patching exchange office for appropriate treatment.

(d) Credit for postage already affixed. Credit is allowed for postage already affixed in figuring correct amount on articles returned to senders for deficient postage.

§ 223.3 Improperly prepared.

(a) Insufficient address. Post offices will not return articles to senders if they are not addressed as prescribed in § 221.1(c) of this chapter, provided the country of destination is legibly written, but will dispatch them to the exchange office for decision as to the sufficiency of the address. New postage must be paid on articles remailed with corrected addresses after being returned from other countries.

(b) Oversized post cards. Post offices will return oversized post cards (those exceeding 6 x 44 inches) to senders, if known, unless they qualify as prints or are paid at letter rates. If sender is not known, dispatch oversized cards to the exchange office for handling as letter mail.

(c) Undersized articles. Post offices will return to the senders, if known, any articles that are less than the prescribed minimum size (44 x 3 inches) and are not prepared as provided under § 222.1(c) (2) of this chapter. If the sender is not known, dispatch the articles to the dead letter office.

(d) Meter stamps. The Universal Postal Convention prescribes that meter stamps are to be bright red in color. (See § 221.2(b) (1) of this chapter.) Although the use of red color for meter stamps on international mail should be encouraged, articles bearing those of other colors are to be allowed to go forward.

§ 223.4 Forwarding.

(a) International. Articles will generally be forwarded to a new address of the addressee, even in a third country, or back to the United States. The sender may forbid forwarding by a notation on the envelope or wrapper in a language understood in the country to which addressed. See § 224.3 of this chapter concerning forwarding mail of foreign origin.

(b) Domestic-(1) Addressee moved to another country. Treat as undeliverable and dispose of as provided in Part 158, except that post or postal cards and ordinary letters that do not appear to contain merchandise and do not bear a

notice forbidding forwarding may be redirected to the original addressee in another country. Letters and cards are forwarded by surface if surface mail is involved and by air if airmail is involved, without prepayment of additional postage. If the difference between the domestic and international postage is not added at the time of forwarding it will be collected when the letter or card is delivered.

(2) Bearing foreign return address. Any domestic letters (except those that appear to contain merchandise) or domestic post or postal cards bearing the sender's request for return are returned to the foreign return address. Return is by surface mail only, and without prepayment of additional postage. Indication of a foreign return address on registered or certified letter mail will be deemed to constitute a request on the part of the sender that the letter is to be forwarded to the foreign return address if it is not deliverable at the U.S. address. It further indicates that the sender thereby agrees, in case of loss of a registered letter after dispatch from the United States, to adjustment of indemnity in accordance with the provisions of § 272.2, irrespective of the amount of registry fee paid. Articles or packages containing merchandise are held by the post office of address and a report sent to the Department as provided in § 231.7 (b) of this chapter. Treat other undeliverable domestic articles with foreign return addresses as dead mail. (See § 158.7(b) (1) of this chapter.)

(c) Ship passenger and crew mail. (1) As an alternative to the provisions of §§ 223.4(b) and 224.3(b), of this chapter, ordinary (unregistered) articles of correspondence (except those which appear to contain merchandise) addressed to crew members or passengers on board a ship may be forwarded in the international mail, by surface or air, in one envelope addressed to a ship or travel agency under the following conditions:

(i) The envelope in which the articles are to be forwarded shall be approximately 9 inches by 6 inches in size and shall be supplied by the sender. Do not put postage on this envelope but place the following endorsement in the upper right corner of the envelope:

This envelope contains prepaid letters forwarded in bulk by authority of Assistant Postmaster General, Bureau of Transportation and International Services. Any required

additional international postage has been affixed to the articles enclosed.

(ii) The envelope must be presented unsealed at the mailing office for check of the contents. Any additional postage required must be paid on each of the articles enclosed, as follows:

(a) Articles of U.S. origin. Pay on each article the difference between the postage already paid and the appropriate international rate (surface or air) to the new country of destination.

(b) Articles originating in other countries. If envelope is to be forwarded by air, place full air postage from the United States to the new country of destination on each article enclosed. No additional postage is required if the envelope is to be forwarded by surface means.

(iii) If the envelope is intended to be transmitted by air, place label 19 bearing the words "Par Avion," in the upper left corner of the envelope immediately below the return address of the sender.

(iv) The total weight of the forwarding envelope and its contents is limited to 18 ounces.

(2) The accepting employee must check the envelope to see that any necessary additional postage has been paid on each article, cancel any additional postage placed on the articles, and seal the envelope. The accepting employee will apply the office date stamp and his initials immediately below the sender's endorsement prescribed in § 223.4 (c) (1) (i).

(a) Customs clearance and delivery fees. (1) Post offices will collect a fee of 20 cents from the addressee of every postal union article, other than a small packet, on which customs duty or internal revenue tax is collected. On every small packet on which duty or internal revenue tax is collected, the fee is 50 cents for each packet. The fees apply also when post office service is rendered for formal entry articles on which importers pay the customs charges directly to the Customs Service. The fees are retained by the Postal Service, and are accounted for by affixing postage due stamps to the articles or packets and canceling. See § 232.1(a) of this chapter concerning fees on incoming dutiable parcel post, and § 261.5 (e) of this chapter concerning recording and reporting duty collections.

(2) These fees are authorized by international postal convention as reimbursement to the Postal Service for the work it performs in clearing mail articles through customs and for delivery to the addressees.

(3) The appropriate fee is collected on each article on which duty or tax is paid by the addressee, even if several articles are covered by a single mail entry form.

(4) These fees are not refundable by the Postal Service even though the Customs Service may later refund the duty paid by the addressee.

(5) Post offices will not collect the fees in the following cases:

(i) On dutiable matter from the Canal Zone or from overseas U.S. military post offices.

(ii) On packages assessed with duty which are delivered without collection of duty under § 261.5(d) (4) of this chapter. If postage due stamps were pasted on the

package and canceled at the time the package was assigned for delivery, the delivery employee shall mark the stamps "Voided" and allow them to remain on the package. See § 261.5(d) (4) of this chapter concerning crediting employee with the value of the unreturned postage due stamps.

(b) Shortpaid mail. Post offices will collect from the addressees of shortpaid letters and post cards the amount indicated in U.S. currency by the receiving exchange office. The Canadian service applies the ratings on articles from that country. The amount is accounted for by affixing and canceling postage due stamps, and is retained by the postal service. If an article bears U.S. postage the delivering office shall allow credit for its value when postage due is collected. Inquiries may be directed to the International Service Division, Bureau of Transportation and International Services, Post Office Department, Washington, D.C. 20260.

(c) Invalid foreign postage. Foreign mail bearing invalid postage is accompanied by international Form C 10 issued in the country of origin and is rated as unpaid. The addressee is asked to pay the postage due, to disclose the name and address of the sender, and to surrender the envelope. The post office will send the envelope after delivery, or the entire article if the addressee refuses it, with the Form C 10 to the International Service Division, Bureau of Transportation and International Services, Post Office Department, Washington, D.C. 20260, with the name and address of the sender if disclosed by the addressee.

(d) Storage. The post office will collect storage charges for each day until delivery is made on (1) any printed matter package or small packet exceeding 1 pound in weight, and (2) any duitable letter package regardless of weight. The charges and other conditions prescribed in § 232.1(c) of this chapter for incoming parcel post packages apply to the postal union articles mentioned.

(e) AO mail containing letters. When a personal communication is found in an AO article, the office discovering it will mark the cover and rate the article for collection of postage due in the same manner as prescribed in § 232.1(d) of this chapter for letters found in parcels.

(f) Returned mail. Post offices will collect charges on returned mail as follows:

(1) Return postage equal to the amount of postage originally paid on

returned "surface" merchandise packages weighing 8 ounces or less mailed to Canada at 10 cents for 5 ounces or less, 12 cents for 6 ounces, 14 cents for 7 ounces, and 16 cents for 8 ounces.

(2) On returned second-class publications mailed to Canada by publishers or registered news agents, 2 cents for the first 2 ounces and 1 cent for each additional ounce.

(3) From the sender of any article returned through a dead letter branch, 10 cents.

(4) From the sender of a undeliverable insufficiently prepared article, the deficient postage that should have been collected from the addressee.

(5) Any other charge indicated by the exchange office.

[32 F.R. 12262, Aug. 24, 1967, as amended at 32 F.R. 18045, Dec. 16, 1967]

§ 224.2 Foreign markings instead of

stamps.

Some articles of foreign origin do not bear postage stamps but are marked "Postage Paid, Taxe perçue, Port payé, TP or PP," with postmark. The marking "On Her Majesty's Service or O. H. M. S." is also sometimes used. This mail is treated as prepaid.

§ 224.3 Forwarding.

(a) Within the United States. (1) Articles received by surface may be forwarded by surface and articles received by air may be forwarded by air, without an additional postage charge or fee, unless the envelope or wrapper bears a notation forbidding its being forwarded.

(2) Second-class publications from Canada are treated in accordance with § 158.2(b) (1) through (3) of this chapter. A periodical publication from any other country whose delivery requires that it be forwarded to another local address or to another post office shall be forwarded and the addressee shall be requested to notify the publisher of his new address. If the publication is still being received 3 months after change of address occurs, the post office of original address shall dispose of it, and any subsequent copies received, as waste, except that publications bearing request of sender for return shall be endorsed "Moved, not forwardable" and returned to origin.

(b) To another country. (1) Articles can be forwarded on condition that the country of destination accepts mail of

the classification involved. Articles received by either surface or air, which do not bear instructions forbidding their being forwarded, are forwarded "by surface" without an additional postage charge or fee. U.S. postage at the airmail rate to the country concerned must be paid on any article that is forwarded by air. Cross out the Par Avion label or endorsement on an airmail article that is forwarded by surface. See §§ 223.4(b), 223.4 (c), and 231.7(b) of this chapter concerning forwarding of domestic mail.

(2) The provisions of § 224.3(a) (2) apply in the case of periodical publications addressed to persons who have filed change of address to another country.

(c) Backstamping. A legible postmark is applied to the back of letters and to the front of postcards when received missent and to all forwarder articles.

(d) Postage-due matter. If an article being forwarded to another post office in the United States or to another country bears postage-due stamps, the procedure prescribed in 335.35 and 335.36 of the Postal Manual is followed.

§ 224.4 Undeliverable articles.

(a) Retention period. Post offices will hold articles at disposal of addressees for 30 days, except in the following cases:

(1) Articles bearing senders' requests for return within a specified time not exceeding 2 months.

(2) Articles bearing no time limit for their return, when there is good reason to believe they can be delivered to the addressee if held for a period not exceeding 2 months. These articles shall be marked "Specially held for delivery." Hold articles subject to storage charges (see § 224.1(d)) beyond the initial 30-day retention period only if the addressee, or someone acting in his behalf, pays the storage charges due at the end of the first 30-day period. Thereafter, collect accumulated storage charges every 10 days.

(3) Articles positively known to be undeliverable. These shall be treated as undeliverable immediately unless they bear the sender's request specified in paragraph a.

(b) Directory service. See 355.171 of the Postal Manual concerning directory service to be accorded mail of foreign origin.

(c) Endorsing. Endorse undeliverable mail as prescribed in 355.11 of the Postal Manual. Apply a legible postmark to the

back of letters and to the front of postcards that are returned to origin.

(d) Disposal. Undeliverable mail will be sent by surface means (including airmail articles, after crossing out Par Avion label or endorsement) to the exchange office for return to origin, except as follows:

(1) Ordinary (unregistered) prints, other than books, which do not bear the sender's request for return. These are disposed of in accordance with § 158.51 (b) of this chapter. Books and registered prints must always be returned to origin.

(2) Postcards which do not bear the address of the sender. These are disposed of in accordance with § 158.5(a) of this chapter.

(3) Candian second-class publications. These will be treated as prescribed in § 158.2(b) (1) through (3) of this chapter.

(4) Canadian articles of all classifications not covered by a and b of this section and not bearing sender's name and address. These will be sent to the deadletter office for disposal pursuant to 356.63 of the Postal Manual.

(e) Postage-due matter. Articles bearing postage-due stamps are treated as prescribed in 335.35 and 335.36 of the Postal Manual.

(f) Storage charges. Storage charges due on postal union articles are canceled if the articles are returned to origin or forwarded to another country. See § 232. 5(b) (4) concerning parcel post.

comparable U.S. domestic postage. The articles will be returned to origin unless applicable U.S. postage is paid for the total number of pieces. Even if the foreign postage is not lower, the same conditions apply when more than 5,000 pieces are mailed. These limitations apply to mailings made in such quantities within a 30-day period.

§ 225.2 Mailing with U.S. postage paid.

Senders affected by § 225.1 must submit a sample of the proposed mailing (envelope and contents) to the International Service Division, Bureau of Transportation and International Services, Post Office Department, Washington, D.C. 20260, with a statement as to the number of pieces to be mailed, when and where the mailing will take place, and a check to cover the amount of the applicable U.S. postage. Checks will be made payable to the Post Office Department. Notification of postage acceptance and approval of mailing will be given by the Department to the sender and to the appropriate U.S. receiving exchange offices which will permit the articles in the mailing to go forward to the addressees without delay when they reach the United States.

§ 225.3 Mailing with U.S. postage not paid.

A mailing subject to § 225.1 received without payment of U.S. domestic postage having been made in advance will be held at the exchange office of receipt, and the U.S. sender will be requested to pay the postage. After payment of the required amount, the mailing will be allowed to go forward; if not paid, it will be returned to the country of origin. § 225.4 Report of incoming mailings.

Only U.S. receiving exchange offices will report to the Department mailings from other countries that appear to have been made by or on behalf of senders in the United States.

SOURCE: The provisions of this Part 231 appear at 32 F.R. 12263, Aug. 24, 1967, unless otherwise noted.

§ 231.1 Availability of service.

Parcel post service is available to most countries, and the general conditions shown in this part apply. The individual country items in the Directory of International Mail show whether or not parcel post service is available to a particular country, as well as the special services and conditions applying to that country. § 231.2 Prohibitions and restrictions.

(a) General list of prohibited articles. The following are prohibited by parcel post to all countries:

(1) Articles excluded from the domestic mail of the United States. (See part 124 of this chapter.) Although safety matches are admitted in the domestic mail, they are prohibited in the international mail.

(2) Written communications of the nature of personal correspondence, or recorded correspondence. (See § 231.3 (d).)

(3) Enclosures bearing an address different from that appearing on the parcel itself.

(4) Pistols, revolvers, and other firearms capable of being concealed on the person, with certain exceptions. (See §§ 125.5 and 253.1 of this chapter.)

(5) Live or dead creatures, except live bees, leeches, and silkworms and dead insects or reptiles when thoroughly dried.

(6) Fruits, vegetables, fresh meats, and other articles which easily decompose or which cannot reasonably be expected to reach destination without spoiling; substances which give off a bad odor.

(7) Gold coin, gold bullion, or gold dust exceeding $100 in value. (See § 254.4 of this chapter.)

(8) Articles that may in any way damage or destroy the mail or injure the persons handling them. This includes liquids that may cause injury by contact with the skin or give off irritating vapors; also explosives and flammable liquids having a flash point by the Tagliabue open tester of 80° F. or lower, and flammable solids which are likely, under conditions incident to transportation, to cause fires through friction, through absorption of moisture, or through spontaneous chemical changes.

(9) Articles containing gas or liquid under pressure, except that products incorporating compressed gas are acceptable if the mist produced is nonflam