India on Tuesday lifted temporary suspension on postal services to the United States. Following this announcement, all categories of international postal services to the US, will resume effective October 15, after a period of suspension. Postal services to the US were suspended on August 22, following Executive Order 14324 by the US Administration, which revoked de minimis treatment for all postal shipments. The suspension was implemented due to new US regulations requiring upfront duty collection and remittance on all incoming postal items.
In an official release, the Department of Posts of the Ministry of Communications said that the decision follows the successful implementation of a new Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) mechanism to comply with updated regulations issued by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
“After extensive system development, coordination with CBP-approved Qualified Parties, and successful operational trials in the Delhi and Maharashtra Circles, India Post has now established a compliant DDP mechanism,” the Ministry stated.
What has changed?
Now under the new system, all customs duties for postal shipments to the US will be collected at the time of booking in India and remitted directly to US authorities. This will ensure faster customs clearance and hassle-free delivery for recipients in the US. According to CBP guidelines, postal shipments from India to the US will be subject to a flat customs duty of 50 per cent on the declared Free on Board (FOB) value, as outlined in the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariff.
However, unlike courier or commercial shipments, no additional product-specific duties will be imposed, providing a cost advantage for exporters. Additionally, India Post will not charge customers any additional fee for facilitating the DDP process. However, international postal tariffs will remain unchanged.
All categories of postal services to resume
Notably, all categories of international mail, including EMS, Air Parcels, Registered Letters or Packets, and Tracked Packets, can now be booked for the US from any Post Office, International Business Centre (IBC), Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra (DNK), or via the India Post self-service portal.
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