How To Get Your Mail Anywhere
How to get your mail anywhere.
The full playbook on US virtual mailbox services, USPS Form 1583, and the actual ways to get your mail and packages forwarded to wherever you're living right now. From people who do this every month.
Your physical mail doesn't disappear when you leave.
The IRS still writes. Banks still need a US address. Your jury duty notice, your new debit card, your insurance check, your kid's passport — all still going to a real US street address whether you're in Albania, Bali, or KL. You need a strategy, not a relative's spare bedroom.
When we first left the US, we tried the "let my mom handle it" route. It worked until it didn't. Mail got lost, time-sensitive stuff sat for weeks, and we were stressing her out from across the world. Switching to a virtual mailbox was one of the best moves we made — full stop.
We use PostScan Mail out of Alaska (Alaska has no state income tax, which is part of the reason). It's been rock-solid for years.
The form that makes it all legal.
Every virtual mailbox provider in the US is required by federal law to have a signed USPS Form 1583 on file before they can legally accept mail on your behalf. The form authorizes them to receive, open, scan, and forward your mail. It's a 15-minute job — once you know what it asks for.
Download the form
Get the current PS Form 1583 (April 2023 revision is still the active version). Your virtual mailbox provider will usually email you a prefilled copy with their address details already in section 7.
Have 2 IDs ready
One photo ID (passport, driver's license, state ID) and one address ID (utility bill, bank statement, lease). USPS keeps copies on file. Passports are the easiest if you're already abroad.
Get it notarized
Required for most providers. Use an online notary service like Notarize.com or Proof — works from anywhere via webcam, runs about $25, takes 10 minutes. No US embassy run needed.
Virtual mailbox services we'd actually use.
Ranked based on independent reviews, expat reputation, and what features matter when you're managing mail from across the world. We're not affiliated with any of these — we just want you to pick the right one the first time.
PostScan Mail
From $15/moThe one we've used for years. Our Anchorage, Alaska address gives us a no-state-income-tax base, plenty of address options across all 50 states, and a system that just works. App is solid, scans are fast, international forwarding has never gone sideways for us.
- Address options in all 50 states (we picked AK)
- Mail scan to PDF, store in cloud, shred or forward
- International shipping via USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL
- Check deposit available as add-on
- Pricing scales by mail volume, not flat-fee gouging
US Global Mail
From $19.95/moConsistently the highest-rated for expats. 25+ years in business, SOC2 and HIPAA certified, 2-4 hour scan turnaround, and free check deposit (most competitors charge extra). The downside: just one address location in Texas.
- 2-4 hour scan turnaround time
- Free check deposit to your bank
- Up to 80% off international shipping rates
- Texas (no state income tax)
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Anytime Mailbox
From $9.99/moThe biggest address selection on the market. Want a Manhattan address? A Beverly Hills one? A small-town address that doesn't scream "I use a mail forwarder"? Anytime has it. Quality varies by location since each spot is operated independently.
- 2,200+ US and international addresses
- Lowest entry price ($9.99/mo for basic)
- Mobile app with check deposit
- International forwarding available
- Pick the exact city/zip you want
iPostal1
From $9.99/moThe other heavyweight on address selection. Strong for small business owners who need a "real" street address for state registration, LLCs, or client-facing mail. Slightly more polished UI than Anytime; pricing tiers can creep up fast based on mail volume.
- 4,250+ address options
- Business-friendly compliance features
- International forwarding worldwide
- Strong mobile app
- Suitable for LLC / registered business use
Traveling Mailbox
From $15/moDesigned specifically for digital nomads and travelers. Clean interface, unlimited cloud storage, Google Drive and Dropbox integration, and customer support that actually answers when you're 12 time zones away. Slightly fewer address options but a tighter product.
- Unlimited cloud storage for scanned mail
- Google Drive + Dropbox auto-sync
- Free check deposit (basic plans)
- Strong support for nomads moving constantly
- 30-day money-back guarantee
From your virtual mailbox to your hands.
Once your mail is sitting in your US virtual mailbox, you have options. Most of the time you'll just scan it to PDF and never need a physical copy. But sometimes you do — a passport renewal, a new debit card, a package, a piece of equipment.
DHL or FedEx. That's it. Country mail systems do not play well with each other. Your US package handed off to the local post in Thailand, Vietnam, Albania, or most places we've lived will either disappear or sit in a customs warehouse for weeks. DHL and FedEx have their own end-to-end networks and they deliver flawlessly to your door.
Put your WhatsApp number on every shipping label. Never answer the phone when they call. They'll WhatsApp you with the actual delivery instructions — follow those. This is how it works almost everywhere outside the US.
📄 Scan to PDF
2–24 hrsThe default move. 90% of physical mail can be handled this way. Bank notice? Scan. Tax letter? Scan. Marketing junk? Shred. Your provider opens, scans, uploads — you read it on your phone in Albania ten minutes later.
🚀 DHL Express
2–5 daysOur default. Deepest global network, best customs experience, and the only courier that consistently delivers to door in every country we've lived in. In places without physical street addresses (like Albania), DHL figures it out anyway. They WhatsApp you when they're close.
🚀 FedEx International Priority
2–5 daysDHL's closest equivalent. Strong in most countries we've lived. Customs handling is solid. Use FedEx when your virtual mailbox provider has a better rate with them than DHL — service quality is comparable.
📥 Package Consolidation
VariableIf you're shopping US online stores and shipping to your virtual mailbox, ask your provider to consolidate multiple packages into one DHL or FedEx shipment. Cuts shipping costs by 30-60%. Especially useful for Amazon hauls, equipment, gifts.
🤝 Traveler / Friend Courier
When they goThe expat hack nobody talks about. If a friend or family member is flying to where you are, have your provider send your mail to them first. Zero customs hassle, zero international shipping fees, often faster than DHL if the timing works out.
💸 Customs Fees
Per packageWorth knowing: depending on what's inside and where you are, you may owe a customs duty when DHL or FedEx delivers. It's usually small — declare honestly and pay it. Way less hassle than trying to dodge it. The courier handles the paperwork; you just hand over the cash or pay via their app.
What actually works where.
Every country we've lived in has a different rhythm for getting packages delivered. But the rules underneath stay the same: DHL or FedEx only, WhatsApp number on the label, never answer the phone. Here's what we've learned country by country.
Albania
Where we are now. Most addresses here aren't real street addresses — they're descriptions. DHL figures it out anyway. The local post is not an option for international mail.
Vietnam
DHL and FedEx are the only way. Vietnam's postal system is genuinely terrible for international packages — things vanish or sit in a warehouse forever. DHL/FedEx clear customs in days and deliver to your door.
Thailand
Same story. The local postal handoff is practically unavailable for any meaningful international mail. DHL and FedEx run their own networks all the way to your door. Use them.
Malaysia
One of the easier countries we've lived. DHL and FedEx work flawlessly to condos and houses in KL, Penang, and beyond. English on every form. Customs is reasonable.
Indonesia / Bali
DHL clears better than FedEx here. Skip the local post entirely. Customs in Bali can be unpredictable on anything that looks commercial — keep declared values honest and reasonable.
Europe (EU)
DHL and FedEx are reliable everywhere. The continental postal systems work okay between themselves, but a US-origin package handed off to local post is still risky. Stick with the courier all the way through.
UK
DHL and FedEx clear UK customs cleanly. VAT applies to most imports over £135 plus a handling fee — factor that in before you ship anything pricey.
Mexico
Big-city addresses (CDMX, GDL, Mérida) get reliable DHL and FedEx. Mexico's customs is tough on commercial-looking items — keep it personal and reasonable. Local post is a hard pass.
Everywhere else
Same rule, every country: DHL or FedEx, end to end. Don't hand your package off to a national postal system at the border. The whole reason these couriers exist is to get around exactly that problem.
Don't do this.
Mistakes we made (or watched friends make) so you don't have to.
Built by people who actually live this.
Mike & Stacy. Our daughter Savannah. Three grandkids. We pack the docs. We move the mail. We figured this out by doing it. Check out our free Visa Directory for official government links to all 197 countries.
★ We're not affiliated with any of the mail services listed above. No referral fees, no kickbacks. Just our honest take based on years of doing this. Prices and features change — always double-check on the provider's site before signing up.