A. No mail of any class may contain securities or currency. Precious metals in their raw, unmanufactured state are also prohibited. Official shipments are exempt from these restrictions. B. Customs Declaration form required, except that prepaid mail from a contractor, addressed to a military organization for official use, NEED NOT bear Customs Declaration but must be endorsed "Contents For Official Use--Exempt from Customs Requirement. Official mail from Government agencies DOES NOT require customs declaration or exemption endorsement." Articles will be liable for customs duty and/or purchase tax unless they are bona fide gifts, personal use intended for military personnel or their dependents. When the contents of a parcel meet these requirements, the mailer should place a certificate similar to the following on the customs form under the heading-"Description of Contents" "Certified to be a bona fide gift, personal effects or items for personal use of military personnel and dependents thereto. " C. Cigarettes and other tobacco products prohibited. D. Coffee prohibited. E. Mail may not contain: 1. Medicines or vaccines not conforming to French laws. 2. Nonauthorized publications, reprints, and publications prohibited on account of their political character or immoral contents. F. Mail of all classes may not contain firearms of any type. See definition of firearms in 124.5. F1 No mail of any class may contain privately-owned weapons addressed to an individual. G. To be printed at a later date. H. Meats, including preserved meats, whether hermetically sealed or not. are prohibited. (Continued next page) 1 Provisions of this footnote are not applicable to registered mall. 2 Provisions of this footnote are not applicable to airmail nor to official Government mail marked MOM. J. Weight for other than registered mail is restricted to 50 pounds. K. Mail which includes in the address the words "Dependent Mail Section" may consist only of letter mall, newspapers, magazines and books. No parcel of any class containing any other matter may be mailed to Dependent Mail Section. This footnote is not applicable if the address does not include the words "Dependent Mall Section." L. All official mail prohibited. M. Fruits, animals, and living plants are prohibited. N. No registered mail accepted. O. Personal mail addressed to vessels using this number is limited to unregistered airmail, unregistered first-class mail, and certiñed mail. Other classes of mail may not be accepted. P. APO will be used for the receipt and dispatch of official mail only. Q. Mall may not exceed 66 pounds and size is limited to 42 inches maximum length and 72 inches maximum length and girth combined. R. All alcoholic beverages, including those mailable under part 123.3 are prohibited. [38 FR 18655, July 13, 1973] PART 127-MAIL SENT VIA DEPARTMENT OF STATE TO U.S. FOREIGN SERVICE PERSONNEL ABROAD Sec. 127.1 Who may use. 127.2 Mailing conditions. AUTHORITY: The provisions of this Part 127 issued under 39 U.S.C. 401. § 127.1 Who may use. The facilities of the Department of State are available for sending unregistered and uninsured personal mail to authorized U.S. Foreign Service personnel stationed in other countries. [35 F.R. 19423, Dec. 23, 1970] § 127.2 Mailing conditions. (a) Addressing. The following form of address must be used: Name, Foreign city (omit name of country), (b) Classes. Articles of all classes of domestic mail are acceptable. (c) Weight and size limits. Domestic limits apply, including those in § 135.3 of this chapter, except that no package may weigh more than 40 pounds or exceed 24 inches in length or 62 inches in length and girth combined. (d) Postage rates. Postage must be paid at the applicable domestic rate for the classes of mail and type of service desired. (See paragraph (e) (4) of this section.) The postage rates from the mailing office to Washington, D.C., apply to mail subject to zone rates. (e) Limitations. (1) Airmail service from Washington, D.C., to destination will be provided only for communications in the form of letters, post cards, or tapes with recorded messages; for personal documents of value, such as deeds, wills, insurance policies, or titles; and for emergency supplies of prescription medicines or other urgently needed health items, such as prescription eyeglasses, hearing aids, orthopedic shores, or dentures. Sender must mark the cover or wrapper to indicate the nature of the contents. For rapid transmission of other personal packages, senders must use the regular international air service, affixing customs declarations and addressing directly to the recipient in the foreign country. (See Publication 42, International Mail.) (2) The Department of State prohibits tobacco products (except to selected foreign service posts), liquids, perishables, firearms, glass, and other fragile articles, as well as parcels intended for delivery to a third person. (3) Packages must be securely and substantially packed. International postal forms (customs declarations, stickers, etc.) are not required on packages sent through Department of State facilities. (4) Registration, insurance, and COD services are not available. [35 F.R. 19423, Dec. 23, 1970] MAIL CLASSIFICATION AND RATES NOTE: The rate data for the several classes of mail hereinafter set forth in Parts 131-136 has been superseded in large part by temporary rates placed in effect May 16, 1971. See 36 F.R. 8331. With respect to certain third-class rates see also 36 F.R. 24953. (iii) Matter wholly or partially in writing or typewriting, except authorized additions to second-, third-, and fourthclass mail provided by §§ 132.4(g) (1), and (g)(2), § 134.6 and § 135.5, of this chapter, and written or typewritten matter listed in §§ 135.2(d) (4) and (5) of this chapter. (iv) Matter closed against postal inspection. (v) Bills and statements of account. (2) Examples of first-class matter. (i) Handwritten or typewritten matter, including identical copies prepared by automatic typewriter, and manifold or written or typewritten matter does not include matter produced by computers. (ii) Autograph albums containing writing. (iii) Notebooks or blank books containing written or typewritten entries or stenographic or shorthand notes. (iv) Blank printed forms filled out in writing, such as notices, certificates, and checks either canceled or uncanceled. (v) Printed price lists containing written figures changing individual items. (vi) Printed cards or letters bearing a written date, where the date is not the date of the card but gives information as to when something will occur or has occurred. (vii) Printed matter such as receipts, orders and printed letters not sent in carbon copies of such matter. Handidentical terms to several persons that, by having a signature attached, are converted into personal communications. This does not apply to Christmas or similar printed greeting cards. See § 134.2 (a) (2) and (3) of this chapter. (3) The following provisions are applicable to matter closed against postal inspection: (i) The Postmaster General may prescribe the manner of wrapping and securing mail not charged with first-class postage so that the contents of the mail may be easily examined. He shall charge the first class rate of postage on all matter that cannot be examined easily. (ii) To ascertain whether the proper rate of postage has been paid, postmasters may examine second-class mail and remove the wrappers and envelopes from other mail not bearing first-class postage if it can be done without destroying them. (iii) Matter closed against inspection includes mail of any class so wrapped as not to be easily examined, except second-, third-, or fourth-class matter sealed subject to postal inspection. See §§ 125.2(e), 134.8, and 135.7 of this chapter. (4) The following is a description of bills and statements of account: (i) A bill is a request for payment of a definite sum of money claimed to be owing by the addressee either to the sender or to a third party. The mere assertion of an indebtedness in a definite sum combined with a demand for payment is sufficient to make the message a bill. (ii) Generally, a statement of account is the assertion of the existence of a debt in a definite amount owed by the addressee either to the sender or to a third party but which does not necessarily contain a request or a demand for payment. The amount may be immediately due or may become due after a certain time or upon demand or billing at a later date. (iii) A bill or statement of account must present the particulars of an indebtedness with sufficient definiteness to inform the debtor of the amount he is required to pay to acquit himself of the debt. However, neither a bill nor a statement of account need state the precise amount if it contains sufficient information to enable the debtor to determine the exact amount of the claim asserted. (iv) A bill or statement of account is not the less a bill or statement of account merely because the amount claimed is not in fact owing or may not be legally collectible. (b) Postal and post cards-(1) Postal cards. A postal card is a card supplied by the Postal Service with a postage stamp printed or impressed on it, for the transmission of messages. A double postal card consists of two attached cards, each of which has printed or impressed thereon a postage stamp of the first-class rate for postal cards denomination, and one of which may be detached by the receiver and returned by mail as a reply. (2) Post cards. Post cards are privately printed mailing cards for the transmission of messages. They may not be larger than the size fixed by the Convention of the Universal Postal Union in effect and of approximately the same form, quality, and weight as postal cards. A double post card consists of two attached cards, each of which is subject when mailed at the first-class postage rate for post cards, and one of which may be detached by the receiver and returned by mail as a reply. The cardboard used for single and double post cards may be of any light color that does not prevent legible addresses and postmarks from being placed thereon. Brilliant colors must not be used. Single post cards and each part of double post cards must conform to the following specifications to qualify for mailing at the first-class postage rate for post cards (see subparagraph (1) of this paragraph). (i) Size, shape, and ratio. Not larger than 44 by 6 inches, nor smaller than 3 by 44 inches. Rectangular in shape. A ratio of width (height) to length of less than 1 to 1.414 (1 to the square root of 2) is not recommended. (See §§ 131.3 (b) and 134.3 (b) of this chapter.) (ii) Quality, weight, and thickness. An unfolded and uncreased piece of cardboard of approximately the quality and weight of a postal card; thickness not less than 0.006 or more than 0.0095 of an inch; and the cardboard to be uniform in thickness and as near 0.0090 as possible. (3) Restrictions on the use of double postal and post cards. The users of both double postal and post cards which conform to the specifications stated in subparagraphs (2) (i) and (2)(ii) of this paragraph must comply with the following rules: (i) Double cards must be folded before mailing. The first half must be detached when the reply half is mailed for return. (ii) The reply portion of a double card must be used for reply purposes only. It must not be used to convey a message to the original addressee of the double card, to cover up the message on the original portion, or to send statements of account. (iii) Double cards must be prepared so that the address on the reply portion is on the inside when the double card is mailed. (iv) Plain stickers or seals or a single wire stitch may be used to fasten the edges, provided they are so fixed that the inner folds of the cards can be readily examined. (v) Enclosures are prohibited. (4) Additions, attachments, and other alterations to single and double postal and post cards. The users of both single and double postal and post cards which conform to the specifications stated in subparagraphs (2) (i) and (2) (ii) of this paragraph must comply with the following limitations: (i) The face of the card may be divided by a vertical line, the left half to be used for the message and the right half for the address only. (ii) The message on a single card, or on the first portion of a double card, may occupy the space to the left of the vertical line and the entire back of the card. (iii) Labels may be affixed by adhesive for the purpose of showing the address and the return address. Cards bearing other attachments are nonmailable as postal cards or post cards. (iv) Numbers used for accounting purposes may be shown on a shaded background below the address. Holes which do not eliminate any letters or numbers may be punched in either the address or message portion of the card. A vertical tearing guide may divide the face of the card. The address portion may be smaller than the remainder of the card. However, mailings of cards having one or more of these four characteristics must meet all of the following conditions: (a) The mailings must consist of not less than 200 cards which are identical as to size and weight. (b) The addresses on the cards must include ZIP Code numbers. (c) Postage must be paid in cash by permit imprints (see Part 145); by meter stamps (see Part 144); or by precanceled stamps (see Part 143). (d) The mailer must separate the cards to the finest extent possible and sack them in the manner prescribed by § 134.4 (c) of this chapter. (v) It is recommended that all cards having a thickness less than 0.0085 of an inch meet all of the conditions in subparagraphs (4) (iv) (a), (b), (c), and (d) of this paragraph. (5) Cards other than postal and post cards. Matter which is in the form of a single or double card but which does not conform to the specifications for a single or double post card stated in subpara graphs (2) (i) and 2(ii) of this paragraph is not a single or double post card, and may not be mailed at the first-class postage rate for post cards. Nonconforming mailable matter in the form of single or double cards is not subject to the rules and restrictions provided in subparagraphs (3) and (4) of this paragraph; it is subject when mailed to postage at the first-class letter rate or at the applicable third-class rate according to its classification as first- or third-class matter; and it must not bear the words "Post Card or Double Post Card." Single or double cards conforming to the specifications stated in subparagraphs (2) (i) or (2) (ii) of this paragraph, which are entirely in print, and which do not, bear the words "Post Card or Double Post Card," if otherwise mailable, may at the option of the mailer be mailed at the applicable third-class postage rate instead of the first-class postage rate for post cards. See § 131.3 and § 134.3 of this chapter for a list of physical characteristics which cause cards to be nonmailable. (6) Postal and post cards as enclosures. Stamps on postal and post cards enclosed in outer wrappers may not apply as postage on the mailing piece. (c) Business reply mail—(1) Purpose. Specially printed business reply cards, envelopes, cartons, and labels may be distributed for use by mailers in sending mail to the distributor without prepayment of postage. (2) Permit. (i) A permit to distribute business reply cards, envelopes, cartons, and labels is required. An application on Form 3614, Application to Distribute Business Reply Cards, Envelopes and Labels, must be submitted at the post office where the mail will be returned. There is no charge for the permit. If matter bearing the business reply imprint is distributed from a central office to be returned to branches or dealers in other cities, one permit obtained from the post office where the central office is located may be used to cover all the business reply mail. (ii) On receipt of the application, the postmaster will complete the permit portion of the form and deliver it to the applicant. The application portion of the form will be filed in the post office by the permit number. Permits issued at each post office will be numbered consecutively starting with No. 1 for the first permit. Each post office will keep an |