Effective January 21, 2018, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM®) to reflect changes to prices, product features, and standards for the international shipping services noted below.
Global Express Guaranteed® (GXG®) service provides fast international shipping and date-certain delivery with a money-back guarantee, with international transportation and delivery provided through an alliance with FedEx Express®. The price increase for GXG service averages 3.9 percent.
The Postal Service provides Commercial Base™ pricing to online customers who prepare and pay for GXG shipments via USPS®-approved payment methods (other than Click-N-Ship® service), with a 5 percent discount off the published retail prices for GXG service. Customers who prepare GXG shipments via Click-N-Ship service will continue to pay retail prices. Commercial Plus™ prices are set to match Commercial Base prices.
Priority Mail Express International® service provides fast service from many major U.S. markets to approximately 180 countries in 3–5 business days, although the actual number of days may vary based upon origin, destination, and customs delays. Priority Mail Express International with Money-Back Guarantee service is available for certain destinations. The price increase for Priority Mail Express International service averages 3.9 percent. The Commercial Base price for customers who prepare and pay for Priority Mail Express International shipments via permit imprint, online at usps.com, or as registered end-users using an authorized PC Postage® vendor (with the exception of Click-N-Ship service) will be 5 percent below the retail price. Customers who prepare Priority Mail Express International shipments via Click-N-Ship service pay retail prices. Commercial Plus prices are set to match Commercial Base prices.
The Postal Service will also continue to include Priority Mail Express International service in customized Global Expedited Package Services (GEPS) contracts offered to customers who meet certain revenue thresholds and are willing to commit a larger amount of revenue to the Postal Service for Priority Mail Express International service and Priority Mail International® service.
Priority Mail International
Priority Mail International service is an economical way to send merchandise and documents from many major U.S. markets to approximately 180 countries in 6–10 business days, although the actual number of days may vary based upon origin, destination, and customs delays. The price increase for Priority Mail International service averages 3.9 percent. The Commercial Base price for customers who prepare and pay for Priority Mail International items via permit imprint, online at usps.com, or as registered end-users using an authorized PC Postage vendor (with the exception of Click-N-Ship service) will be 5 percent below the retail price. Customers who prepare Priority Mail International shipments via Click-N-Ship service pay retail prices. Commercial Plus prices are set to match Commercial Base prices.
The Postal Service will continue to include Priority Mail International service in customized GEPS contracts offered to customers who meet certain revenue thresholds and are willing to commit to a larger amount of revenue to the Postal Service for Priority Mail Express International service and Priority Mail International service.
Priority Mail International flat rate pricing continues to be available for the following:
n Flat Rate Envelopes,
n Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes, and
n Medium and Large Flat Rate Boxes.
First-Class Package International Service® (FCPIS®) is an economical international service for small packages weighing less than 4 pounds and not exceeding $400 in value. The price increase for FCPIS averages 3.9 percent. The Commercial Base price for customers who prepare and pay for FCPIS items via permit imprint or by USPS-approved online payment methods will be 5 percent below the retail price. Customers who prepare FCPIS shipments via Click-N-Ship service pay retail prices. Commercial Plus prices are set to match Commercial Base prices.
Electronic USPS Delivery Confirmation International service — abbreviated E-USPS DELCON INTL® — is available for FCPIS items to select destination countries at no charge.
International Priority Airmail® (IPA®) service, including IPA M-bag® service, is an economical commercial service designed for volume mailings of all First-Class Mail International® postcards, letters, and large envelopes (flats), and for volume mailings of FCPIS packages (small packets) weighing up to a maximum of 4.4 pounds. IPA shipments are typically flown to foreign destinations (exceptions apply to Canada and Mexico) and are then entered into that country’s air or surface priority mail system for delivery. The price increase for IPA and IPA M-bags is 3.9 percent. International Surface Airlift® (ISAL®) service is similar to IPA service except that, once flown to the foreign destination, it is entered into that country’s air or surface nonpriority mail system for delivery. The price increase for ISAL and ISAL M-bags is 3.9 percent.
In this price change, conforming to the requirements of the Universal Postal Convention, we are limiting the contents of First-Class Mail International postcard, letter, and large envelope (flats) mail to documents. Because IPA service (including IPA M-bags) and ISAL service (including ISAL M-bags) are commercial services designed for volume mailings of all First-Class Mail International postcards, letters, large envelopes (flats) and for FCPIS packages (small packets), limiting the contents of First-Class Mail International postcard, letter, and large envelope (flats) mail as discussed above will also apply to postcards, letters, and large envelope (flats) mail for both IPA and ISAL services. (See “IMM Revision: Changes to Pricing and Products for International Mailing Services” in this issue of the Postal Bulletin.)
An airmail M-bag is a direct sack of printed matter sent to a single foreign addressee at a single address. Prices are based on the weight of the sack. The price increase for Airmail M-bag service averages 3.9 percent.
Depending on country destination and mail type, customers may add a variety of extra services to their outbound shipments and pay a variety of fees. The price increase for these fees and services averages 3.9 percent.
These IMM revisions are based on our international Shipping Services final rule published in the Federal Register (82 FR 48933-48936) on October 23, 2017. The entire notice is available for review on Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM)
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1 International Mail Services
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120 Preparation for Mailing
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123 Customs Forms and Online Shipping Labels
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123.6 Required Usage
123.61 Conditions
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Exhibit 123.61
Customs Declaration Form Usage by Mail Category
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[Revise the title and text for the First-Class Package International Service section to read as follows:]
Type of Item
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Declared Value, Weight, or Physical Characteristic
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Required PS Form
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Comment (if applicable)
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First-Class Package International Service Packages (Small Packets), as well as IPA Packages (Small Packets) and
ISAL Packages (Small Packets)
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All First-Class Package International Service packages (small packets), as defined in 251.2, regardless of contents, and, for commercial mailers, IPA packages (small packets) and ISAL packages (small packets), regardless of contents.
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$400 or less
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2976
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Merchandise is permitted unless prohibited by the destination country.
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Over $400
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Prohibited
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Items over $400 must be mailed using Global Express Guaranteed service, Priority Mail Express International service, or Priority Mail International service.
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All package-size items, as defined in 251.2, that are entered by a known mailer as defined in 123.62 and items that qualify under 123.63.
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$400 or less
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None
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Not applicable.
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123.62 Known Mailers
123.621 Overview
[Revise the first sentence of 123.621 to read as follows (indicating that the known mailer exemption applies only to package-size mailpieces):]
A “known mailer” may be exempt from the customs form requirement that would otherwise apply to package-size mailpieces as defined in 251.2.***
123.622 Definition
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[Revise item c(1) to read as follows:]
(1) First-Class Package International Service.
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123.623 Conditions
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[Replace the first sentence of item b. with two new sentences to read as follows:]
b. Merchandise may only be mailed as First-Class Package International Service packages (small packets) — or for commercial mailers, as IPA packages (small packets) and ISAL packages (small packets). The mailpieces may contain hard copy printed matter or recorded media (e.g., CDs, DVDs, flash drives, video, and cassette tapes), for which no customs form is required in the destination country.***
[Revise the first sentence of item c. to read as follows:]
c. First-Class Package International Service packages — or for commercial mailers, IPA packages (small packets) and ISAL packages (small packets) — may contain goods of nominal value (less than $1.00) in conjunction with communications or informational materials for which no customs form is required in the destination country.***
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2 Conditions for Mailing
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290 Commercial Services
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292 International Priority Airmail (IPA) Service
292.1 Description
292.11 General
[Revise the second sentence of 292.11 to read as follows (including content-based requirements):]
***The sender must prepare mailpieces in accordance with the requirements of this subchapter and with the content-based and shape-based requirements of the applicable service — see 240 for First-Class Mail International items, and see 250 for First-Class Package International Service items.***
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292.2 Eligibility
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292.25 Dutiable Items
[Revise the text of 292.25 to read as follows (referring only to First-Class Package International Service and removing an outdated reference to ordinary or insured Priority Mail International items):]
Dutiable items may be sent in accordance with the applicable rules in this subchapter for First-Class Package International Service only. Priority Mail International items may not be mailed with IPA service.
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293 International Surface Air Lift (ISAL) Service
293.1 Description
293.11 General
[Revise the second sentence of 293.11 to read as follows (including content-based requirements):]
***The sender must prepare mailpieces in accordance with the requirements of this subchapter and with the content-based and shape-based requirements of the applicable service — see 240 for First-Class Mail International items, and see 250 for First-Class Package International Service items.***
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293.2 Eligibility
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293.25 Dutiable Items
[Revise the text of 293.25 to read as follows (referring only to First-Class Package International Service and removing an outdated reference to ordinary or insured Priority Mail International items):]
Dutiable items may be sent in accordance with the applicable rules in this subchapter for First-Class Package International Service only. Priority Mail International items may not be mailed with ISAL service.
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We will incorporate these changes into the next update of the online IMM, which is available via Postal Explorer at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification, Marketing, 12-7-17
