Modification of the Test of the New Electronic Informal Entry Process for Mail

This is a procedural trade measure, not necessarily a new duty rate. It modifies a test of how certain imported merchandise sent through the mail may be presented and processed electronically as an informal entry. An “informal entry” is a simplified customs entry generally used for qualifying shipments that do not require the full formal-entry process. The test may change data requirements, filing methods, eligibility, or how participating agencies and postal operators exchange information.

It typically affects businesses importing goods through international mail, as well as their customs brokers, postal operators, and fulfillment providers. The measure matters because incorrect or incomplete electronic data can delay delivery, trigger requests for more information, affect admissibility screening, or prevent a shipment from using the intended entry process. The measure’s procedures do not replace the importer’s responsibility to provide accurate merchandise descriptions, tariff classification, country of origin, value, and any required agency information.

What to check

• Confirm whether the shipment travels through international mail or another transport channel, and identify the party responsible for the electronic entry data.
• Check the measure’s eligibility rules and any stated product, shipment, importer, or participant limitations before relying on the informal-entry process.
• Verify the tariff classification, country of origin, customs value, and merchandise description used in the electronic data; do not use vague descriptions such as “gift” or “parts.”
• Determine whether the product is subject to other government-agency requirements, such as permits, labeling, or admissibility filings, because an electronic mail-entry test may not waive them.
• Ask the postal operator, carrier, or customs broker how corrections, rejected data, duties, taxes, and recordkeeping are handled, and obtain professional customs advice when eligibility or classification is uncertain.