nomadic life
how do long term travelers and online businesses receive mail & packages while traveling? I use a virtual mailbox service that can scan and forward my mail anywhere.
I have been working as a digital nomad for the last 10 years, residing in various countries or simply living out of my backpack while traveling.
I have lived as an expat in Italy, France, Thailand, Mexico and Spain.
I still have a virtual mailbox with a physical address in san antonio, texas.
Using this mailbox forwarding service, any incoming mail or package is scanned, which I can then view through a dashboard to read my business or personal mail online.
From there, I can decide to scan the contents (letters), forward the mail/packages from my virtual mailbox to another location, or shred/recycle it. I can even deposit checks from my computer!
My virtual mailbox service is incredibly useful for running my online business and getting paid to travel around the world!
I use this virtual address to receive payments from clients, for business & personal bills, bank & credit card statements, legal documents, packages and more.
guide to virtual mail forwarding in 2022
what is a virtual mailbox?
A virtual mailbox is a special service that gives you a real physical mailing address or a virtual PO Box that you can use as your permanent address to send physical mail or packages, even if is on a trip abroad.
Typical virtual mailbox services include:
- online mail notification
- online display of envelopes & packages
- open and scan the contents of your mail
- mail forwarding service
- shred, discard or recycle mail
- storage and parcel shipping
- check deposit service
- signature upon delivery
Different online travel mailbox services offer different features. Some are more advanced than others.
There is usually a base price with additional fees depending on what extras you want (like check deposit) or the amount of mail you receive.
some virtual mailboxes offer a mailing address, while others offer an actual physical address, which is often required for many banks and official government correspondence.
best virtual mailbox services for travel
1. mailbox at any time
cost: from $5.99 usd per month
anytime mailbox is an international online postal mailbox service that can scan your mail, offers recycling and mail shredding and forwarding. They have over 1,200 addresses available worldwide in the United States, Africa, America, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania.
they also have their own ios and android applications to access your email from your smartphone.
anytime mailbox is the cheapest virtual mailbox on this list, depending on the level of service you choose and where the address is. they also have physical locations that allow you to pick up your mail in person.
2. earth class mail
cost: $69-$179 usd per month
earth class mail is the virtual mailbox service that I personally use. its feature set is the most advanced, especially if you have an online business.
have the most us-based addresses. uu. for different states of all the services mentioned here. their online software, features, speed, and ranking features are top notch, but you’ll pay a premium for that, too.
Even though it’s expensive, I can’t imagine running my travel blog without e-mail forwarding. it’s a worthwhile business expense. I use it to receive client checks, important packages, business & personal bank correspondence, tax documents, everything!
digital mailbox service integrates with quickbooks, xero, bill.com, dropbox, google drive and more.
They also offer a fully automated check flow deposit service if your business receives a lot of physical checks.
3. travel mailbox
Cost: $15-$159 per month
Travel Mailbox is another decent mail forwarding service with 5 plans to choose from based on your needs. Like world-class mail, all accounts include basic envelope scanning, spam filtering, unlimited cloud storage, and free mail shredding.
They have more than 30 addresses throughout the United States. premium features, like check deposits, cost extra. there are additional fees if you exceed your monthly limits. the service integrates with evernote, bill.com and dropbox.
4. us global mail
cost: $10-$20 usd per month
us global mail has been around since 1998 and offers individual and family plans for short-term (monthly) or long-term (1-2 years) periods.
offer free card storage for 180 days and free package storage for 30 days. mail forwarding rates are quite affordable. One major downside is that they only offer one address location in Houston, Texas. this is not ideal if you need your address to match your state of residence.
5. send scanned mail
COST: $10-$35 USD per month
post scan mail is another virtual mail service that allows you to virtually open, scan, forward, store or destroy mail.
offer unlimited shredding and recycling, so you don’t have to pay extra to get rid of spam sent to your virtual address.
scanning postal mail gives you free online storage for all your scans, whether they are scans of envelope documents. your folders also make it easy to organize your mail.
who should consider a virtual mailbox?
long-term travelers
You’ve been saving money for years and now you’re planning your dream trip around the world. or maybe you got one of those new remote work visas. but who will take care of your mail? If you don’t want to burden family or friends with sorting your mail, a virtual mailbox is a perfect option.
online business
Do you run your online business from a home office? A virtual postal address can help prevent additional spam and give you a more prestigious address located in a big city. it will also give you an anonymous mailbox to keep your home address safe from prying eyes.
digital nomads
Are you one of the 4.8 million Americans who now call themselves digital nomads? technology has made the digital office and nomadic life a reality for many, and now you don’t have to be tied to physical mail either.
rvers & vans
Living in a vehicle, such as an RV or RV, makes it challenging to get your mail & packages, especially if you are traveling. forward your mail to the next RV campground you plan to stop at, no matter what state you’re driving in.
expats
Do you live abroad in a foreign country with a job that allows you to travel, but want to maintain a physical US mailing address? uu. for billing, voting and tax purposes? sign up for a virtual mail address in your old state of residence.
how to configure mail forwarding
To officially authorize your virtual mail service to receive mail on your behalf, you must complete USPS Form 1583 and have it notarized.
Unless you subscribe to earth class mail, which offers free free notarized online activation, you will need to obtain the notarized form in person.
or, if you’re already outside of the united states, through an online notary service like notarycam (which costs only $25).
where to pick up your mail
so now that you have your virtual mailbox set up, where do you actually forward your mail if you live in an RV or are backpacking abroad?
hotels
Many better hotels will let you forward mail and packages to them if you have a reservation there. the problem is scheduling your stay with the time the mail will arrive. I have done this a couple of times. it’s safer to book a room for at least a few days.
coworking spaces
many co-working spaces allow members to receive mail in the office. again, you may need to sign up to become a member for a week, a month, etc.
local post offices
some post offices in foreign countries allow you to forward your mail to them for later pickup.
fedex, ups, dhl
It is also possible to send packages to the local office of these popular shipping companies, where you can pick it up when you arrive. however, you will need to submit it through your particular service. you would call ahead to let them know what you want to do and ask how long they will hold your package for you.
suggestions & advice
- Reduce the amount of physical mail you generate by signing up for paperless billing and online statements. cancel credit card & Insurance offers using https://www.optoutprescreen.com/
- Many financial institutions require a physical mailing address and do not allow PO Boxes. be sure to choose a plan accordingly.
- When choosing a virtual mailbox service, pay attention to plan limits and find out how much mail you think you’ll receive.
- you may be able to reduce your state taxes by establishing residency in a state with no income taxes. choose a virtual address in that same state.