International reply coupon

An International Reply Coupon (IAS ) ( CRI, French: coupon - réponse international) (IRC, English: International reply coupon ) is a coupon, which in countries within the Universal Postal Union ( UPU), an up to 20 grams heavier airmail abroad at the counter can be abandoned without postage.

The purpose of an international reply coupon is to report to the recipient of a letter, the fees for an answer. For letters that are sent domestically, it usually suffices to resolve the return postage in the form of stamps. However, the recipient is located abroad, so it is usually very difficult to obtain stamps of the country in order to settle it as return postage. An IAS must in every country member of the Universal Postal Union, is valid. Whether the corresponding country also sells itself reply coupons, but the country is up to you.

History

At the World Postal Congress in Bern ( 1874) had discussed the introduction of postage stamps valid throughout the Universal Postal Union, which was unsuccessful. At the congress in Rome in 1906 was discussed whether one should not allow a sort of advance payment of the fee for a letter of response. Have been proposed answer trademarks, letter cards with reply, reply envelopes with postage stamps or reply coupons in different values ​​to insert into the letter. In the end they decided on the form as we know it today. Their validity was indefinitely long time. They are issued by the International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union. Printed these were uniformly at least until 1999 in the Swiss printing V. Benziger & Co in Einsiedeln. Originally could only be exchanged for the postage for a letter going abroad the lowest weight step for locomotion by land and sea an IAS.

Strangers Reply Coupons

In addition to the established by the Universal Postal Union reply coupons are also reply coupons closer postal clubs in traffic. However, these certificates are valid only in the region of restricted unions. They differ from those of the Universal Postal Union by color differences and different printing arrangement also they do not have the watermark " UPU " yet the text " coupon Réponse International " yet the text with a reference to the convertibility of the Universal Postal Union countries.

Approach as an alternative means of payment

Occasionally, an IAS serves as a means of payment for small values. Basically, the pay is by IAS but quite expensive.

Very often IASE be used to refund the postage costs in the correspondence between the radio amateurs and shortwave listeners and foreign broadcasters who wish to confirm their observations with receiving QSL cards.

The exhibited since 2002 IASE retained until December 31, 2006 to be valid. The UPU has introduced a new, as of July 2006 negotiable, tamper-proof IAS Design in June 2006. In the United States can be exchanged at a USPS IAS and stamps worth 0.94 U.S. $.

In September 2009, the so-called Nairobi model has been introduced. This version of the reply form is valid until 31 December 2013. From 1 July 2013, the Doha - model ( named after the 2012 Universal Postal Congress held in Doha) sold, which will be valid until the end of 2017.

An alternative would be the letter enclosed a bank note. However, this is illegal in some countries against the foreign exchange laws and is usually not covered by the terms and conditions of the postal service.

The International Reply Coupon suitable in principle for circumventing exchange controls, preferably in countries where the supply of foreign currency to residents was banned because of the International Reply Coupon abroad just could be exchanged into foreign currencies, albeit indirectly via Stamps quite. Therefore, were sometimes also restricted in some states or sold any International Reply Coupons.

Use in Germany

Only an IAS can be used per shipment, so if it exceeds dimensions / weight of the standard letter: the difference must be franked ( German Post 235 x 125 x 5 mm (L x W x H ), 20 g). Since 2011, a standard letter International at Deutsche Post costs € 0.75.

On March 1, 2003, the exchange value extended to the amount of the fee for a priority - standard item of correspondence, at the same time presenting the show, to 1.55 €. He changed April 1, 2004 to € 1.80. Since 1 January 2007, the International reply coupon in Germany costs 2,00 €. The first series at that price was called the "Beijing model" ( Universal Postal Congress 1999) and was valid until 31 December 2009. Since then, new certificates are issued, which are valid until 31 December 2013 and " Nairobi " model hot ( Universal Postal Congress 2008).

Since 1 July 2006, the IAS is available in Germany only in the eFiliale Deutsche Post. The post explains this with the drop in demand. As payment methods here currently credit card, giropay and account collection offered. The account catchment but is complicated by additional release, if you do not have the account at Postbank, also in the e- store is a minimum order value of 10 Euro, so individual reply coupons in Germany are virtually no longer relate to. In addition, the postal service charges a delivery fee of 1,95 € for orders below 50 €.

Price list for an IAS

The price per International Reply Coupon can vary greatly from country to country. So, for example, costs an IAS in Nigeria 50 NGN, which corresponds to 0.32 EUR. Other values ​​are given in Table I refer to.

Fraud

Famous is the Universal Postal Union reply coupons, as the fraudster Charles Ponzi in 1920 in Europe reply coupons purchased in order to sell them in the U.S. for a higher amount. Later he found it too costly to procure reply coupons at all, and founded one of the largest - and named after him - Ponzi schemes, there has ever been.