CATEGORIES

OF
FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES
1. LETTER POST
a)
b)
c)

LETTERS
POSTCARDS
PRINTER PAPERS (INCLUDING BOOKS
& REGISTERED NEWSPAPERS)
d) SMALL PACKETS
e)

LITERATURE FOR THE BLIND

2. PARCEL POST
3. MONEY ORDERS

L.C.
(Lettres et Cartes)
A.O.
(Autres Objets)

CATEGORIES
OF
FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES

a) 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)

CATEGORIES
OF
FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES
a) LETTERS:
INFRINGEMENT OF CONDITIONS:
Outward articles:

Inward articles:

Returned to Sender treating as

unpaid letter. Double the
deficiency to be collected.

Double the postage at the

international rates from the
addressee before delivery.
(Clause 24 PO Guide Part II)

FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES

b) 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)

FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES

b) 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)

FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES

c) 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)

FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES

c) 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)

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)

FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES

d)

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)

FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES

e)

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)

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)

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 )

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)