The Department of Posts on Saturday, August 23, announced a temporary suspension of booking for most categories of postal articles to the United States starting 25 August 2025, following recent regulatory changes introduced by the U.S. administration. The decision comes in response to new customs requirements that affect the processing of international mail items.
As per Executive Order No. 14324, issued on 30 July 2025, the U.S. has withdrawn the duty-free exemption on goods valued up to $800. Beginning 29 August 2025, all international postal items entering the United States will be subject to customs duties under the International Emergency Economic Power Act (IEEPA) tariff system. The only exception is for gift items valued up to $100, which will continue to remain duty-free.
Under the revised framework, the responsibility of collecting and remitting duties lies with transport carriers or “qualified parties” designated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). However, with several operational aspects yet to be clarified, U.S.-bound air carriers have conveyed their inability to handle consignments under the new system. This has compelled India Post to temporarily halt the acceptance and dispatch of such articles until further notice.
