How to Mail an International Letter
Sending a letter to a different country can be confusing, because the address is not in the same format that U.S. addresses are written. The international address should be clearly written to avoid confusion on the part of the post office as well. Depending on the country, words might be written in a foreign language, which can lead to misspellings if the sender is careless. If addressed correctly and clearly, an international letter should successfully make it to its destination.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Double-check the address if possible to make sure it is correct before writing it on the envelope. An address can be double-checked on the Internet by accessing the business' or company's Web site, or by calling the resident of the address.
-
2
Write the recipient's address on no more than five horizontal lines in the center of the envelope. Print the name and address in all capital letters to make it appear as clear as possible to postal workers. Even if the words are in a language other than English, print the words using Roman letters and Arabic numerals, the same used in American addresses. For example, do not address a letter to China in Chinese symbols, or a letter to Saudi Arabia in Arabic letters. Write them in the English translation of the words.
-
-
3
Make sure each line of the address contains the correct information. Line one is the name of the addressee, or recipient. Line two is the street address or post office box. Line three is the town or city name, followed by the territory name (state, province or county) and the postal code. In some other countries, the postal code may contain letters and numbers, and it may appear before the name of the territory. The last line of the address, the fourth line, contains only the name of the country written in capital letters, not abbreviated.
-
4
Print a complete return address on the upper left-hand corner of the envelope. The address should include name (no initials), address, city, state, ZIP code and country.
-
5
Take the letter to a local post office and show it to a postal worker before sending it. The postal worker will tell the sender if the address is correctly written and legible, and how much postage it will require.
-
6
Place the correct number of stamps on the letter and mail it.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Letters sent to members of the U.S. military stationed overseas only requires domestic postage.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit envelope with effect image by Attila Toro from Fotolia.com
