I went to mail a care package on Saturday morning, and I had to fill out my customs form at the post office because I had run out at home (don't you hate that?). Well, when I put my box on the counter and asked for the form, the lady told me that the post office is moving towards doing all customs forms online. They apparently just started this push recently. Obviously we all have regular computer access, but what about those who don't? Has anyone else heard this from their post office people as well? She gave me  a little booklet, so to speak, that apparently tells me how to fill this thing out online. I haven't checked it out. Anyone fill out all of their customs forms online? Am I just behind the times?

~Amy

All I can say is - UGH - that just stinks, especially this year with all the thundershowers we have had when I can't have our desktop computers on.  I have packed up several packages when I had no electricity or else it was lightning and couldn't use the computer, so it is like not having one. 

Hi Amy!  I fill out my customs forms online.  I am new to this, and so far I've sent about 15 or so packages.  I have no idea if they have reached their destination or not- so hard to send on faith, since every PO clerk has a different story as far as how to send.  The one thing I do have to say, if you do your forms on-line, stock up heavily on black printer ink.  I used a whole cartridge on those 15 or so packages.

One thing I'd like to know- the clerks at the PO tell me the packages will reach their US destination in 2-3 days when sent priority mail.  I called the big 800 number when I couldn't track a package, and the rep on the phone said that is not true.  She said military mail is different, and usually takes about 10-14 days to reach the APO/AE site in the States.  If that is the case, why are we paying for priority mail?

Back to subject, I do like the convenience of using the online forms.  I weigh the package first, print out a click and ship label (postage paid on-line), then fill out the customs forms, including 'total postage'.  Then I schedule a pick-up from my carrier (free with priority mail), completely avoiding the hastle of going to the PO.  Interesting enough, it's the packages picked up by my carrier that I HAVE been able to track, and the ones I took to the PO I have NOT been able to track. Schezz!

I had to order the customs envelopes on-line, PS Form 2976E.  I only wish I could tell you my packages made it to the destination, but I have no idea!  Good luck!

 

 

I really don't like the idea of this being forced on people. I already spend enough money on paper and ink to write all of my letters. And now I might have to spend more so that I can do my customs forms as well. I don't mind so much the time and effort it takes to fill out the forms. It is their paper and it is free. It does not cost that much for an ink pen. What will happen next? Will we have to start paying for the FRB's as well?

AND recently the customs forms site was down and I couldn't fill them out online.  I had to do them by hand and the PO clerk was NOT happy.  My Dad took the package for me and she charged him the difference detween the online postage and the in store postage saying that I did not have enough postage on the bos (a flat rate box for pete's sake)...$0.45 per box!!!  Why, I have no idea.  he did not know better, believed her and paid it. 

Well, I complained online and they said I was wrong...I fired back with their own link to rates and they very humbly said I should present the slip to the very same postmaster that had just addressed the situation with the employee and determined I was not due a refund...

I went the next day and got my refund.  Sheez.  

OK, my pooint in all that is if they don't even know their own rates, how do they know about the forms??? While they may encourage online forms, they can't require it due to the lack of computer access and printing capability for some people.  Imagine the ACLU getting that one?  BUT, they can make it more difficult to use the handwritten forms...

 

Question on Customs forms printed from online form - what kind of printer these days will print thru all 6 copies of the customs forms?

Most printers today are inkjet or laser not contact printers.  So how do those of you who print online get all copies of the Customs forms to print?

Our dot matrix printer fell apart yrs ago.

Ann

 

It prints the same page 6 times.  I tried the online forms once.  Just once.  My toner cartridges are $100 apiece.  No thank you USPS.  My hand and an ink pen work just fine.

My guess would be that since the USPS is operating in the red, and usually is, that they might be trying to put the cost of the customs forms on the public rather than having to pay for the printing cost themselves.  Besides that, they may be trying to go more "green" by getting rid of the toxic carbon forms.

The new customs forms have reached my small town post office. I will be filling out my first one this weekend....should be interesting. I asked the PO worker if I could use general descriptions(snacks, etc) and he said yes but maybe list the specifics in parentheses next to the main category. I already had a box started, but I will re-arrange to get more of one item in a box instead of a large variety as I usually do. I also got some of the smaller $4.95 FRBs. Maybe I'll do more of those vs the larger ones until I get a lot of one or 2 items to fill up a larger box. It should be an interesting weekend as I get used to the new system!

http://www.skipcares.org/Tips/customsform.php

I was just looking through old posts in this thread and found the above link in one of Gran's posts.....It gives great instructions and helps you get around the 4-line description trouble....hope it is accurate!

I just realized I wrote the last 2 messages on the "online customs forms" thread and not the "new customs forms" in general thread....sorry for the goof, but maybe someone will get some good out of my posts!!

I printed out my first Customs Form online today.  It took 20+ minutes and printed out 5 pages--that's 5 pieces of paper and lots of toner from ink cartridge AND that's just for 5 items (very condensed version of what's actually in box!).  I cannot imagine what they were thinking when they created this mess.  We ship 50+ boxes / month.  There is no way we can pay for all this and what we ship too.  I have already written to any congressperson whose address I could get and the White House, etc.   We need to create havoc here.  What can we do?  Any suggestions?  Can we get the media involved?  Anyone have any clout?  This initiates from the Customs Office.  The Post Office is just as upset as we are.  Why don't THEY do something???

P.S.  I tried printing a label and they don't have that ability for FPO/APO.  

 

Those lovely computer forms have hit our post office too! I'm SO confused and the post office was no help. Although maybe the post lady didn't feel like putting all that info into the computer today, because she didn't, but the guy behind me sent a box overseas {not APO} and he had to do the computer form and it took forever. So they are not even being consistent! My questions are what if my scale is different from theirs, I'm mean its flat rate if I'm off a pound or 2 will they send it back? The custom form says you can enter 3 items for the custom form {not sure why that is different than the paper form which lets me do 4 items}!! So I try to do 3 items, but its only letting me do 1. So that's no good. And I'm doing all their work for them and my discount is .45!!! Are you kidding me. It should be a lot more. If I print out the label and the forms and put the info in the sleeve it should be A LOT more than that. I'm going to scrounge up the $ to send another one tomorrow and re-evaluate my situation. I love this program, but the post office has is making this difficult! I really don't see new people going through all this trouble, the boxes, packing and old custom forms were daunting enough for, this is CRAZY! Anybody found a trick to all this I'd love to know or I'll just have to go to the post office early and wait for the clerk to do the form~ so, so silly :(

Are you saying that your post office requires you to fill out the forms online?  And to weigh each item?  Why do we need the post office then? 

This doesn't make sense.  You can go to the USPS website and they will send you, free of charge, all of the shipping supplies you need.  Boxes, customs forms, all of it.  If the post office was going to require online fill out of their blasted forms, I can't believe they would still provide them free of charge to us.

 I do know that some of the post offices have to fill in all of the information we provide into their computer system.  Fortunately, I'm in rural Oklahoma and it hasn't gotten here yet.