# Mail from US



## lilra (May 28, 2015)

For expats who have not given up ties to Uncle Sam and denizens, how do you deal with your mail? Do you have relatives or friends forward your mail? all online interactions? use a mail-forwarding agency? If so, any recommendations/how much do they charge? How efficient?

Do you simply change your address to Philippine (or whichever country you are now residing) address?

I do have a US PO box which I may ask a friend to routinely check for me. I would hate to do that though, even if I pay a bit. They may not want payment, and so it would be an imposition.

Thanks!


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## colemanlee (Nov 17, 2014)

I changed my address to here...seems to take about a month to reach me..but it does reach me


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

lilra said:


> For expats who have not given up ties to Uncle Sam and denizens, how do you deal with your mail? Do you have relatives or friends forward your mail? all online interactions? use a mail-forwarding agency? If so, any recommendations/how much do they charge? How efficient?
> 
> Do you simply change your address to Philippine (or whichever country you are now residing) address?
> 
> ...


Considering your IP location, you may or may not be old enough to be a (retired) military vet. But if you are, you can use a secure APO/FPO box at any of the VFW posts here in the Philippines. Mail is secure that way and travel as US Mail.


Jet Lag
Site Moderator


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

Go electronic for all of your financial stuff. Then get a service if you are not eligible for a Military retiree FPO address. I am sure there are several people on this forum using a mail forwarding service that can make recommendations. 

Do not rely on the Phil Mail service to get your mail here timely if at all.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

jon1 said:


> Go electronic for all of your financial stuff. Then get a service if you are not eligible for a Military retiree FPO address. I am sure there are several people on this forum using a mail forwarding service that can make recommendations.
> 
> Do not rely on the Phil Mail service to get your mail here timely if at all.


We use the regular mail box service at the VFW (not the FPO/APO) and have good luck with it. We don't get much mail anymore when when it's needed it there and reliable.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Online mail*



jon1 said:


> Go electronic for all of your financial stuff. Then get a service if you are not eligible for a Military retiree FPO address. I am sure there are several people on this forum using a mail forwarding service that can make recommendations.
> 
> Do not rely on the Phil Mail service to get your mail here timely if at all.


Great point Jon it only makes sense to use online mail, I had to think about this one because who sends letters out anymore or bills out in the mail, that's a dated experience.

I did have my sister mail me boxes of checks and my credit card, it did make it here but took about 6 weeks, I was beginning to worry.

The VA and the US government mail got to me also no problems.


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## fuji0001 (May 5, 2014)

This does not exactly apply to the topic but I thought it may be helpful to know if it is needed. When i visited the Philippines last month with my girlfriend she had an important document FedEx from her home in California USA to a residence in Davao. We asked for overnight (whatever that may be given the time zones and distance) and they best they would guarantee is 6 days. It arrived in 3 much to her delighted surprise.


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## lilra (May 28, 2015)

Jet
"Considering your IP location" - may throw you off ; ), but age is irrelevant. I am not a vet and not immediately related to one so I don't have that perk.

Yes, I plan to go online for financial transactions and correspondence, and it is still on my checklist. I do want to keep some "presence" in US in case I pursue an online business. It'll be easier. I also at this point will go for multi entry visa and not jump to resident v or dual c until I see the need to. 

Thank you all for sharing your experiences.


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## galactic (Dec 2, 2014)

I used to have firearm and automotive magazine subscriptions forwarded to my Philippine address but after my subscriptions expired I have not renewed them. 
As for other correspondence that still arrive at my old US PO box I just request to put them in a box and ship it to me when they have the chance.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

I use a mail forwarder in Texas as this still gives me a US address. I use usglobalmail.com There are others, the service provided varies somewhat and the prices vary to some degree.

Fred


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## 197649 (Jan 1, 2013)

Well as a retired ole army guy I use RAO here in Marikina/Manila. Here is my issue most of the time its OK. I sent for my wifes Dependent ID to Guam I sent it in February. I received the answer back in July. Now weather that ios the mail of the system at Guam I can't say. I sent a letter to the IRS as you can't email them. You can call them with Majic Jack or Skype if you want to wait 25 minutes. Anyway I sent them a check in July to date its not been cashed. So 2 U.S. government entities seem to have failed. The outcome IRS will probably penalize me. You can't send a check via DHL, FEDEX. I try to do everything online but the U.S. Governement just can't keep up. I guess my mail is with the email Learned lost


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

c_acton98 said:


> Well as a retired ole army guy I use RAO here in Marikina/Manila. Here is my issue most of the time its OK. I sent for my wifes Dependent ID to Guam I sent it in February. I received the answer back in July. Now weather that ios the mail of the system at Guam I can't say. I sent a letter to the IRS as you can't email them. You can call them with Majic Jack or Skype if you want to wait 25 minutes. Anyway I sent them a check in July to date its not been cashed. So 2 U.S. government entities seem to have failed. The outcome IRS will probably penalize me. You can't send a check via DHL, FEDEX. I try to do everything online but the U.S. Governement just can't keep up. I guess my mail is with the email Learned lost


What sort of mail will the US government allow? Sounds like a raw deal there, I had to wait what turned out to be 6 weeks for the mail to get here recently but one time my uncle sent me a letter regular mail and it got to me in 4 days, crazy. 

Wonder what happened to your letter because it looks like nobody cashed it?


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## 197649 (Jan 1, 2013)

Yes the check was not cashed. But I wonder if the letter I sent with it may have had something to do with it. Now I am not saying anyone there is crooked or devious but it is the government.
To whom it may Concern 16 Aug 2015
In June I received a letter from the IRS stating that I owed money from my 2013 tax return. I sent a $000.00 check and a Form 9465. 
The check was cashed on 3 July 2015.
The Form 9465 was filled out and Amount owed $000.00 - $000.00= Balance of $000.00. 
I requested the balance be deducted from my checking account on the 6th of each month until complete. 
On 6 July there was no deduction; I assumed you would deduct the amount on Aug 6th. On 10 Aug the money had still not been deducted. 
On 12 Aug I call IRS (from the Philippines) NOT TOLL FREE. 
After putting in all the information as directed, I waited 35 minutes and finally got to speak to a human. This human asked me the same questions I had already answered he asked me my phone number and how to call from the U.S. to the Philippines I gave him the information. I explained my situation. He responded that he would have to put me on hold to check my records. Instead of on hold he hung up. I waited hoping he would call me alas he did not. 
I was not about to go through call again and waste 45 more minutes. 
I am enclosing another $000.00 check 
$000.00 - $00.0 Balance $000.00
I will send a check on 6 Sept for another $000.00 that will leave a balance of $00.00 which will be paid on 6 Oct. 
Please do not deduct anything from my account.
Cashing of this check will serve as an acknowledgement of this agreement. 
Again an honest citizen does the right thing and gets punished for it while other roam free without sanctions.


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

Jet Lag said:


> We use the regular mail box service at the VFW (not the FPO/APO) and have good luck with it. We don't get much mail anymore when when it's needed it there and reliable.


You'd think since I know you're not a military retiree and you mention getting mail at the VFW I'd realize they have a military retiree mail service lol

What's the charge on that and I guess it just gives an address for the PI post office to deliver to, not the security of the FPO/APO service?


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

cvgtpc1 said:


> You'd think since I know you're not a military retiree and you mention getting mail at the VFW I'd realize they have a military retiree mail service lol
> 
> What's the charge on that and I guess it just gives an address for the PI post office to deliver to, not the security of the FPO/APO service?


Yea, they have the retiree mail service plus the "regular" PO Box. It's just a FVW PO box in Manila. The VFW sends and receives the mail there so the only access Phililpost has is at the main Manila post office.

My wife stopped by there this last time in June to pay for the year on the box and I think it was P1,400 if I'm not mistaken.
Cost is a bit high but well worth it considering mail is fast and secure. They are quite accommodating as even my wife and two youngest daughters are authorized to send or receive our mail there.


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## JM101 (Jan 6, 2015)

Jet Lag said:


> Yea, they have the retiree mail service plus the "regular" PO Box. It's just a FVW PO box in Manila. The VFW sends and receives the mail there so the only access Phililpost has is at the main Manila post office.
> 
> My wife stopped by there this last time in June to pay for the year on the box and I think it was P1,400 if I'm not mistaken.
> Cost is a bit high but well worth it considering mail is fast and secure. They are quite accommodating as even my wife and two youngest daughters are authorized to send or receive our mail there.


I love the fact of receiving an email alert if you have mail. This way I don't have to check everyday if expecting mail. 

JM101


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

JM101 said:


> I love the fact of receiving an email alert if you have mail. This way I don't have to check everyday if expecting mail.
> 
> JM101


Yep that really helps. My wife always gives the mail room attendant lady P100 each time we get mail as a thank you for remembering to text us. Great service for sure.


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## HondaGuy (Aug 6, 2012)

USAA offers a Bill Payment service where they will send out a paper check for you from their office in San Antonio, TX for free.

I dont have to send a paper check to the US very often, but when I do, I just login to USAA, go to:
My Account Tools -> Payments -> Pay Bills
From there, you can add a payee, including their US mailing address and USAA will mail the check to them.

VERY handy for the few services nowadays that require a paper check.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

HondaGuy said:


> USAA offers a Bill Payment service where they will send out a paper check for you from their office in San Antonio, TX for free.


Good to know. I am a USAA checking account holder and I didn't know this, but will keep in reference for a possible future need. In the past, I have mailed a paper check utilizing the PhilPost system and have had no problem, the check arrived to pay the bill within 2 weeks and only cost 40 Peso's to mail to a US address.

Fred


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## Cebu Citizen (Dec 13, 2013)

I use a Mail Scanning Service based in Southern California, (Anaheim), and they have been great over the past year since I retired here in the Philippines. I use a personal mailing address they set up for me and all of my US Mail is sent there. I can view each envelope online and decide if I want to see what's inside or not...if I want to see the contents, then I just select "scan" and this company opens my mail and scans the contents for my online viewing.

I can then print it off if I need a copy or I can archive it in my mail box or I can have it shredded and destroyed...my choice, my option. It is simple and easy.

PostScanMail can be found on the internet. They are a very reputable company and low cost, (I only pay ($9.95 per month).

This company allows me to receive all of my mail at a personal address without having to ask anyone to check my mail for me...

All of my banking and finances are done electronically and NOT by mail. I could not ask for a better set-up...


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Philippine Bank*



Cebu Citizen said:


> I use a Mail Scanning Service based in Southern California, (Anaheim), and they have been great over the past year since I retired here in the Philippines. I use a personal mailing address they set up for me and all of my US Mail is sent there. I can view each envelope online and decide if I want to see what's inside or not...if I want to see the contents, then I just select "scan" and this company opens my mail and scans the contents for my online viewing.
> 
> I can then print it off if I need a copy or I can archive it in my mail box or I can have it shredded and destroyed...my choice, my option. It is simple and easy.
> 
> ...



Been a long time since I've heard from you Cebu Citizen, nice to see your back. So you don't have a Philippine Bank? In a disaster without the internet and card service your gonna run low on cash on less you stash large quantities somewhere, I find that the longer I stay here the more I'd like to have my money in cash and not so much in plastic cards.


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## 197649 (Jan 1, 2013)

Well now as earlier stated 18 August I sent a letter /check to the IRS. Today it finally cleared. Just another government agency that is going broke. What will the IRS do without the USPS


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