International Mail

IMM AND PUBLICATION 51 REVISIONS

Completing PS Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note — CP 72

Effective September 1, 2005, the International Mail Manual (IMM) and Publication 51, International Postal Rates and Fees, are revised to reflect changes to PS Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note - CP 72. The most prominent changes are the addition of a new first copy designated "Manifesting" and a privacy statement in the instructions on the reverse of copy six.

It is essential that international mailers who use PS Form 2976-A complete it properly. Foreign customs authorities use PS Form 2976-A to clear mail for entry into their country and, when appropriate, to assess duty and taxes. Failure to fully and accurately complete PS Form 2976-A may result in the delay of the mail, inconvenience to the recipient, or the incorrect assessment of duty and taxes. Retail employees must check that the mailer completes the forms and properly affixes the form to the parcel so that copy 1, "Manifesting," is not folded and is flat, and so that the contents can be read through the carrier envelope, PS Form 2976-E, Customs Declaration Envelope - CP 91. Mailers may use PS Form 2976-A, dated January 2004, until January 1, 2006. After that date, the form dated January 2004, will be obsolete.

We will incorporate these revisions into the printed version of IMM 32 and into the next printed version of Publication 51, and also into the online versions of the IMM and Publication 51, both of which can be accessed via Postal Explorer® at http://pe.usps.com.

International Mail Manual (IMM)

1 International Mail Services

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120 Preparation for Mailing

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123 Customs Forms

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123.7 Completing Customs Forms

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123.72 PS Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note - CP 72

123.721 Sender's Preparation of PS Form 2976-A

[Revise the introductory paragraph to read as follows (indicating a change in the copies shown in Exhibit 123.721):]

A sender must complete PS Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note - CP 72. See Exhibit 123.721 for a copy of PS Form 2976-A. (The exhibit shows only copy 1 and copy 4, along with the instructions - copies 2, 3, 5, and 6 are the same as copy 1.)

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[In the list of instructions, delete item f and redesignate current items g through i as new items f through h. Add new item i and revise items j through n (indicating changes to the block numbers) to read as follows:]

i. In block (10), check the appropriate box for type of service.

j. In block (11),***

k. In block (12),***

l. In blocks (13), (14), and (15),***

m. In block (16),***

n. In block (17),***

* * * * *

[Revise the heading in Exhibit 123.721 to read as follows:]

Exhibit 123.721 PS Form 2976-A, Customs
Declaration and Dispatch Note -
CP 72 (Copies 1 and 4 and
instructions only)

[Replace the images of copies 1 and 3 and the instructions of the old edition of PS Form 2976-A with images of copies 1 and 4 and the instructions of the revised edition, as shown on pages 5-7 in this issue of the Postal Bulletin.]

123.722 Postal Service Employee's Acceptance of PS Form 2976-A

The Postal Service acceptance employee must do the following when accepting PS Form 2976-A from the sender:

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[Revise items e and f to read as follows (indicating revisions to or additions of copy numbers):]

e. Round stamp the form in the appropriate place on each copy (copies 1-6).

f. Remove the Post Office copy (copy 5) and tell the mailer that the Postal Service will retain this document for 30 days as a record of mailing. Remove the Mailer copy (copy 6) and give it to the mailer.

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Publication 51, International Postal Rates and Fees

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Customs Documentation

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Customs Declaration Forms

When a customs form is required for international mailing, the customer must complete and affix one of the following customs forms to the mailpiece:

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[Revise b to read as follows (indicating that PS Form 2976-A has six parts):]

b. PS Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note - CP 72, is a white, six-part form that must be inserted into an adhesive-backed carrier envelope (i.e., PS Form 2976-E, Customs Declaration Envelope - CP 91).

— Mailing Standards,
Pricing and Classification, 9-1-05

REVISED FORM

PS Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note — CP 72

PS Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note - CP 72, is available from the Material Distribution Center (MDC).

We have redesigned PS Form 2976-A to meet new requirements for mail security. The most prominent changes are the addition of a new first copy designated "Manifesting" and a privacy statement in the instructions on the reverse of copy six. It is essential that Postal ServiceTM acceptance and retail employees properly instruct customers how to complete PS Form 2976-A legibility and accurately. (See pages 5-7 in this issue of the Postal Bulletin for images of copies 1 and 4 and the instructions of PS Form 2976-A.)

You can order PS Form 2976-A from the MDC and use touch tone order entry (TTOE): Call 800-332-0317, option 2.

Note: You must be registered to use TTOE. To register, call 800-332-0317, option 1, extension 2925, and follow the prompts to leave a message. (Wait 48 hours after registering before placing your first order.)

Use the following information to order PS Form 2976-A:

PSIN: PS2976A
PSN: 7530-01-000-9834
Unit of Measure: SE
Minimum Order Quantity: 125
Quick Pick Number: 154
Bulk Pack Quantity: 1,500
Price: $0.0607

— Mailing Standards,
Pricing and Classification, 9-1-05