On March 15th, CBP issues a new Interim Final Rule (IFR) that now mandates information and data to be processed electronically in advance (AED) for international mail shipments. The reasons for this are clear; dangerous products, including synthetic opioids, could be shipped to the U.S. without the proper knowledge and advanced scrutiny. The current paper process makes it very difficult for CBP to target packages containing illegal goods, using mostly inspections with little data or advanced notification.

Existing AED requirements did not concern mail-only shipments. The STOP act passed by congress in 2018 supports the AED system with mail shipments. It requires the United States Postal Office to present an AED when dealing with mail shipments.

To learn more about the restrictions and requirements about the AED click here.

CBP will be allowing for a 12-month transition period for USPS to adjust to the new requirements.