When mailing a letter to the US becomes a global headache

When mailing a letter to the US becomes a global headache

What used to be a normal trip to the post office is now a costly dilemma for people all over the world. Brian West, a retired restaurateur in Chiang Mai, Thailand, assumed that sending documents for his renewal of a New York driver's license would be simple. However, he was informed by Thailand Post that his documents would not be accepted to be sent to the United States. The postal service, as most other services across the globe, has halted mail sent to the United States after President Trump suspended duty exemptions for low-value imports. If the suspension is not soon removed, West will have to pay around $50 to have his application shipped by a private carrier like FedEx or UPS, the New York Times said.

From bookplates in Britain to candy in Virginia

The disruption is not isolated to Asia. In rural England, author Adam Christopher tried to send signed bookplates for his upcoming novel to his US publisher but was refused service by the post office in his village. His only other choice was an upscale courier company an hour's drive away from home. In Virginia in the meantime, candy store owner Tonya Kemp has been told by European and Canadian wholesalers that they won't ship her best sellers—like British Jelly Babies and Canadian Kit Kats—until the new system is resolved. She fears raised prices will cause her to think about cancelling imports altogether, asking out loud where customers cut back on premium-priced chocolate bars.

Even in the Philippines, early Christmas gift packages called "balikbayan boxes" are not immune to the confusion. Families typically send boxes of food, clothes, and sweets for families in the US, all of them below the old $800 exemption. Filipino officials have now threatened that the recipients would be charged additional taxes of $80 to $200 per package. For most foreign immigrant families, the habit will continue but will cost their US-based relatives receiving the packages.

Small businesses in the crosshairs

For small businessmen, the impact could be even more serious. In Baguio, Philippines, Giovanni Castro runs Tinkerboy, a minuscule online store selling adapters to connect vintage gaming systems to modern computers. Ninety percent of his business is from the United States, most for less than $50. With the local post office suspending deliveries to America, Castro has let his customers know that he can no longer offer delivery guarantees. If duties are too expensive, he fears that his business model will not work anymore.

A policy designed to discourage low-cost imports

The outcry is the result of Trump's administration adopting a policy closing out the so-called de minimis exemption under which Americans would not have to pay customs duties on packages with a value below $800. The practice had been the norm among Chinese e-commerce giants like Shein and Temu to flood the US market with low-cost goods. Sealing the loophole, the administration said that it would end smuggling, increase tariff revenues, and offer US companies more level competition. But the ripple effects have run far wider than China, having people, families, and small firms around the world scrambling to find workarounds.

A global ripple effect still unfolding

For now, most postal operations stand firm that their suspensions are short-term as they transition to new US rules requiring foreign posts to ascertain and remit duties upfront. But no specific deadline has been set for when normal mail service is to resume. In the meantime, regular mail—from official correspondence to sweet treats and gifts—hangs in the balance. As author Adam Christopher concisely stated, the problem may appear inconsequential in itself, but when multiplied over a thousand people around the world, the impact is enormous. Something that had been a smooth global connection by the post now lies as a casualty of US trade policy adjustment.