NZ Post said it had temporarily suspended services as of Aug 21 before the US 15% tariff takes effect on Aug 29.

Only limited letters and important documents – such as passports or legal letters – would be delivered to the US, said a statement on the carrier’s website.

The move follows similar steps taken by postal services and mail carriers in India, Germany, France, Belgium, Austria and Denmark after the Trump administration said that as of Aug 29 it would abolish a tax exemption on small packages entering the US.

The US started imposing tariffs on foreign nations in April, but most are only coming into force this month after months of negotiations and delays.

NZ Post said it was “working quickly” to make changes to its service and that it hoped to resume deliveries as “soon as possible”.

Prime minister Christopher Luxon told Radio New Zealand on Monday there was confusion over the impact of the tariffs.

“As these postal organisations have worked out, they can’t guarantee what the tariff rate will be or cost, or how that will all work in practical terms,” Luxon said.

“I’m sure NZ Post, along with its counterparts in other countries, will work with the US to get clarity.”