International Mail Service Suspensions

Posted on February 8, 2023 by mailomg in memo 636 // 0 Comments

The Postal Service is temporarily suspending international mail acceptance for certain destinations due to impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic and other unrelated service disruptions. Customers: please refrain from mailing items addressed to the countries listed here, until further notice.

Suspensions
Afghanistan	Cuba	South Sudan
Belarus	Laos	Syria
Bhutan	Libya	Timor-Leste
Brunei	Mongolia	Turkmenistan
Chad	Russia	Yemen

These service disruptions affect Priority Mail Express International (PMEI), Priority Mail International (PMI), First-Class Mail International (FCMI), First-Class Package International Service (FCPIS), International Priority Airmail (IPA), International Surface Air Lift (ISAL), and M-Bag items.

Unless otherwise noted, service suspensions to a particular country do not affect delivery of military and diplomatic mail.

For already deposited items, other than GXG:	Postal Service employees endorse them “Mail Service Suspended — Return to Sender” and then place them in the mail stream for return.
For any returned item bearing a customs form:	The Postal Service will, upon request, refund postage and fees on mail returned due to the suspension of service.
For all other returned items not bearing a customs declarations form:	Either: The Postal Service will, upon request, refund postage and fees on mail returned due to the suspension of service, or The sender may remail them with the existing postage once service has been restored. When remailing under this option, customers must cross out the markings “Mail Service Suspended — Return to Sender.”

For already deposited items, other than GXG:

Postal Service employees endorse them “Mail Service Suspended — Return to Sender” and then place them in the mail stream for return.

For any returned item bearing a customs form:

The Postal Service will, upon request, refund postage and fees on mail returned due to the suspension of service.

For all other returned items not bearing a customs declarations form:

Either:

The Postal Service will, upon request, refund postage and fees on mail returned due to the suspension of service, or
The sender may remail them with the existing postage once service has been restored. When remailing under this option, customers must cross out the markings “Mail Service Suspended — Return to Sender.”

Global Express Guaranteed Service Suspensions and Disruptions

Effective February 26, 2022, the GXG Money Back Guarantee is temporarily suspended for destinations in Europe.

Effective March 8, 2022, the Postal Service is temporarily suspending international mail acceptance of Global Express Guaranteed (GXG) to the following destinations:

Suspension of Global Express Guaranteed Service
Belarus	Russia	Ukraine

Unless otherwise noted, service suspensions to a particular country do not affect delivery of military and diplomatic mail.

Customer: please refrain from mailing items addressed to the country listed here, until further notice.

Priority Mail Express International

Effective October 25, 2021, due to airline travel restrictions and cancellations, the U.S. Postal Service has temporarily suspended the guarantee on Priority Mail Express International to the following destinations:

Suspension of Priority Mail Express International Guarantee
Australia	Great Britain	Korea	Sweden
Canada	Hong Kong	New Zealand	Switzerland
China	Israel	Singapore	Thailand
France	Japan	Spain

These suspensions will be in effect until further notice. The Postal Service is taking all reasonable measures to minimize impact to customers.

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