Wow, there is a penalty.
In Japan, paying for the insufficient postage only happens for domestic postal items, and only pay for the insufficient amount.
Yes, it is impossible to exact any fees on international mail like this. I read some information on this topic a few months ago. If I remember correctly, this situation is this: the post has to forward all mail even if there is insufficient or no postage. It should be then paid by the receiver. However, when the receiver is in another country, there is no way that country’s post will demand any fees from the receiver. @maddymail I would inform the postcrossing team about it and they will also tell you whether to register the postcard.
Thank You all for your replies,
I will contact the Postcrossing team and see what they say,
The postcard is from Belgium where a postcard would normally cost €1.85 or €2.12 with a special stamp(?) Will keep this postcard as I actually to do like the ‘T’ sticker and postmark, as it most likely will be rare for me to get another one, not that I would want one.
Technically speaking the various member countries of the UPU are supposed to account for and compensate each other for deficiencies. Whether or not they really nitpick about a few euros postage due is another matter. However, the Terminal Dues system is strictly enforced. Terminal Dues=fees that each postal service pays each country it sends mail to for further transmission.
Indeed we’re not allowed to send cards that are not shaped like a rectangle - with a length 1,4 times the width - with normal postcard postage. Square cards have to get an international postage of 3,70€ - nearly 4 times a postcard (0,95€)! (National postage for these cards is 1,55€ instead of 0,60€).
As I don’t want to pay this much (or cheat the postal system), I only send those cards in envelopes. But I also think many Postcrossers don’t know that non-rectangular cards are much more expensive to send.
I have received a rectangular card from Germany, and the T marking was made over the message, in thick red colouring pen. At first I was thinking it was the senders decoration but then I noticed it’s the postage due markings.
Yes it does (3,70 € outside Germany, 1,55 € inside and normally square cards must be sent in envelope).
But unfortunately some people know this (and telling it at Facebook ) but try to use the lower postage
I do not accept those cards, I refuse to pay for their stinginess.
Belgian fees are: within Europe 1,85€, all other countries 2,07€. Square cards or bigger than standard postcard: double price-> thats why you can’t find cards like Mila Marquis send from BE.
That is a franking machine impression. Sometimes postal services use them at post offices in stead of stamps.
They can also mark an item with “postage paid” or “taxe perçue”.
I’m curious if you ever received a response from the Admin team.
Recieved a reply from Ana, to register the card, as there where no notes under the postcrossers account.
The stamp was possibly forgotten or fell off prior to being collected by the postie.
I kindly informed the other postcrosser on registering, along with a thank you and short message.
Again thank you to all for the replies,
This topic can be closed if necessary.
I received a lovely 3d card of a mermaid yesterday with no trace of any postage. Their appeared to be a a postmark across a mermaid sticker (not a stamp, but decorative) but it is illegible, as the info did not take on the surface of the sticker. The USPS rubber-stamped it over my address, with a shopping list of what could be wrong, but no box ticked off. There is also a hand-written note from my postal carrier with the date of 10/22/21 and “postage due” and “¢130.”
I will leave $1.30 for the postal carrier to collect today, but curious to know if that would ever get back to the German postal service; seems like the cost of getting it to them would exceed the value. Of course, there is know way for me to know if there were ever stamps on the card in the first place, or if there were, at what point they came off in transit.
Have to say I’m glad it was delivered though, it is a gorgeous card! Here’s a couple of photos:
I sent at postcard with lesser postage by mistake and realized it while going through my image gallery as I click pictures of both sides of my cards.
I have informed my corresponding postcrosser but the mistake and sent a new one. But, I am curious as what happens with my first card
I’ve got once a postcard from Canada without a stamp.
Also sortingmachines do mistakes Last year someone in Belgium have sent a card with sticker from kiwi and it arrived quicker than prior letter.
From a sorting machine I understand this, but not from the sender
@eta55 I just a little while ago sent a card like that, and the writing side was so plasticy, no wonder if stamps fall off, unless they are super sticky sticker versions.
I’ve accidentally forgotten stamps from a letter, and it arrived. (I sent another letter to let the receiver know, and not to pay anything.)
Mistakes happen, but I don’t think anyone thinks postage stamps are sold attached to a kiwi fruit
As a follow up, our mail carrier collected the postage due yesterday without comment. The sender let me know that postage had been applied originally. These 3d and lenticular cards can be pretty slick on the back, so I’m guessing the stamps came off after it left Germany.
I would not even consider to not put any stamps on postcards/envelopes - that’s not mail, that would be just a piece of paper (I always double check if the amount is correct too).
But now I am considering adding kiwi fruit stickers instead of the priority sticker
Only problem - I don’t like kiwi fruit
I don’t know if the postcard I’ve just received falls into this category or not. It’s from Germany, there’s no stamp, but where the stamp would be is a “T stamp” with handwritten numbers. Is this in some way valid postage, or…? Something else?
It’s a note that postage is not paid enough.
(I guess the upper amount is how much it should have postage, and below is what should be paid to get this letter or card.)
So this is the right place to have posted this. Thank you.
I’m going to let the admins know. I’m sure it’s just an oversight, but maybe not.