Mailing address for US expats to maintain US bank accounts

[youbuyshirt]

As has been discussed in other threads, it’s increasingly difficult for US expats to maintain their US bank and brokerage accounts without a US address.

 

My question is, if you use a relative’s address, will the post office deliver your mail to that address even though your name is unfamiliar to them and they’ve never seen your name at that address before? And if you only receive mail very rarely, like once a year? Or will they refuse to deliver it and return the mail to sender?

 

If you use a c/o address, i.e., YOUR NAME, c/o Relative’s name, followed by the address, is this a red flag to the banks that will make them think you don’t live in the US, and possibly close your account?

 

A c/o address would eliminate the problem that the mail carrier has rarely or never seen any mail to you at the relative’s address. But does it create other problems?

 

Is a better solution to ask the relative to post a small note on the mailbox that it also accepts mail for YOUR NAME?

 

Thanks for any replies.

[rjwill01]

I used my sister's address in Olympia Washington for 4 years now. Do all my online banking from Pattaya. Never had a problem. I transfer from my US bank to Bangkok bank New York.

[NCC1701A]

I use my friends address in Nevada and another one in Tennessee.

I did have BofA close my account without my consent but that was before using these addresses. 

Obviously what is super important is a cellphone that roams in Thailand with your USA phone.

And whatever you do, don't let your drivers license or state ID card expire.

   

Edited July 10, 2019 by NCC1701A

[Pib]

Yes..the post office will deliver your mail. They deliver to a street address; not a name.

The post office does not know or care how many people live at an address or what different names they have. Not uncommon for numerous people with different last names to live at a residence.

Now if you put in a request to forward the mail of a specific named person at an address to another address they will then key in on you name...but the street address is still what the mailman primarily keys in on.

Now there is nothing stopping a bank/financial company from wanting proof that you do indeed live at a certain physical address during a new acct opening or even an old acct. Proof along the lines of property tax docs, drivers/state licences, residence rental agreement, etc.

[youbuyshirt]

Thanks for the replies. So do you guys who use a relative's or friend's address just use your name with their address or do you put "c/o" NAME OF RELATIVE OR FRIEND, then the address?

 

That's the main question. You have to provide this address to the banks, and I wonder if a "c/o" address makes them suspicious.

[Mel52]

As has been discussed in other threads, it’s increasingly difficult for US expats to maintain their US bank and brokerage accounts without a US address.
 
My question is, if you use a relative’s address, will the post office deliver your mail to that address even though your name is unfamiliar to them and they’ve never seen your name at that address before? And if you only receive mail very rarely, like once a year? Or will they refuse to deliver it and return the mail to sender?
 
If you use a c/o address, i.e., YOUR NAME, c/o Relative’s name, followed by the address, is this a red flag to the banks that will make them think you don’t live in the US, and possibly close your account?
 
A c/o address would eliminate the problem that the mail carrier has rarely or never seen any mail to you at the relative’s address. But does it create other problems?
 
Is a better solution to ask the relative to post a small note on the mailbox that it also accepts mail for YOUR NAME?
 
Thanks for any replies.

I’m sorry I didn’t read your whole post but I maintain both my Thai bank account and our US bank account using our Thai address and it’s not a problem at all. My bank in the states also has my Thai address on file and it’s fine. I don’t know if it matters which bank you use but I’m retired military and my bank in the states is a Federal Credit Union that’s used to dealing with military and military retirees as well as government employees so they are used to dealing with people who have overseas addresses. But regardless I don’t think it matters you should be able to use your Thai address for your bank in the states as well as your Thai bank that’s what I do and I have a Thai bank account and I still have a United States bank account as well both have my Thai address as my address of record. It should not be a problem at all using your Thai address associated with your United States bank account I do it and lots of people do it.

I have my VA pension going to my Thai bank account via International Direct Deposit and my military retirement pay and my wife’s Social Security going to our bank in the states which we save and we just use my VA pension as income in Thailand because it’s more than enough to live on and way more than enough to satisfy immigration requirements for my extensions. Maybe you ought to ask your bank about that unless you’re using a friend or relatives address for a specific reason.

[Mel52]

WOW I didn’t realize this was an issue for people. Maybe it’s not a problem for me because I’m retired military and I use a Federal credit union I don’t know. Federal credit unions are used to dealing with customers living abroad outside the United States. I’ve never ran into this problem I guess I’ve just been lucky maybe I don’t know. My Thai bank is SCB where one of my Direct Deposits go to.