The Department of Posts has issued new guidelines. These guidelines are about refund of postage charges for International Mail Articles. This blog explains everything in simple words. This update is useful for postal employees, customers, and everyone tracking India Post notifications and India Post latest news.
What Is This Notice About?
The Department of Posts (DA Section), Ministry of Communications, has issued an Office Memorandum. This memorandum is numbered DA-26/3/2020-DA, dated 16.07.2026.
The subject of this memorandum is clear:
- It provides guidelines for refund of postage charges in respect of International Mail Articles.
- These guidelines were needed because Circles and Foreign Post Offices (FPOs) had raised concerns about refund cases where conveyance service could not be provided by India Post.
Legal Basis of These Guidelines
These guidelines are issued in pursuance of Clause 119(2) and 119A(5), Chapter IV of the Post Office Regulations, 2024. Refund of postage is admissible in three main situations, explained below.
Case A: Recall of Article by Sender
If a sender wants to recall an International Mail Article, here is how it works:
- The sender can recall the article before Customs assessment/examination by submitting a written request at the booking Post Office.
- If the article has already reached Customs, the FPO/SFPO will request termination of export and return of the article.
- No recall fee will be charged in either case.
- However, only 70% of the postage paid will be refunded.
Case B: Non-Transmission of Articles
Sometimes, the Department cannot send the article to the destination country for reasons not caused by the sender. Here is how refund works in different situations:
(i) Suspension of Services
100% postage will be refunded, and return postage due will be waived, in situations like:
- Natural disasters, war, civil unrest, emergency situations, strikes, blockades, or sabotage
- Suspension or disruption of airline or transit services due to operational, technical, logistical, weather, or force majeure conditions
- Policy or regulatory restrictions at origin, transit, or destination
- Suspension of transit services by a transit country due to force majeure conditions
(ii) Return by Indian Customs or Security Agencies
If articles are returned by Indian Customs, Security Agencies, or Terminal Operators after X-ray screening, due to reasons like non-airworthiness or incomplete documentation, only 50% of postage will be refunded.
(iii) Return Due to No Response from Sender
If the sender does not respond to a query from Customs or security agencies for more than 3 months, the article will be returned to the sender without any refund of postage.
(iv) Loss or Damage of Article
Cases of loss or damage during transit are settled separately, as per existing compensation provisions and SOP issued by the Department.
Case C: Return of Article by Destination Country
This case covers situations where the destination country returns the article. Here is a simple breakdown:
- No refund if the return happens due to incorrect or incomplete information given by the sender (like wrong address, weight, HS Code, or ZIP code).
- 100% refund if the return is due to incorrect ITMATT details caused by errors made by Counter staff. In this case, the postage cost may be recovered from the concerned Counter staff and supervisor.
- 100% refund if the return is due to technical faults in the Department’s own system. No recovery is made from staff in this case.
- 50% refund if an oversized or overweight article is returned, and the Counter staff failed to measure it properly before accepting it.
- Full refund if the article is returned due to a missing CN22/CN23 form, based on the outcome of an inquiry.
- If the destination postal administration confirms the return was caused by their own system issues, the sender can choose to have the article re-dispatched, or get a full refund with waived return postage charges.
Cases Where No Refund Is Given
Refund of postage is not admissible, and return charges may also be recovered from the sender, in these situations:
- Incorrect or incomplete information was given by the sender.
- The article is returned after import termination due to prohibited/restricted goods or incomplete documentation.
- The article is returned because the addressee refused it or has moved.
General Principles for Refund
- GST paid by the sender will be refunded proportionately along with the postage refund.
- Any deduction in refund represents operational and handling charges of the Department.
- No incentive, commission, or discount will be given on articles found eligible for refund.
- These guidelines apply to all International Parcel, EMS, ITPS, and Registered Letter articles.
Who Approves the Refund?
- The Head of Postal/RMS Division or Head of the FPO, having jurisdiction over the booking office, is the Competent Authority for sanctioning refund and waiver of return postage charges.
- In cases involving staff lapses, responsibility and recovery will be decided by the same Competent Authority after examining the facts.
- Recovery from foreign postal administrations, wherever applicable, will be pursued by the mapped FPO/OE, in coordination with the DA Section and DAA Section, as per UPU regulations.
Applicability of These Guidelines
- These guidelines apply to all shipments with a booking date of 01.04.2025 or later.
- These guidelines should be read along with the Post Office Regulations, 2024, and other instructions issued from time to time.
- CEPT has been asked to build the required technical development in APT 2.0 to automate this refund process.
This memorandum has been issued with the approval of DGPS and is signed by Himanshu Chaudhary, ADG (IR).
Quick Summary Table
| Case | Refund Percentage |
|---|---|
| Recall by sender before Customs | 70% |
| Suspension of services (disasters, war, strikes, etc.) | 100% |
| Return by Customs/Security agencies (X-ray screening) | 50% |
| No response from sender for 3+ months | 0% (no refund) |
| Return due to Counter staff error (ITMATT) | 100% |
| Return due to Department’s technical fault | 100% |
| Return due to oversize/overweight, staff error | 50% |
| Return due to missing CN22/CN23 form | Based on inquiry, up to full postage |
| Return due to destination country’s system error | 100% |
| Incorrect/incomplete sender information | 0% (no refund) |
Why This Update Is Useful for India Post Exam Aspirants
If you are preparing for GDS to MTS exam, MTS to PA exam, Postman to PA exam, or any India Post departmental exam, this update is useful because:
- It is a good example of India Post current affairs and departmental circular knowledge, often tested in general awareness sections.
- It helps you understand India Post’s International Relations & Global Business (IR&GB) vertical better.
- It shows how postal regulations and customer service rules work together in real operations.
Final Words
The Department of Posts has issued clear and detailed guidelines for refund of postage charges on International Mail Articles. These guidelines classify refund percentages based on the reason for return, and clearly define staff responsibility in error cases. Postal employees and customers should follow these guidelines carefully for all shipments booked on or after 01.04.2025.