(e) Permitted notations. Senders may show the following on the outside wrapper, on the sample itself, or on a sheet enclosed with the sample: particulars concerning sender and addressee, the manufacturer's mark or trademark, a reference to correspondence exchanged between sender and addressee, a brief statement referring to the manufacturer and to the person supplying the goods or concerning the person for whom the sample is intended, the serial or order number, price, size, quantity available as well as the weight, volume and such other particulars as are necessary to determine the source and the character of the goods. (f) Prohibited contents. Articles of salable value are prohibited unless defaced in such a way that they can no longer be offered for sale; also pairs of articles, such as gloves, shoes, socks, etc., or goods sent as gifts or in execution of an order, no matter how small the quantity. Canceled or uncanceled postage stamps or any paper representing a value may not be mailed as samples of merchandise. (g) Packing and marking-(1) Packing and preparation. See § 221.1 (a) and (b). (2) Marking. In addition to marking the sample as prescribed in paragraph (d) (1) of this section, the sender must mark the address side of the package "Sample of Merchandise." this chapter as to preparation and packing. (2) The sender must mark the address side of the packet "Small Packet" or its equivalent in a language known in the country of destination-"petit paquet" (French), "pequeño paquete" (Spanish), "päckchen" (German). (f) Documentation. Small packets, whether or not they are subject to customs inspection, must bear the green (customs) label, Form 2976. See § 221.4 (a) of this chapter. Permitted en (g) Enclosures—(1) closures. A simple invoice and a slip showing the names and addresses of the sender and addressee of the packet may be enclosed. Small (2) Prohibited enclosures. packets may not contain written or sound recorded communications having the character of personal correspondence; coins, bank notes, paper money, canceled or uncanceled postage stamps, or values payable to the bearer; manufactured or unmanufactured platinum, gold, or silver; precious stones, jewelry, or other precious articles. The term jewelry is defined in § 221.3(a) (6) of this chapter. (h) Countries not accepting. Small packets are not accepted by the following countries: Azores. Bhutan. Bolivia, Burma. Canada. Chile. China (Continen- Gilbert and Ellice Haiti. Iceland. Madeira Islands. Maldive Islands. Nepal. Outer Mongolia. Panama. Paraguay. Peru. Rumania. South Africa (Swazi- § 222.8 Combination packages. (a) Definition. Combination packages are packages made up of two parts, firmly attached together, both addressed for delivery to the same addressee, and consisting of (1) a sealed envelope containing a written or printed communication; and (2) an unsealed container, with samples of merchandise or printed matter enclosed. These packages are treated as AO mail. (b) Rates. Each part of a combination package must be fully prepaid at the appropriate rate of postage. § 222.9 Articles grouped together. (a) Description. Printed matter and samples of merchandise may be combined in a single mail article, on condition that the samples do not exceed 18 ounces in weight (16 ounces in the case of Canada and Mexico) and that the total weight of the mail article does not exceed 6 pounds 9 ounces. The dimensions must conform to those prescribed for letter mail (see § 222.1(c)). (b) Rates. The rates for surface transmission are 4 cents for the first 2 ounces and 2 cents for each additional ounce, with a minimum of 10 cents, to Canada and Mexico, and 5 cents for the first 2 ounces and 3 cents for each additional 2 ounces or fraction, with a minimum of 12 cents, to countries other than Canada and Mexico. For air transmission, AO (other articles) air rates apply (see individual country items in the appendix of this Subchapter c). (c) Preparation and marking. Envelopes or packages mailed as grouped articles must not be sealed. Senders must mark the address side of the envelope or package "Grouped Article." The post office of mailing will postmark postal union mail. § 223.2 Shortpaid and unpaid. (a) At mailing office or sectional center. Check carefully all locally mailed articles and mail received at sectional centers from associated offices for postage payment before it is dispatched. Return shortpaid and unpaid articles to the sender for deficient postage, using stock rubber stamp R-1300-230. The following exceptions apply: (i) Special delivery. Dispatch to appropriate exchange office, unless deficiency can be obtained without delaying the article. (ii) Letter mail and post cards with return address at an office other than the mailing office. Dispatch to the appropriate exchange office, unless the articles (a) can be returned to the office shown in the return address by the next business day; or (b) are paid at domestic rates; or (c) are totally unpaid. (iii) Articles without return address. Send letter mail and post cards to appropriate exchange office. Send other articles to proper dead letter branch. (iv) Mail for Canada. When quantity mailings of 10 or more pieces from the same sender are received return them for the deficiency or arrange that the postage charges be adjusted before the mail is dispatched. Otherwise, endorse articles to show that postage due charges are to be collected from the addressee, as follows, and dispatch to appropriate exchange office: (a) Double the amount of the deficient postage on ordinary (unregistered) letter mail and post cards. (b) The actual amount of the deficiency on ordinary other articles and on all registered mail. (b) Dispatch to exchange office or dead letter branch. When shortpaid or unpaid mail is dispatched to exchange offices or to dead letter branches pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section, apply stock rubber stamp R-1300-4, "Postage Due Cents," but do not indicate the amount of shortpayment, except as provided in § 223.2(a) (iv) for mail addressed to Canada. Dispatch to exchange offices by surface means when surface mail is involved and by air when airmail is involved. (c) In transit to dispatching exchange offices. Except as provided in paragraph (a) of this section, no check shall be made for postage deficiencies, but any articles seen to be paid at domestic postage rates (except special delivery) or to be totally unpaid shall be returned. Endorse "Returned for additional postage" or "Returned for postage." Do not return if the senders are in Alaska, Hawaii, or an overseas territory or possession and the articles are seen after arrival in continental United States, or vice versa; allow them to go forward to the dispatching 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 of this chapter, 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 paragraph (b) of this section 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 ad dressed 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 for warded 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 subparagraph (1) (i) of this paragraph. (a) Customs clearance and delivery fees. (1) Post offices will collect a fee of 13 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 revenue tax is collected, the fee is 33 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 postagedue 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 amount is accounted for by affixing and canceling postage due stamps, and is retained by the postal service. 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 dutiable 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 deadletter branch, 10 cents. (4) From the sender of a undeliverable insufficiently prepaid article, the deficient postage that should have been collected from the addressee. (5) Any other charge indicated by the exchange office. § 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 paye," "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. (1) (a) Within the United States. 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), (2), and (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 the change of address occurs, the post office of original address will send a complete copy, with a |