After weeks of confusion and mixed messages to Americans in France, La Poste has clarified the rules for mailing letters and documents to the US.
The rules on sending packages from France to the US saw a major upheaval last year after the American government changed the tariffs on parcels.
Letters and documents were supposed to remain unchanged – but in recent weeks more and more Americans in France have been told by La Poste staff that it is not possible to send any type of mail to the US.
This includes important documents like tax returns and voter registration documents.
The Local contacted La Poste for clarification and were told: “There seems to be some confusion. It is still possible to send documents by mail.”
However the representative clarified that the franking services for letters/documents to the US are currently not available.
That means that the in-branch machines, and the la poste online service, cannot be used to send documents to the US – all requests must be made in person at the counter of the post office.
Letters/documents can be sent either;
- Franked with the purple international posting stamp
- With stamps, up to the correct amount of postage
- Via Lettres Recommandées Internationales (international tracked mail).
The standard ‘suivi‘ (tracked) mail service is not available.
When it comes to packages, the situation is more complicated, due to the US government changes, including scrapping the ‘de minimus’ exemption – find full details HERE.
