal records, delivery confirmation — within 5 business days.
- Step 3If a covered loss is confirmed, Karivias reimburses the eligible amount to the shipper from the platform insurance pool.
- Step 4If the dispute cannot be resolved on the platform, either side may escalate to binding arbitration under the Karivias Arbitration Rules, available at /legal/arbitration.
Corridor-specific customs guidance
Customs rules differ by origin, transit, and destination. The two corridors below have full guidance; check the corridor page for current thresholds, prohibited items, and duty bands before sending.