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US address (mailbox) for living abroad and package delivery

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ellenbuikema
  6/27/2018 13:54 EST

Does anyone have suggestions for a good place to obtain an address in the US, like a mailbox of sorts, after selling a home there and moving out of the country?

We will still have family in the States but don't want to burden them with mail, although most comes via the internet these days.

Also, how does package delivery work in Mexico?

We'd likely be living in the state of Querétaro.

Thanks!

hockeyrick
  6/27/2018 13:58 EST

All I can say is here in Huatulco, Oaxaca, have had no problems with Amazon, Ebay, or AliExpress delivery. Most comes by DHL here and fast if thats how it says. And I have a PO box at the local Post Office.

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RVGRINGO
  6/27/2018 16:24 EST

Here are a few that may still be available:

http://vdocs.org
https://travelingmailbox.com/
https://www.mailboxforwarding.com/index.php
https://www.postscanmail.com/

You will see that different methods are available, so will need to evaluate your needs before choosing. We lived in the Lake Chapala area, where there were others, with addresses in Laredo, TX, and physical presence at Lake Chapala for pick-up, etc. There may be similar businesses in your chosen Mexican city, if there are enough expats to make it viable.

dmexx
  6/27/2018 18:19 EST

I been in Mexico for twenty years. And have lived in various locations. Currently I am in Juriquilla, Qro.

When I first started out, I used a mail forwarding service, Mail Boxes, Inc. This meant that mail still had to be transported into Mexico. There were frequent delays in receiving mail, altho it was far better than using the Mexican post. With mail forwarding by Mail Boxes, it did not come to your home; it was forwarded to the local Mail Boxes office in Mexico. You had to go there to retrieve it. It was tedious.

Then, about 9 years ago, I stopped forwarding my mail. Instead, I have it scanned by a service located in a city and state of my choosing.

If there is something (this isn't often) I need forwarded, I used UPS or FedEx to get it to my Mexican home. If it is like a credit card, I have it expedited and that can cost me up to $70 dlls, but it arrives securely within days.

As you can see, the selection of your mailing address in the US is far more important than simply forwarding mail. As an American, you need an address in the US for your affairs to go smoothly. Its not simply a matter of getting your mail.
I recommend choosing a non-income tax state, like Texas or Washington.
California came after me for state income taxes, because my mail forwarding address was there. I had never set foot in the state.

With the service I now use you can choose a PO box or a street address (want to be on Wall Street or in Beverly Hills?). A street address costs more, but gives you address credibility as a residence. Banks tend not to like PO Boxes.
Then you can go a step further to establishing your choice as your residence the US by obtaining a phone number in the city you have chosen. There is a phone service that connects you by your PC to a phone number in the US where you can make toll-free calls.
Supposedly, Telmex lets you call toll free to the US and Canada, but I like having a telephone number in the US.

I have gone far beyond the question you asked because the ramifications of getting your mail are not obvious when you are first starting out.

ellenbuikema
  6/27/2018 18:53 EST

Thank you for your thorough answer!

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