The Belize Postal Service has instituted a mandatory one-dollar surcharge on all packages destined for the United States, effective immediately. This policy adjustment received formal approval from the Belizean Cabinet in response to sweeping changes in U.S. international trade regulations.
The fee increase directly results from President Donald Trump’s July 2025 executive order that eliminated the longstanding $800 duty-free exemption for imported goods. This regulatory shift, implemented in late August 2025, now requires every international parcel entering the United States to undergo comprehensive customs declaration, including detailed documentation of contents, declared value, and country of origin.
Postmaster General Dr. Marsha Price explained that the Belize Postal Service must now utilize the Global Solution system developed by the Universal Postal Union to comply with these new requirements. This digital platform automatically calculates U.S. customs duties and associated fees, providing customers with transparent cost breakdowns before they visit post offices.
“The system enables customers to view all relevant fees, including HS classification codes and customs duties payable to third-party zones, from their homes,” Dr. Price stated during a phone interview. The one-dollar fee specifically covers operational costs associated with implementing and maintaining this new digital infrastructure.
When questioned whether the surcharge adequately addresses the new administrative burdens, Dr. Price confirmed that “for now, yes. For now, that is what we foresee” as sufficient. Belizean officials emphasize that this nominal fee ensures continued smooth operation of U.S.-bound shipping services while maintaining compliance with enhanced American regulatory requirements.
The policy change represents how smaller nations must adapt their postal and trade infrastructures to accommodate unilateral policy decisions by larger trading partners, with operational costs ultimately transferring to consumers.