U.S. Customs and Border Protection is proposing a permanent electronic entry process for qualifying merchandise valued at $2,500 or less that arrives through the international mail system. The proposed Entry Type 13 process would require an authorized filer to submit shipment information through CBP's Automated Commercial Environment on or before the import date.
The proposed rule does not specifically name the U.S. Virgin Islands. Existing U.S. Postal Service guidance says the territory is outside the customs territory of the United States and that customs requirements generally apply to goods mailed from the USVI to the 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. That creates a potential local effect, but CBP has not yet published USVI-specific implementation instructions.
Covered mail without a proper entry could be held by CBP and treated as voluntarily abandoned if it remains unentered after 15 days. The proposal also addresses tracking-number matching, customs bonds and who may act as importer of record. CBP's national cost analysis uses an estimated $30 increase in average brokerage fees; that is not a fixed Postal Service charge or a quoted USVI customer fee.
The proposal is not a final rule. Public comments are due December 7 under docket USCBP-2026-0298, and current mailing requirements remain in effect unless and until CBP completes the rulemaking and announces implementation.
CBP and USPS should publish a joint USVI bulletin with worked examples, responsible filing parties, exemptions, expected fees and a transition timeline before any final rule takes effect.
Source published October 8, 2026; Federal Register publication does not display a time. Read the original reporting or release for the complete record.
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