3220-004 Manifesting of International Mail by Air Carriers

Published CBP guidance; operative status and applicability must be assessed from the retained publisher edition.

CUSTOMS DIRECTIVE
ORIGINATING OFFICE: OR&R DISTRIBUTION: S-01
CUSTOMS DIRECTIVE NO. 3220-004
DATE: DECEMBER 16, 1 999
SUPERSEDES:
REVIEW DATE: DECEMBER 2001
SUBJECT: MANIFESTING OF INTERNATIONAL MAIL BY AIR
CARRIERS
1 PURPOSE. To provide requirements for the manifesting of international mail
shipments via air carrier.
2 POLICY. The references and procedures outlined in this directive will be
followed to ensure consist ency and uniformity in this applica tion.
3 AUTHORITIES/REFERENCES. 19 CFR 145, 19 CFR 122
4 RESPONSIBILITIES.
4.1 The Directors, Field Operations, Customs Management Centers, are to ensure
implementation of this directive.
4.2 Port Directors will ensu re local proce dures acc ommodate these guidelines.
4.3 Port Directors will distribute this information through routine trade notification
practices (i.e., information notices, trade notices, etc.).
5 PROCEDURES. The following procedures will be followed to ensure compliance
with this application.
5.1 As of April 1, 1999, all international mail shipments destined for the U.S. are
required to be manifested regardless of method of transportation.
5.2 Non-automated carriers will prese nt a manifest for mail shipments to the local
port. Billing documents that accompany international mail shipments may be used as
the manifest as long as the documentation contains the required information (see 5.4).
Mail must be referenced as such on the paper manifest (CF 7509).
5.3 Automated carriers are required to build an air waybill for mail shipments and
transmit this electronically. Automated carriers are not required to provide related U.S.
Postal Service (USPS) forms AV-7 or CN-38 (Delivery Bills) to Customs but are
required to prese nt them to the U.S. Postal Service facility. Electronic transmissions

should include a request for local transfer to the international mail facility’s firms code
(Attachment 1).
5.4 Mail manifest information must include at a minimum, country of origin, total
number of mail bags/containers, total weight of mail bags/containers, and the final
destination of the mail shipment. Non-automated carriers may submit USPS AV-7s or
CN-38s in lieu of manifesting the above information on the paper manifest. Automated
carriers will show in the description field, description of merchandise (mail) and the total
number of containers (igloos) plus loose bags. Country of origin should be the
centralized post office from which the mail was delivered to the carrier. The address
field should be utilized to include the 2 alpha ISO country codes from where the mail
was received at the centralized post office. Destination will be the post al service in the
U.S. with corresponding address in the consignee field (Attachments 2 & 3).
5.5 Automated movements of mail in-bond must reflect a local transfer to the
international mail facility at the port of destination.
5.6 In the event that the automated carrier cannot transmit mail information
electronically, the carrier may present USPS AV-7s or CN-38s in lieu of the electronic
air waybill (see 5.7, 5.8).
5.7 Automated carriers have 90 days from the date of this directive to program their
systems to comply with the above requirements. Field personnel will not initiate penalty
action for failure to meet the above requirements until the 90 day grace period has
expired.
5.8 Exceptions may be made on a case by case basis, to be determined by the local
ports. A completion date for system adjustments by the automated carrier is required
on all exceptions.
5.9 Ports are reminded that total electronic processing is a priority of cargo
operations and every effort should be made to ensure proper electronic filing by
carriers.
6 MEASURES.
6.1 Directors, Field Operations are to ensure all ports under their j urisdicti ons are in
compliance with this directive. An evaluation and audit of each port should be
undertaken at the end of the grace period to determine compliance rate with this
directive. The CMC will be responsible for verifying that ports perform annual audits
regarding mail manifest ing.
6.2 Port Directors will ensure compliance with this directive by all carriers via audit of
Air Automated Manifest System records and paper manifest records at the end of the
grace period. Subsequent audits should be performed at a minimum, annually, to
ensure continued compliance.

Assistant Commissioner
Office of Field Operations