Can’t mail to US P.O. Box from Thailand?

[TPDH]

Hey

 

Im going to mail my tax returns (just a few documents) to the US and it needs to be mailed to an official government PO Box (CA). However, DHL says they won’t deliver to US PO Boxes and we called FedEx and UPS (all in Bangkok) and they all said the same thing. Sounds very strange to me. Especially since it’s a government PO Box. 
 

Can anyone confirm if this is true? If so, how can I send mail from Thailand to a US PO Box? 
 

 

Edited March 31, 2021 by TPDH

[CharlieH]

Generally yes, by the couriers, as a signature is required (usually) on delivery and of course you cant get that from a PO Box.

[TPDH]

7 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Generally yes, by the couriers, as a signature is required (usually) on delivery and of course you cant get that from a PO Box.

If a signature is required it makes sense but typically they also offer other delivery options where a signature is not required? 

[JimGant]

If California tax return, pay the extra freight and send it overnight:

Quote

Overnight your tax return using a private express service, such as FedEx.

Franchise Tax Board
Sacramento CA 95827-1500

https://www.ftb.ca.gov/help/contact/mailing-addresses.html

 

[mtls2005]

Thai Post offers two (or more) carrier services

 

EMS World

 

Courier Post (in partnership with DHL)

 

 

Both deliver to p.o. boxes IMLE.

 

 

In one case, for me, it was my State's Department of Revenue. I like Courier Post, 990 THB for ~ 40 gram letter. Took ~ 6 calendar days to the east coast. The local driver has the ability to identify a street address from the P.O. Box. 

 

Otherwise what can you do? Mail it to someone known to you, ask them to re-mail it.

 

 

 

 

[Berkshire]

1 hour ago, CharlieH said:

Generally yes, by the couriers, as a signature is required (usually) on delivery and of course you cant get that from a PO Box.

This is correct.  The OP can simply send regular mail (not registered).

[tyler28]

The IRS has street addresses for this purpose:

 

https://www.irs.gov/filing/submission-processing-center-street-addresses-for-private-delivery-service-pds

 

I use DHL to deliver to that Austin address every year and have never had an issue.

[DerbyDan]

My PO Box has a street address option.

Formated thus:

 

xxx street #xxx

city, state, zip code

 

All UPS, FedEx, Other are accepted at the post office street formated location and don't need a signature. A slip is put in your box and you pick up the package behind the counter.

[KamnanT]

Unless the deliveries are urgent, registered air mail at Thailand Post can be addressed to P.O. boxes and has always been very reliable for me (I can't say the same for unregistered).  U.S.A. and Canada deliveries typically within two calendar weeks, sometimes faster depending on destination (Central LA gets it a few days faster than Vancouver Island, for example).  On the other hand, an Xmas card sent unregistered air mail to my daughter in Australia was posted on December 10th and arrived on January 14th.  But hey, it's the thought that counts.

[DFPhuket]

Since you mentioned you have just a few forms to mail, it sounds like a fairly simple return. You could possibly quickly and easily transfer the information to one of the IRS free file partners and submit your 1040 electronically.

 

For simple returns there is no cost for the software, you would save the FedEx fee and would get a confirmation that it was received. Here is a list of free file partners from the IRS site.  My taxes are somewhat complex yet I found TurboTax to be pretty simple and straightforward. 

[Burma Bill]

I have experienced similar trying to send "change of banking details" from Cambodia to my 3 pension companies the UK. Using Cambodia Post EMS, 2 letters with full postal addresses were accepted, the third was rejected because of a PO Box number but with a postcode. I returned home and checked the postcode against the UK's Royal Mail Postcode database on the internet and established the full address. I was then able to substitute a street number and name for the pension building. This letter was accepted and eventually signed for in the UK with no further problems.

[DogNo1]

I file electronically with Turbo Tax every year.   Tax payment is deducted from my USAA checking account.  It's worked OK for about ten years now.  

[Srikcir]

'Mail tax returns to the US.'

If it's to the IRS you should be able to file electronically free using an IRS web site. 

Example: https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-forms

All forms and instructions provided and errors in filing will be tagged and returned for your correction.

 

[wwest5829]

I mailed my IRS return to the Austin, Texas PO Box by ThaiPost registered mail. Took a while but USPS tracking confirmed delivery.

[Crazy Noobie]

Even in the USA, Fed-Ex, UPS & DHL do not deliver to P.O. Box. They are not allowed to. Because of that, IRS does offer a physical address to mail your tax returns to. Because that is what I had to do and all I did was google for the info. Here is the address I used since I live in a foreign country:  

Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
Austin, TX  73301-0215
USA

[Bradmeister]

TPDH,

 

Which planet do you come from? 

 

You are on The Planet Earth, Eastern Hemisphere, South East Asian Continent, in a Country called Thailand. 

 

There is no mailing to a Post Office Box in the United States, ( nor any of its territories) that require a signature....in any form of mailing, from anywhere else on the planet. 

 

If you are so concerned about your Srate and/or federal taxes being recievrd on time, The E file system from the US IRS is available on line and can be paid, on line.

 

Look it up, please. 

 

 

[DerbyDan]

14 hours ago, Bradmeister said:

TPDH,

 

Which planet do you come from? 

 

You are on The Planet Earth, Eastern Hemisphere, South East Asian Continent, in a Country called Thailand. 

 

There is no mailing to a Post Office Box in the United States, ( nor any of its territories) that require a signature....in any form of mailing, from anywhere else on the planet. 

 

If you are so concerned about your Srate and/or federal taxes being recievrd on time, The E file system from the US IRS is available on line and can be paid, on line.

 

Look it up, please. 

 

 

 

Yep, can't remember the last time I mailed in a tax return via snail mail.

[tweedledee2]

Late reply, but I recently mailed a duplicate vehicle title application form to the US, which was addressed to myself using my PO Box number. It cost me 280 baht and arrived in 14 days with full tracking to my local post office. 

[piewarmer]

I had the same problem mailing to an Australian PO box with DHL. Surely the postmaster at the site could accept and put the stuff in the required box. I don't get it.