I was just informed by the US Post Office this weekend that they will no longer sell International Reply Coupons -- they will continue to redeem any that are still out there in limbo but will NOT issue more! This will be disappointing for many of us who use them for foreign family members. We found postage for many of the elderly overseas is a big issue but they seem offended if we pop money in the envelopes! So I lodged a polite complaint -- maybe some more of us could also consider letting the Post Office here in US know it is an appreciated service?
Bonnie
Are International Reply Coupons (IRCs) still available? Yes, the **SPAM** price is now $2.00 each. IRCs are exchangeable in any other UPU-member country for a stamp(s) representing the minimum postage for an unregistered air letter. --From the USPS website http://www.usps.com/ratecase/ratecase_faqs.htm#H9
Unless there's an error on the official site, IRCs are still available although only at larger facilities.
Biff
"Mintammicce impizzu mpizzu ca pue largu minne fazzu sule!"
Here in Scotland its only the Main Post Offices that that keep the International Reply Coupons, and as far as I understand it seems they are not required to keep them in stock. Suppose it all depends how often people ask to purchase them.
Nothing was said about them not being available any more but there is an expiry date on them - could this be what was being referred to?
Emmy
That was what I thought too Bill -- but the Post Office hauled out some paperwork that just took these away! I was NOT happy! I even asked again today and told them I was going to ask everyone to compalin (politely of course) and ask them to reconsider!
I'll check into this at my end. I know there have been some issues with IRC over the years and its been touch and go. The larger Canadian Post Offices were still **SPAM** them the last I heard but the smaller subs weren't.
I'll let you know what I find out to see if this is a North American thing or something just the United States is doing.
I was just told today by local Post Office that many folks have been asking -- the decision was that they will be raising price about 15 cents and redesigning slightly -- but they are going to sell them again after all! Why they were on website but locals were told no was confusing to say the least!
Bonnie
Bonnie..there have been so many different rumors about IRC that who knows what to believe anymore.
Thankfully (and personally) I have never used them. I have also taken the chance and written away for records with nothing. But what I have done is purchased stamps from Italy (from a friend who lives there) and have enclosed them in my requests. I found this worked really well.
I've made several cousin connections using ancestry.com. With many of them we will simply exchange an email here and there on ancestry.com and compare some notes. I find that most people go to ancestry.com mainly to have a DNA test, an aren't that interested in building a family tree, making connect...
I was just told today by local Post Office that many folks have been asking -- the decision was that they will be raising price about 15 cents and redesigning slightly -- but they are going to sell them again after all! Why they were on website but locals were told no was confusing to say the least!
