The Department of Posts has decided to temporarily suspend the booking of most postal articles destined for the United States, effective August 25, 2025. This suspension is a direct consequence of a new Executive Order from the U.S. Administration, which has created operational challenges for transport carriers and the postal service. This press release was issued on August 23, 2025.
The U.S. Executive Order, issued on July 30, 2025, withdraws the duty-free de minimis exemption for goods valued up to USD 800, starting August 29, 2025. This means that all international postal items headed for the USA, regardless of their value, will be subject to customs duties under the International Emergency Economic Power Act (IEEPA) tariff framework. However, gift items valued up to USD 100 will remain exempt from duties.
Under the new order, transport carriers and other “qualified parties” approved by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are responsible for collecting and remitting these duties. While CBP issued some guidelines on August 15, 2025, several critical processes—such as the designation of “qualified parties” and mechanisms for duty collection—are still undefined. This lack of clarity has led U.S.-bound air carriers to state that they cannot accept postal consignments after August 25, 2025.
In response, the Department of Posts has suspended booking services for all postal articles except letters, documents, and gift items valued up to USD 100. These exempted categories will continue to be accepted and dispatched, pending further clarification from CBP and USPS. Customers who have already booked items that cannot be delivered may seek a refund of their postage.
The Department of Posts is closely monitoring the situation and working with all stakeholders to resume full services as soon as possible.