Memo #
32361

US Postal Service Has Temporarily Suspended International Mail Services to Several Countries
| Print

[32361]

April 6, 2020 TO: ICI Members
Operations Committee
Small Funds Committee
TAAC Abandoned Property Task Force
Transfer Agent Advisory Committee SUBJECTS: Abandoned Property and Escheatment
Compliance
Disclosure
Operations
Technology & Business Continuity
Transfer Agency RE: US Postal Service Has Temporarily Suspended International Mail Services to Several Countries

 

On Friday, April 3, 2020, the US Postal Service announced that various international postal operators can no longer process or deliver mail originating from the US due to COVID-19-related service disruptions. Therefore, the US Post Office will not be accepting any mail destined for any of the affected countries until mail service resumes in those countries. Any mail already in flight to the affected countries will be returned to the sender. The notice is available at https://www.usps.com/international/mail-shipping-services.htm#countries (scroll down to the “Temporary Service Suspensions” section).

ICI will be discussing this issue with the SEC and will provide any updates as they come.

We recommend that funds/transfer agents review their shareholder base to determine if any shareholders reside in the affected countries. Funds/transfer agents may also want to review their escheatment procedures to ensure that any accounts in the affected countries do not get caught up inadvertently in the escheatment/lost shareholder process while mail delivery is suspended.

The countries currently affected include (Note: It is expected that more countries will be added to this list as early as Tuesday, so please check the US Post Office website regularly for updates):

  • Bolivia
  • Botswana
  • Cayman Islands
  • Chad
  • Ecuador
  • Fiji
  • French Polynesia
  • Honduras
  • India
  • Kuwait
  • Libya
  • Madagascar
  • Maldives
  • Mongolia
  • New Caledonia
  • Panama
  • Peru
  • Samoa
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • Zimbabwe

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

 

Joanne Kane
Senior Director, Operations & Transfer Agency