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Addressing Standards and Customs Forms for International Mail

The complete delivery address must be typed or legibly written, with ink, in English — using all upper case Roman letters and Arabic numerals — and should appear lengthwise on only one side of the package. Except for Global Express Guaranteed (GXG), where the address must be completely written in English, an address in a foreign language is permitted only if the names of the city, province and country are also indicated in English. The last line of the address must include only the complete country name — no abbreviations — written in all uppercase letters. Foreign postal codes (numeric and alpha), if used, should be placed on the line immediately above the country name.

Some countries prefer that the postal code follow the name, while others prefer that it precede the city or town name. The following shows the order of information for the destination address:

MS. C. P. APPLE
APARTADO 3068
46807 PUERTO VALLARTA
JALISCO
MEXICO

MR. THOMAS CLARK
117 RUSSELL DRIVE
LONDON WIP 6HQ
ENGLAND

Exception to Canada: There must be two spaces between the province abbreviation and the postal code, as shown below between “ON” and “KIA 0B1”:

MS. HELEN SAUNDERS
1010 CLEAR STREET
OTTAWA ON K1A 0B1
CANADA

Return Address

Many foreign postal administrations require that mailpieces contain complete sender and addressee information in Roman letters and Arabic numerals. Mailpieces that do not contain a return address may be returned by the foreign postal administration. The complete return address of the sender, including ZIP Code and country of origin, should be placed in the upper left corner of the address side of the package. Only one return address may be used and it must be located so that it does not affect either the clarity of the destination address or the application of customs forms and service labels and notations, such as postmarks. Packages bearing a return address of another country are accepted only at the sender’s risk.

Customs Forms

Customs forms are available without charge at Post Offices and through an online customs form application at usps.com/international/customs.htm. It’s important to affix the correct completed customs form to your international packages prior to mailing. Keep in mind that customs forms requirements vary by the type of mail. You are encouraged to obtain, read and complete the appropriate customs forms prior to mailing. Please be aware that packages with incomplete or missing customs forms may be returned by the foreign postal administration.

Note: Customs forms also are required on Priority Mail articles weighing 16 ounces or more sent to and from ZIP Codes with prefix 969 and ZIP Code 96799 (Guam and American Samoa, respectively), as well as to all APO/FPO destinations.

Here is a list of the customs forms requirements by type of international mail:

First-Class Mail International

Mailpieces weighing 16 ounces or more, and all potentially dutiable items regardless of their weight, require the applicable customs forms as follows:

• If the value of the contents is less than $400, affix Form 2976 Customs Declaration, to the exterior of the package.
• If the value of the contents is $400 or more, affix the upper white barcoded portion of Form 2976 to the exterior of the package and place a completed Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note, inside the package with the contents.

Priority Mail International Packages

All packages must bear a completed Form 2976-A inserted into a pouch (Form 2976-E) and affixed to the exterior of the package.

Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope

• If the value of the contents is less than $400, affix Form 2976 to the exterior of the envelope.
• If the value of the contents is $400 or more, affix the upper white barcoded portion of Form 2976 to the exterior of the envelope and place a completed Form 2976-A inside the envelope with the contents.

Express Mail International

The customs form requirement varies by individual country. See the International Mail Manual (IMM) at pe.usps.com for additional details or consult your local Post Office.

Global Express Guaranteed

For GXG mailings, Form 6182, Commercial Invoice, may be required and also serves as the customs form. Item 11FGG1, GXG Air Way bill/Shipping Invoice, or the online version must be used.

For more information, contact your local Post Office or see the online versions of the IMM and Publication 51, International Postal Prices and Fees, at pe.usps.com.