Effective June 3, 2021, the Postal Service™ is revising Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual IMM (IMM®), sections 292.49 and 293.49, to reflect changes to nonpresort worldwide shipping services for International Priority Airmail® (IPA®) service and International Surface Air Lift® (ISAL®) service in support of the realignment of the country price groups that went into effect January 24, 2021. Also, the Postal Service is revising IMM 292.483a(1) and 293.483a(1) to provide clarification regarding commingling requirements for direct country and mixed country optional sack preparation for IPA and ISAL services.
For more information on the realignment of IPA and ISAL services, see the articles entitled “IMM Revision: Changes to Pricing for International Shipping Services” in Postal Bulletin 22562 (12-31-20, pages 5–15), “IMM Revision: IPA Services” in Postal Bulletin 22563 (1-14-21, page 6), and “IMM Revision: ISAL Services” in Postal Bulletin 22567 (3–11-21, pages 5–6).
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM)
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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
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292.4 Mail Preparation
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292.48 Presort Mailings — Price Groups 3–6
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292.483 Direct Country and Mixed Country — Optional Sack Preparation
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[Revise the Note in 292.483a(1) to read as follows:]
***Note: Package-size items must not be commingled with letter-size and flat-size items and must be prepared in separate sacks.
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292.49 Worldwide Nonpresort Preparation
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[Revise 292.49a to read as follows (the revised sentences appear here in bold only for emphasis — they will not be bold in the revised IMM):]
a. General. A mailer claiming any mail at the direct country or mixed country price cannot enclose the mail in worldwide nonpresort sacks. The mailer must bundle letter-size and flat-size mail. Letter-size bundles and flat-size bundles can be commingled in the same sack. Labels (facing slips) are not required on any bundles. Package-size items must not be commingled with letter-size and flat-size items and must be prepared in separate sacks. Containers other than sacks are not authorized unless other equipment is specified by the acceptance office — for example, the mailer may present nonpresorted letter-size mail in trays if authorized by the acceptance office. The maximum weight of any container is 66 pounds.
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293 International Surface Air Lift (ISAL) Service
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293.4 Mail Preparation
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293.48 Presort Mailings — Price Groups 3–6
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293.483 Direct Country and Mixed Country — Optional Sack Preparation
[Revise the Note in 293.483a(1) to read as follows:]
***Note: Package-size items must not be commingled with letter-size and flat-size items and must be prepared in separate sacks.
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293.49 Worldwide Nonpresort Preparation
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[Revise 293.49a to read as follows (the revised sentences appear here in bold only for emphasis — they will not be bold in the revised IMM):]
a. General. A mailer claiming any mail at the direct country or mixed country price cannot enclose the mail in worldwide nonpresort sacks. The mailer must bundle letter-size and flat-size mail. Letter-size bundles and flat-size bundles can be commingled in the same sack. Labels (facing slips) are not required on any bundles. Package-size items must not be commingled with letter-size and flat-size items and must be prepared in separate sacks. Containers other than sacks are not authorized unless other equipment is specified by the acceptance office — for example, the mailer may present nonpresorted letter-size mail in trays if authorized by the acceptance office. The maximum weight of any container is 66 pounds.
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Although effective June 3, 2021, the Postal Service will incorporate these revisions into the next edition of the online IMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Product Solutions, 6-3-21
