CATEGORIES OF FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES

1. CATEGORIES OF FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES LETTER POST LETTERS L.C. POSTCARDS (Lettres et Cartes) PRINTER PAPERS (INCLUDING BOOKS & REGISTERED NEWSPAPERS) A.O. d) SMALL PACKETS (AutresObjets) e) LITERATURE FOR THE BLIND PARCEL POST MONEY ORDERS

2. CATEGORIES OF FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES LETTERS: (Maximum weight 2 Kgs.) Should not contain i) any other letter, note or document having the character of current & personal correspondence, exchanged between person other than the sender & the addressee of article or persons living with them. ii) articles liable to customs duty except those addressed to the countries which allow inclusion of dutiable articles in letters. (Clause 24 PO Guide Part II)

3. CATEGORIES OF FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES LETTERS: INFRINGEMENT OF CONDITIONS: Outward articles: Returned to Sender treating as unpaid letter. Double the deficiency to be collected. Inward articles: Double the postage at the international rates from the addressee before delivery. (Clause 24 PO Guide Part II)

4. FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES POST CARDS: - Air mail Postcards issued by POs. - For surface, inland/privately manufactured postcards with additional stamps may be used. - Superscribed as “Post Card” (except picture postcards) - No reply paid post card service (except for bhutan, bangladesh & nepal) (Clause 30 PO Guide Part II)

5. FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES POST CARDS: - Right hand half of the front should be reserved for address of receipant - No attachment of samples of merchandise or similar articles. INFRINGEMENT: - Treated as Letters and taxed. (Clause 32 PO Guide Part II)

6. FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES PRINTED PAPERS: (MAX WT. 2 Kgs. printed papers having books & pamphlets – 5 kgs) - Similar to “Book Packet” in inland service. - items not admitted in “Book Packet” in inland post are not admitted as “Printed Papers” in foreign post. - Only 2 categories – - Ordinary printed papers - regd. Newspaper (conditions as inland post) (Clause 34/39 PO Guide Part II)

7. FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES PRINTED PAPERS: - paper obtained by means of typewriting, tracing, handwriting / films/sound & video recordings are not allowed. INFRINGEMENT: Returned to sender. If he wishes he may repost it by paying fresh full postage. (Clause 34/41 PO Guide Part II)

8. FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES BULK BAG SYSTEM - Available for despatch/receipt of special bags of printed papers to/from addressees/senders in foreign countries. - bags to be closed so as to enable the PO to inspect the contents. - weight not less than 5 kgs & not more than 30 kgs. - may be sent unregistered or registered (except few countries like argentina, cuba, peru, philippines & sri lanka) (Clause 43 of PO guide part II)

9. FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES SMALL PACKETS: (MAX WEIGHT 1 kgs.) - To transmit small quantities of goods, items of saleable value & samples of merchandise. - should not contain personal correspondence. INFRINGEMENT: Return to the sender charging double the deficiency for inland post. (Clause 49 PO Guide Part II)

10. FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES LITERATURE FOR THE BLIND : (MAX WEIGHT 7 kgs.) - should contain papers/periodicals/books impressed in “Braille” type for the use of blind. - should not contain inscriptions or documents in conventional - should be packed so as to enable quick & easy examination of the contents INFRINGEMENT: Return to the sender charged with inland letter or parcel postage. (Clause 51 to 56 PO Guide Part II)

11. FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES 2) PARCEL POST Maximum weight 20 kgs. - should be properly packed - should be accompanied with a despatch note / customs declaration completely filled in (Clause 113 to 118 PO Guide Part II)

12. FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES 2) PARCEL POST The other categories of parcels are: i) Express Parcel - Parcels to be delivered at the residence ii) Parcels free of charges: - Sender undertakes to pay the whole of the postal charges/other fees to which the parcel is subject to, at the time of delivery. (Rule 203 Foreign Post Manual )

13. FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES 2) PARCEL POST iii) Cash on Delivery parcel: Any parcel subject to a trade charge & covered by the agreement concerning cash on delivery items. iv) Fragile parcel: Parcel containing articles which are liable to break easily & which should be handled with great care (Rule 203 Foreign Post Manual)

14. FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES 2) PARCEL POST v) “Prisoner of War or Internee parcel” Parcel intended for or sent by prisoners. vi) Cumbersome parcel: Parcel whose dimensions exceed the prescrbed limit / which does not lend itself readily to load with other parcels / which require special precautions (Rule 203 Foreign Post Manual)

15. FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES 2) PARCEL POST vii) Service Parcel: Any parcel relating to postal service - India does not exchange express, fragile & cumbersome parcels with any administration. (Rule 203 Foreign Post Manual)

16. FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES 2) PARCEL POST PARCELS FOR PRISONERS OF WAR & INTERNEES: - They are exempt from postage. However, air surcharge is payable. - No compensation is payable in the event of loss, abstraction or damage. - should bear the superscription “Service des prisonniersed guerre” or “Service des internes” as the case may be - an indication should be in the despatch notes (Rule 208 Foreign Post Manual)

17. FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES 3) MONEY ORDER Foreign Money Order service from India to the countries to which the service available is TEMPORARILY UNDER SUSPENSION, except MYANMAR, NEPAL, BHUTAN. (Important note above Clause 129 of PO Guide Part II)