Recommendations for mail forwarding svc

geomark

geomark

Help Me
Jul 12, 2008
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Anybody use a mail forwarding service to have U.S. mail forwarded overseas? Been looking at a few. Rates for opening and scanning are reasonable but rates for sending the smallest size envelope are pretty ridiculous.

Also wondering if bank cards make it. Most banks are very unfriendly to expats and won't send anything overseas. Or are there some expat friendly bank recommendations?
 


geomark said:
Or are there some expat friendly bank recommendations?
Click to expand...

Not sure about TD Bank in the US, but TD Canada can come highly recommended.

1.) Lost my wallet, and my current address on my bank account was a Canadian address. Called the bank, and 72 hours later a UPS guy showed up at my house with a new ATM card. I was actually floored, because I simply assumed the bank would tell me I have to visit the nearest branch in person which is 13,000kms away.

2.) Later on, signed up for a secured VISA, plus new checking account with separate ATM card. All no problem, and cards sent via UPS to me.

Gotta give them kudos for that. Never expected it to be that easy, but they went out of their way to take care of me.
 
So they sent the replacement ATM card and the Visa card to you in Thailand. Nice. I'm gonna check them out. I'm assuming you have a nice size balance with them to get that kind of treatment.

Edit: Maybe not. They don't do business in California which is the last U.S. address I had so it looks like I can't open any kind of account with them(?)
 
Do not use postal service for plastic cards of any kind (in many countries there are specific import regulations and the customs forms to be filled are different). Use fedex/DHL- their packages are not scrutinized by customs even if they don't fill out the right forms. All forwarding services are expensive, there is no getting around this.

If you are a US citizen or have dox thereof, I have read a lot of good things about Charles Schwab. If not, open an account with Standard Offshore- subsidiary of Standard Bank, south Africa. Their online banking works with US ACH, IBAN and SWIFT. Debit card wIthdrawal fees are expat/country hopping friendly.
 
I use MyUS.com to forward mail from the US to Australia. Pretty good automated service they provide. I don't think they are the cheapest, but I'll stick with them.
 
I'll check them out. Have you received credit cards or ATM cards via that service? I'm wondering if the banks will accept that as your address and actually send your cards.

Edit: Um, maybe not. Only their premium and most expensive package includes receiving letters. They are oriented to receiving parcels. Way too expensive for just receiving and forwarding letters.
 
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