Letter Services – JP BH Pošta

Letter post services are core postal services entailing services of acceptance, conveyance and delivery of letters, postcards, printed matter, cecogrammes and small parcels and these services comprise prevalent part of entire postal services provided by the BH Postal Service.

Types of Letter Post Items

Letter

Letter is a mail item containing a written communication in a closed envelope without a value noted, a well as any other item which in regard to its size and weight meets the appropriate requirements, although it does not contain written communication. Utility and other bills, financial statements and reports addressed to a certain addressee are also considered letters.

A letter can weigh up to 2 kg. Smallest dimensions of the letter are 90×140 mm, i.e. the sum of the length, width and height cannot exceed 900 mm, provided that none of the three values individually exceeds 600 mm.

The letter may be cylinder shaped where a sum of length and two diameters is minimum 170 mm, and the length of a letter cannot be less than 100 mm. The sum of length and two diameters of a cylinder shaped letter may not exceed 1040 mm, where the length only may not exceed 900 mm.

Standard letter is a letter in a closed monochrome envelope of rectangular shape weighting up to 20 g, thick up to 5 mm. Its length may not be shorter than its width multiplied by 1.4, smallest dimensions of standard letter being 90×140 mm and the maximum dimensions 120 x 235 mm.

Standard letter is also a letter in an envelope with transparent window, which in addition to the above, also has to meet the following requirements:

Transparent window has to be positioned at least 40 mm from the upper edge of the envelope, 15 mm from the right-side edge or 14 mm from the left-side edge, depending on which side the transparent part is, and 15 mm from the lower edge (permitted tolerance up to 2 mm).
A transparent window may not be bordered by a ribbon or framed by coloured boundaries and has to enable for easy reading of the addressee’s address.

Right side rectangular area on the standard letter of 40 mm high, measuring from the upper edge, by 74 mm wide, measuring from the right edge, is to be used for indication of postage paid.

Postcard

Postcard is a mail item made of cardboard or firm paper of rectangular shape mailed without envelope. Smallest size of postcards is 90 x 140 mm and largest one is 120 x 235 mm, with tolerance of up to 2 mm.

Postcards also include all kinds of postcards and greeting cards meeting requirements stipulated by the Rulebook on General Requirements for Provision of Postal Services issued by the BH Postal Service as its own postal securities, which have to have imprinted “DOPISNICA – CARTE POSTALE” on the front side heading.

Printed Matter

Printed matter is an open item that does not have features of personal or business correspondence and it is printed in multiple identical copies on paper, cardboard or other material. The printed matter is also an item containing books and print media outlets. Printed matter can weigh up to 2 kg and size of the printed matter corresponds to the size of letters. Exceptionally, printed matter can weight up to 5 kg, if it contains undividable material or constitutes a single item.

Printed matter mailed without specified addressee is considered to be unaddressed printed matter and it does not have to be in envelope. Terms and conditions of delivery of unaddressed printed matter are regulated by agreement between sender and postal operator.

In international postal services, large quantities of printed matter sent by a sender to the same addressee can be packed in one or more special bags (“M” bags). Each individual “M” bag may weight up to 30 kg.

Cecogramme

Cecogramme is an open item containing a letter intended for the blind and sight impaired imprinted on a firm paper or similar material. Cecogramme is also a cliche with cecography signs and sound recordings or special paper intended for blind or persons with sight impairment. Cecogramme can weigh up to 7 kg. In top right corner of the address side the sender is to put a mark “SEKOGRAM” (“CECOGRAMME”) or prescribed sticker.

Small Parcel

Parcel is an addressed postal item containing goods and other items. The small parcel may contain any document of current and personal correspondence provided it is addressed to the same addressee as parcel and posted by the same sender as the one specified on the parcel.

In the top left corner of the address side, a sender is to put a designation “MALI PAKET” (“PETIT PAQUET”) and his/her address.

Small parcel may weight up to 2 kg.

Further Info:

Posting Letter Post Items

Posting of Letter Post Items implies acceptance of letter post items submitted by senders in the post office, at sender’s address, in postboxes, collective postboxes or via postman in remote areas.

The following regulations apply for letter post items:

For letter post items in domestic postal services containing items requiring approval or certification by responsible state authorities, authorised institution or organisation, a sender is obliged to submit such an approval together with the posted item.
For letter post items in international postal services whose contents is subject to customs and currency control, customs and currency regulations and regulations of the Universal Postal Union will apply. Letter post items in international postal services whose contents is subject to customs examination and currency control can be mailed only as registered mail, insured mail, parcel or EMS mail (forms CN 22 or CN 23).

In domestic postal services, letter post item containing live animals can be submitted as parcel or EMS. Exceptionally, letter post items (registered and insured mail) may contain bees, leeches or silkworms. The same regulations apply for international postal services, except for the insured postal item which may not contain live animals. Post items containing live animals have to be sent as urgent mail or EMS.

As a matter of rule, all letter post items in both domestic and international postal services are submitted in post offices. Regular letter items can be submitted also via postboxes, collective postboxes or postman in the remote areas.

In remote areas, in addition to the letter post items above, it is also possible to submit all letter items weighting up to 1 kg of value up to 100.00 KM to the postman, except for the telegram andEMS

Deadlines and Standards of Transportation and Delivery of Letter Post Items

The deadline and the standard of transportation and delivery of of postal items means the time period from the time when the item is posted until the actual delivery to addressee. The time of posting is stamped on a Certificate of Posting, i.e. on the postal item when no Certificate of Posting is issued to the sender.

Deadlines of transportation and delivery have been defined for letter-post items in domestic postal operation system while the the standards of transportation and delivery for letter-post items have been defined in international postal operation system.

Domestic Postal Operations

BH Postal Service is obliged to obey the following terms of delivery:

Letter post items submitted and delivered in the same postal centre ( Canton), within:

– one day for priority and urgent items;

– three days for other items.

Letter post items submitted on the area of one postal centre (Canton) to be delivered on the area of another postal centre (Canton) or another postal operator (HP Mostar and PS Banja Luka):

– two days for priority items;

– four days for all other items.

International Postal Operations

Standards of transportation and delivery of letter-post items (pdf) in international postal operation system represent framework transportation time instead of the warranted time of transporation. The JP BH POŠTA” d.o.o. Sarajevo is not obliged to deliver the letter-post items in international postal operations according to the standards.

Term of delivery does not include:

– day when postal item is submitted;

– period of delay due to incorrect and incomplete address of the addressee;

– period of delay due to Force Majeure or halt in the traffic not caused by postal operator;

– days off and days when postal services are not provided.

– duration time of customs procedure in the country of destination.

Prohibited Items

Considering that BH Postal Service delivers postal items within Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad and that it has no insight into the contents of the mailed items, it is of key importance to inform all senders on prohibited items or the items that can be mailed only under certain conditions, in order to make sure senders are protected from potential damages caused by the contents of the postal items, i.e. to protect interests of the country when it comes to posting items internationally.

Posting of the postal items containing following items or matters is prohibited:

Objects or matters which, by their nature or package, may have harmful effect on regular performance of postal services by representing a threat (in terms of pollution, damage or threat to life) for employees of postal service, postal transportation means and postal equipment or other postal items;
Explosive and easily flammable objects or objects that may harm other postal items, post offices and equipment, transportation means or be harmful for health and life of people (gunpowder, gasoline, petroleum, strong acids);
Legally prohibited substances (opium, morphine, cocaine and other drugs) unless exchanged by legally authorised institutions (hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and health institutions), or provided for medicinal and scientific purposes in international services between countries, which accept them under these conditions;
Objects prohibited for trade in domestic postal services (forbidden publications) and items prohibited to be imported through international postal services in accordance with the laws of recipient country;
Live animals in letter post items, except for bees, leeches and silkworms. Mailing of live animals in international services is allowed only for the countries that permit such traffic in their domestic services as well;
Immoral contents.

Post items may not contain live animals, except for bees, beeches and silkworms. In case there is a justified suspicion that the post item contains some of the prohibited items above, the postal operator in charge may have a commission check contents of the mail.

Further procedure for handling postal items containing some of the items specified above is governed by the Rulebook on General Requirements for Provision of Postal Services.

Special, Value-Added and Other Postal Services

Special Postal Services

Special postal services are services necessary in case that the sender requires special procedure and conditions regarding the posting, conveyance and delivery of postal items. Special postal services are universal special services defined by the Law on Postal Operations of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and other special services performed by designated postal operators according to these Regulations and the Regulations on Postal and Courier Services. Special postal services are the services of posting, conveyance and delivery as follows:

Registered letter-post item
is postal item without insured value, with registered receipt number for which the sender will get a receipt and which will be delivered to the addressee with his signature. Each letter-post item may be posted as a registered mail according to conditions and methods described by the Regulations on General Conditions for Provision of Postal Services and according to the Regulations on Postal and Courier Services. During the posting, the sender of the registered item may require the following services: urgent, airmail, with advice of delivery, COD, „poste restante“ and delivery to addressee in person.
Insured letter
is a letter-post item with registered receipt No. on which the sender marked its value using numbers and letters in the left bottom corner side of the addressee side of the item. The sender shall enter the amount of insured value using Latin alphabet and Arabic numbers but shall not use a lead pencil. Insured letter may contain goods, money, written communication and other articles not exceeding the amount of 10.000,00 BAM of insured value. Insured letter may be posted only if addressed to countries accepting this sort of service. During the posting procedure for insured letter, the sender may require the following services: urgent, airmail, with advice of delivery, COD, „poste restante“ and delivery to addressee in person.
Recorded delivery item
is a letter-post item without insured value for which the sender shall receive an advice of posting and that shall be delivered to the recipient with his signature. Recorded delivery item must have mark „A“ and a posting number on it. During the posting procedure, the sender may require the following services: urgent, airmail, with advice of delivery and delivery to addressee in person.
Express Mail Service (EMS)
is courier service including taking over of a postal item on the basis of a special request made by the sender (phone calling 1417 in the following cities: Sarajevo, Tuzla, Zenica, Bihać, Mostar, Travnik and Goražde) at the address of the sender and delivery at the address of the recipient. The posting of EMS items in other cities is performed at counters of postal units. During the posting procedure in case of EMS item, the sender shall receive an advice of posting to be delivered in person to the recipient, within a specified period, with his signature. EMS item may contain written communication, goods, money, live animals and other articles. The insured value on EMS item must not exceed the amount of 10.000,00 BAM.
Urgent item
may be posted as any letter-post item, postal money order, telegraph money order and parcel. In case of postal items containing perishable goods, they must be posted as an urgent item.
Very urgent parcel
is the parcel forwarded to the post office of destination by the first next postal operation connection according to provisions on the postal item pipeline. Regardless of the type of parcel and its content, every parcel may be posted as a very urgent parcel. The parcel containing live animals or perishable goods must be posted as a very urgent parcel.
Item with advice on delivery
is the postal item requested by the sender, during the posting procedure, to be delivered to the recipient with written confirmation on a special form (advice on delivery), returned and delivered to the sender as an ordinary letter-post item. Every postal item accompanied by the advice on posting, except a telegraph money order, may be posted in domestic postal operations.
COD item
is a postal item which the sender, during the posting procedure, requires to be delivered to the recipient with previous payment of redemption amount in favor of the sender. While posting the COD item, the sender shall also post the fulfilled form of postal or telegraphic money order or a corresponding form of money transfer by which he shall be assigned the redemption amount to. Registered items, insured letters, EMS items and parcels may be posted as COD items, in domestic services.
Airmail
is postal item required by the sender to be posted by airplane. In international postal operations, airmail may be posted when addressed to countries accepting this type of service. .
Special care parcel
is the parcel with corresponding mark on it: „fragile“, „glass“, „live animals“, etc. This parcel needs an authorization from authorized institution or it contains live animals needing special care while handed.
„Poste restante“ item
„Poste restante“ item is the item containing mark „poste restante“ in the recipient’s address and is kept 30 days from the date of arrival in the post office of destination and is delivered to the recipient when requested by him within the mentioned period, with collection of prescribed postage amount.
Item to be delivered to the recipient in person
is the item to be delivered in person exclusively to the recipient, legal agent or authorized person.
IBRS (International Business Reply Service) item (IBRS/CCRI)
is the item (letter or postcard) without postage paid by the sender. The postage should be paid by the recipient during the take-over.

The sender requiring one or more special services is obliged to ask for them while posting.

Value-added Postal Services

Value-added and other postal services are services provided upon the sender’s or recipient’s request and they refer to posting or delivery of a postal item.

Value-added services upon the sender’s request

The sender may, upon posting and before delivery, require the following services in domestic postal operations:

Amendment of the address on the item;
Return of item:
– before dispatch from the post office where posting was performed,
– after dispatch from the post office where posting was performed
Charging of recorded items by COD amount, increase or decrease of COD amount or waiver from the COD amount;
Sending or prohibition of sending of parcels to new recipient’s address of origin
Return of the amount of postal and telegraphic money order;
Payment of COD amount through a telegraphic money order.

Request for value-added services may be made by the sender to any post office, in written form and with paid postage defined by the Price list. The request may also be made verbally but exceptionally and only in case of item not dispatched yet from the post office. While making the request, the sender may ask for a written notice on the result of the request performance.

Value-added postal services upon the request of the recipient

The recipient may ask for the following services, before the delivery:

1. delivery of “poste-restante” items at his door or at the address he had defined
2. keeping of the arrived item (except the court letter and administrative procedure letter) or saved as a “poste- restante” item or sending it to the new address defined by the sender
3. Delivery of item personally to the recipient
4. Putting of urgent mail or advice of arrival of urgent mail into a PO box
5. Putting a registered mail and a recorded delivery item into a locker without o recipient’s signature for confirmation of receipt of item. This kind of service is performed in domestic operations only, but not for COD items, items with advice of delivery and items to be delivered personally to the recipient.
6. Delivery of each or certain item as an urgent one at urban delivery area
7. Telegraphic money orders sent to new destination
8. Re-delivery of a postal item for which the advice of arrival had been left.

The recipient may ask for value-added services in the form of written request in the post office delivering the postal items to him. While making the request, the recipient is obliged to verify his identity and to give all the data necessary for the request.