Help! What can I do about the two cards which came back to me “mail service suspended” ? I did my best to send these official PC cards to Belarus.
Revised 10/11/22: Thanks to all for your thoughtful and thought-provoking replies. I also learned that the US Postal Service will refund postal costs in these circumstances. I will try it next week. For now, a related question: How can I get notified of when the US has resumed first class mail to a particular country?
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It is weird that you have been assigned addresses in Belarus. USA doesn’t send there since July. I would contact the Postcrossing team about it. Contact us
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It often takes quite a long time for cards to return to the sender. Therefore, I now suspect that the drawing of the addresses and the sending of the cards overlapped with the setting of the letter dispatch from the USA to Belarus.
If this is the case, then you should simply wait until shipping is possible again.
But if you received the address later (which I can not imagine), then please contact the support.
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There were actually two mail suspension to Belarus. I got two Belarus addresses during the brief open period, both sent in mid-July (the Postal Monitor lists the last suspension as July 25, 2022) and both of them are now expired. I do not think there was anyway for PC to anticipate another shut down so quickly, so I don’t blame them.
Meanwhile, I have contacted both individuals in Belarus explaining the situation and telling them that, when the suspension is lifted, I will be sending them a second card, even if it’s +365 days after the ‘sent date’. If that’s the case, they won’t be able to register them in the system, but, especially in this case, I feel it’s about the card and not about ID #s and sent counts. It’s about people. (And, yes, I’m aware that they wouldn’t have even known about the cards if i didn’t contact them.)
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As an Irish member I’ve noticed that I have actually received more Belarus cards in my last 20 cards received than I have in the last 3 years prior.
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I drew a Belarus address while the last open period and It’s been return to me. 
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That’s a good idea. I also got a name in Belarus during that brief open period of time too. The postcard has not yet been registered either. Thank you.
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Same for me. I suspect Belarus addresses drawn during that interim period never actually departed for Belarus. The recipient is very active and has not received a postcard from the U.S. since before the first closed period. Mine has expired and I consider it lost for good, but maybe I will be pleasantly surprised one day with a registration message!
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I sent a Belarus card during the open “window” which was received a week or so after it expired.
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Maybe you can find a middle Country which can receive from US and send to Belarus.
If you need that kind of help,I think I am helpful
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Yesterday I wanted to offer the same thing that @Yunlong put down, but I was embarrassed because everyone has a status “Not interested in direct swaps”.
I think this is a good solution if you have several signed postcards that have been returned to you: to send them in one envelope and then resend with Armenian stamps: it will take 5-6 weeks (approximately 4 weeks USA-Armenia, 1-2 Armenia-Belarus).
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No. The postal stop is there for a reason, subverting it is inappropriate.
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Besides, we’re not allowed to share addresses we receive with anyone else (unless you ask the recipient in Belarus -or wherever), so asking someone else to forward a postcard for you is against the rules.
I do realise that this was suggested with the best of intentions, but the rules are there for a reason.
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Thanks to all for your thoughtful and thought-provoking replies. I also learned that the US Postal Service will refund postal costs in these circumstances. I will try it next week. For now, a related question: How can I get notified of when the US has resumed first class mail to a particular country?
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See the mail monitor of this country
It’s there a way to get notifications?
I can not visit a web site daily for information about international mail suspensions. I do not see a way to receive updates. I feel certain that someone in the world of US business has set up a notification system…
You could potentially set this thread to Watching or Tracking and then you would get notifications when a new post was made. Not the most efficient, but may be your best bet.
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I don’t think it will be necessary to visit the website daily.
I think it will be enough to have a look once a week or every fortnight 
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