Official mail (sent by federal agencies and departments listed in Postal Service Handbook DM–103, Official Mail) that bears the indicia prescribed in DMM 703 may be sent to foreign destinations. Such items are subject to the postage payment requirements, weight and size limits, customs form requirements, and general conditions for mailing that otherwise apply to the class and category of the international mail being sent.
International mailpieces that are sent by or on behalf of the U.S. Postal Service must bear the prescribed G-10 permit indicia. Postal Service official mail is subject to all restrictions (e.g., maximum size and weight limits) as defined in the Individual Country Listings for the destination country of mailing.
All nonpolitical mail of former United States Presidents, and of the surviving spouse of a former President, must be accepted without prepayment of postage if it bears the written signature of the sender, or a facsimile signature and the words “POSTAGE AND FEES PAID” in the upper–right corner of the address side.
The following standards apply when mail is sent as OAS General Secretariat official mail:
- Only unregistered or registered First-Class Mail International and First-Class Package International Service items bearing the return address of the OAS General Secretariat and weighing not more than 4 pounds are accepted without postage when addressed to the OAS member countries listed in 142.4b. Items in all other mail classes must be prepaid by the mailer.
- The following countries are members of the Organization of American States (OAS):
Only unregistered First-Class Mail International and First-Class Package International Service items bearing the return address of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau and weighing not more than 4 pounds are accepted without postage affixed when addressed to an OAS member country listed in 142.4b or to Cuba. Registered First-Class Mail International and First-Class Package International Service items, as well as items in all other mail classes, must be prepaid by the mailer.