This article is up to date as of April 14, 2020. We will update as we are able, but for the most recent information, please visit usps.com.
Can I send or receive mail to another country?
International mail is still coming into the country without interruptions. However, several countries around the world have suspended international mail from entering due to an inability to process and deliver mail; a full list of the countries affected by temporary service suspensions is available on the USPS website here.
The USPS notes: “Please do not attempt to send an item addressed to any of the affected countries. If you do, the item will be returned to you.”
The most recent update, from April 10, 2020, reads as follows: “The Postal Service will temporarily suspend international mail acceptance to destinations where air and sea transportation is unavailable due to widespread cancellations and restrictions into the area. Customers are asked to refrain from mailing items addressed to any of the following countries, until further notice.” See the list here.
Please regularly check the USPS Service alerts; many countries’ status changes daily.
To APS members in the affected countries; please note that our mailer will hold your print copies of The American Philatelist and Philatelic Literature Review until such a time that the international mail service suspensions have been lifted. Thank you for your patience.
Is my local post office still open? Will I continue to receive mail?
The USPS keeps an updated list of regional post office closures due to COVID-19, organized by state. See the list of Service Alerts here to see if your community will be affected.
The USPS offers many ways for customers to continue sending and receiving mail safely. For example, you can order postage and shipping supplies online, learn about your local post office’s hours of operation and updates online, schedule a specific time for package pick-up, and more.
My business involves sending and receiving mail and packages? What should I do?
For businesses with mail operations that are affected by COVID-19, the USPS encourages you to reach out to your local post office representative. Read the full FAQ here.
Can I mail my mom my extra hand sanitizer?
Technically, yes. But hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes with alcohol content are flammable, and therefore strictly handled as hazardous materal (HAZMAT) by the USPS. The shipping of this material is limited to surface transportation-only – and cannot be mailed internationally or to APO/FPO/DPO military destinations. In order to ship this material, you must use USPS Retail Ground, Parcel Select, or Parcel Select Lightweight. These services are only available through your local post office branch.
I’m supposed to update my passport. What should I do?
As of March 25, 2020, the USPS is conducting passport application services through appointment only. In late March, the Department of State advised that regular passport delivery times may be delayed. Additionally, expedited passport application processing services are not being offered unless a life or death emergency exists. Regular passport applications are still accepted.
Learn more here.