How to Set Up an International Mail Forwarding Service

It's often handy to have a US postal address for items purchased in the US. Many companies will not ship overseas, while others may charge high rates. By setting up an international mail forwarding service, you can control the process.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Decide if you need an international mail forwarding service. The advantages of a forwarding service, besides giving you a US postal address, are that you have a secure repository for your goods and that you can control the process of them going through customs. The disadvantages are that the cost can be significant and that your packages will have to be shipped twice, taking longer for them to arrive.
2. Choose an international mail forwarding service. There are many mail forwarding providers out there and the right one for you will depend on what your needs are. Some offer low start-up and fixed costs, but will charge a higher rate per parcel, whereas others are oriented towards high-volume shipping. Be sure to shop around.
3. Sign up for the service. Most services will have an online purchasing system where you can set up an account with a credit card.
4. Send your package to the mail forwarding service.
5. Contact the mail forwarding service and arrange for it to be shipped to your international address. The service should allow you to specify what the value of the package is. You can save money because the market value of your goods is often less than the price paid, as the price paid includes shipping and handling fees and taxes. The service will draw up a commercial invoice based on your specifications.