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Yes. USPS reversed its brief suspension on February 5, 2025, and said it would continue accepting inbound mail and packages from China and Hong Kong. That decision concerned postal acceptance—not whether packages are duty-free. Under current U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) rules, ordinary merchandise arriving through the international postal network is subject to a new entry process, and the former $800 administrative de minimis exemption for such merchandise is suspended.
What changed in the USPS policy?
On February 4, 2025, USPS announced a temporary halt to inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong. The halt did not include letters and flats. The next day, USPS reversed course. In a statement reproduced by the Associated Press, USPS said it would “continue accepting all international inbound mail and packages from China and Hong Kong.” AP’s report on the reversal
The reversal meant the short-lived parcel suspension did not remain in effect. USPS said it would work with CBP on a process for collecting applicable charges and avoiding delivery disruptions. That did not promise a delivery date for any particular shipment.
Can Temu or Shein orders still arrive?
The 2025 suspension put direct-from-China shipments associated with retailers including Temu and Shein at risk. USPS’s reversal covered inbound mail and packages from China and Hong Kong generally, rather than naming particular retailers. AP identified Temu and Shein among retailers potentially affected by the brief halt.
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That does not establish how a current order is being fulfilled. A retailer may use different carriers or routes; check the shipping information or tracking record for your order to see whether it is actually traveling from China or Hong Kong through the international postal network. The USPS acceptance announcement alone cannot confirm an individual package’s route, customs charges, or arrival date.
Does USPS acceptance mean the package is duty-free?
No. Postal acceptance and customs treatment are separate questions. USPS handles the mail; CBP sets the entry process and applicable customs rules. USPS’s February 2025 reversal said the agency would work with CBP on a collection process. Current CBP guidance describes a postal entry process for merchandise arriving through the international postal network.
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CBP says the former $800 administrative de minimis exemption for merchandise arriving through that network was indefinitely suspended in June 2026. The broader suspension of duty-free de minimis treatment for most imports, including international postal shipments, began under a July 30, 2025, White House order and was continued on February 20, 2026. White House order on the all-country suspension · CBP guidance on e-commerce and postal shipments
What does the $2,500 postal threshold mean?
CBP’s new postal informal entry process took effect July 24, 2026. It generally applies to eligible merchandise valued at $2,500 or less. That figure is an entry-process threshold, not a duty-free allowance: a shipment within it is not automatically exempt from duties, taxes, or fees. The amount, if any, assessed on an individual shipment depends on its circumstances; the available guidance does not establish a charge for a particular Temu or Shein order. CBP’s postal entry guidance
Which exceptions remain?
CBP says the rule does not change qualifying bona fide gift exemptions or the exemption for certain personal or household articles accompanying travelers. These are separate statutory categories, not a general exemption for low-value retail purchases. An ordinary online order should not be treated as exempt merely because it is inexpensive or described informally as a gift. CBP guidance on exemptions and postal merchandise
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USPS acceptance and customs rules at a glance
| Question | What the available guidance establishes |
|---|---|
| Will USPS accept inbound mail and packages from China and Hong Kong? | USPS said it would continue accepting them in its February 5, 2025 reversal, as reported by AP. |
| Does acceptance make ordinary merchandise duty-free? | No. CBP says the former $800 administrative de minimis exemption for merchandise through the international postal network is indefinitely suspended. |
| What is the $2,500 figure? | The general value threshold for eligibility for the postal informal entry process that took effect July 24, 2026—not a duty-free threshold. |
| Does this determine a particular order’s route, charge, or arrival date? | No. Check the retailer’s shipping information or package tracking; the general policy does not establish an individual shipment’s details. |
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