Only packages less than $100 will be sent right now.
Postal services around the world have suspended shipments to the U.S. due to uncertainty about new regulations on tariffs. Australia, Denmark, India, Japan, Sweden, the U.K., Germany, Italy, France, and Austria are among the countries pausing some or all deliveries until they determine how customs duties will be collected.
Related: How Will Tariffs Affect Duty-Free Shopping?
No More De Minimus Exemption
In July, President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending the duty-free de minimis exemption for parcels valued at less than $800. The policy previously allowed packages under that threshold to enter the U.S. without import duties, a benefit many American shoppers enjoyed.
The order cited abuse of the exemption, illegal smuggling of illicit drugs, and financial losses to American businesses. The exemption ended in May for Chinese goods, which make up more than half of de minimis shipments, largely driven by retailers Temu and Shein. Now, countries worldwide will be subject to import duties.
Starting Aug. 29, items valued above $100 shipped to the U.S. will be charged $80 to $200, depending on the tariff imposed on the country of origin. The sender must pay duties before the item arrives in the U.S. With logistics still unclear, postal services are uncertain about who will pay the import duty and how.
German shipping company DHL said that letters and gifts from individuals to individuals under $100 are not affected, but business parcels to the U.S. are suspended. “Key questions remain unresolved, particularly regarding how and by whom customs duties will be collected in the future, what additional data will be required, and how the data transmission to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be carried out.”
Continue Reading Article After Our Video
Recommended Fodor’s Video
Related: A Running List of Countries Issuing U.S. Travel Advisories
Several European countries announced that they are temporarily halting postal services to the U.S. before the new policy takes effect. Austria, Denmark, France, the U.K., Italy, Sweden, and the Netherlands stopped packages ahead of the deadline to ensure delivery in time. Austrian Post said exports to the U.S. are suspended because there is insufficient information on the customs clearance process.
PostEurop said it is closely monitoring developments and working on solutions. The association noted that critical details were not released until Aug. 15, leaving little time to prepare for the new guidelines. The group, which represents 53 members in 51 European countries, may be forced to suspend operations to the U.S. if no solution is found before Aug. 29.
In the Asia-Pacific region, similar concerns are being raised in New Zealand, Australia, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, and India. Taiwan’s national postal service, Chunghwa Post, announced it was suspending services on Aug. 26. “Currently, Chunghwa Post has not yet established a service for collecting duties from senders in advance, nor have the airlines set up mechanisms to pay U.S. duties on behalf of senders.”
The change is a blow to small businesses and American shoppers. According to the White House, Customs and Border Protection processed more than 4 million de minimis packages per day, and in 2024, over 1.36 billion such shipments entered the U.S. Consumers may now see additional customs duty charges when purchasing products internationally.