Australian non tax resident- non-financial issues.

[vagabond48]

I NEED to mail my US tax return with an ITIN application form which has to be mailed to a special IRS PO box address. My envelope will include a certified document that cost me $50 so I want to do what I can to make sure it leaves Thailand. I read in another thread that mailing it using EMS may not tell me anything after leaving Thailand. The OP of that thread stated that tracking did not show that it even left Bangkok. I assume that private carriers cannot deliver it because it is going to a PO box.

SO,

what mailing options do I have?

Thanks.

[thaihome]

You can use the IRS address for Private Delivery Services (PDS)

http://www.irs.gov/f...=251097,00.html

_{Do you have a relative or friend in the US that could mail it for you? What have done every year for past 15 years is e-mail a scanned version to my son who then mails from the US. You could do the same thing, courier (Fedex, TNT, etc) to the US and have them mail it.}

_TH

Edited March 2, 2012 by thaihome

[givenall]

Use USPS priority mail with tracking so you can monitor the movements. I use it all the time and it is very reliable

[vagabond48]

You can use the IRS address for Private Delivery Services (PDS)

http://www.irs.gov/f...=251097,00.html

_{Do you have a relative or friend in the US that could mail it for you? What have done every year for past 15 years is e-mail a scanned version to my son who then mails from the US. You could do the same thing, courier (Fedex, TNT, etc) to the US and have them mail it.}

_TH

Sound like that might be the way to go and then have my relative mail my envelope with USPS tracking. Thanks

[vagabond48]

Use USPS priority mail with tracking so you can monitor the movements. I use it all the time and it is very reliable

I am mailing this from Thailand.

[pmarlin]

I had the same problem, Mailed it to Austin, TX using Register airmail with no problems. Got my refund and the wifes tax number in about a month.

[vagabond48]

I had the same problem, Mailed it to Austin, TX using Register airmail with no problems. Got my refund and the wifes tax number in about a month.

Can you please tell me what does Thai Post Register airmail do for you, track or let you know when it arrived?

[Sateev]

BTW, I assume the document that cost you $50 was a certified copy of your wife's passport, done by the US Embassy. It should have been free.

We did the same thing, after the IRS denied her an ITIN based on a copy certified by HER embassy. We got the US Embassy staff to do it at a Consular outreach in Udon Thani, free, because it was required by the IRS. We explained to them that it was for the purpose of obtaining an ITIN.

Sent it off, and received her ITIN in about a month.

[Lifer]

I have mailed US tax returns for 14 years to US by sending Thai Post air mail registered mail without a problem. Takes a number days longer, but locked up at each point along the way. If you don't pay for mailed return delivery notice, you have to wait a period of time to have them followup. I always go online to IRS, after a few weeks, and fill out the online form to find out when my refund, etc. is going to be paid. Works well. If no refund, must pay for delivery notification or use courier.

http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96596,00.html

If you want extra security, pay more money and send by courier.

[Pib]

BTW, I assume the document that cost you $50 was a certified copy of your wife's passport, done by the US Embassy. It should have been free.

We did the same thing, after the IRS denied her an ITIN based on a copy certified by HER embassy. We got the US Embassy staff to do it at a Consular outreach in Udon Thani, free, because it was required by the IRS. We explained to them that it was for the purpose of obtaining an ITIN.

Sent it off, and received her ITIN in about a month.

Or, the Embassy staff just felt generous on that visit. Didn't see anything on the U.S. Embassy American Citizen Services webpage mentioning certain documents will be notarized free of charge. Seems the ACS charges for every thing now. http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/service/notarial-services.html

[Sateev]

BTW, I assume the document that cost you $50 was a certified copy of your wife's passport, done by the US Embassy. It should have been free.

We did the same thing, after the IRS denied her an ITIN based on a copy certified by HER embassy. We got the US Embassy staff to do it at a Consular outreach in Udon Thani, free, because it was required by the IRS. We explained to them that it was for the purpose of obtaining an ITIN.

Sent it off, and received her ITIN in about a month.

Or, the Embassy staff just felt generous on that visit. Didn't see anything on the U.S. Embassy American Citizen Services webpage mentioning certain documents will be notarized free of charge. Seems the ACS charges for every thing now. http://bangkok.usemb...l-services.html

Actually, no. They expressly stated (and I also read somewhere beforehand) that since it was a document required by the IRS, there would be no fee for the Certified True Copy of my wife's passport. They were, however, accepting $50 hand-over-fist for various other notarial services, like income affidavits, residence affidavits, etc. They screwed it up, too, the first time (wrong date stamp), and we made a new copy and mailed to them, and they returned the corrected one in a couple of days, no charge (of course).

[Gone]

FEDEX ? Online tracking? Easy

[givenall]

Use USPS priority mail with tracking so you can monitor the movements. I use it all the time and it is very reliable

I am mailing this from Thailand.

Yes i know and i go to MBK mailing service and they use USPS service

[Pib]

Use USPS priority mail with tracking so you can monitor the movements. I use it all the time and it is very reliable

I am mailing this from Thailand.

Yes i know and i go to MBK mailing service and they use USPS service

Just to be sure, do you mean United States Postal System (USPS) as you mentioned which is a U.S. govt entity, or UPS (United Parcel Service) which is a letter/parcel shipping company like FEDEX.

[TravelerEastWest]

"I read in another thread that mailing it using EMS may not tell me anything after leaving Thailand. The OP of that thread stated that tracking did not show that it even left Bangkok. "

EMS is fast and reliable and trackable the above statement is not correct.

Registered mail does not have true tracking and is slower on average 3 weeks to America.

[givenall]

Use USPS priority mail with tracking so you can monitor the movements. I use it all the time and it is very reliable

I am mailing this from Thailand.

Yes i know and i go to MBK mailing service and they use USPS service

I was also surprised, I think the Thai Mail collaborates with USPS, US Postal Service)

[phuketrichard]

curious why one would mail the tax material to someone in the states to then mail to again to the ins?Just send direct>> been doing it for 20++ years.

This is the first year i have had to request a tax transcript for my daughter for her FAFSA ( forms to apply for federal loans/grants for college) and it took about 2 weeks to reach them from Thailand regular air mail

Edited March 4, 2012 by phuketrichard

[Suradit69]

I had the same problem, Mailed it to Austin, TX using Register airmail with no problems. Got my refund and the wifes tax number in about a month.

Yes, I use registered mail each year and never had a problem.

[lopburi3]

Have been filing electronically for last decade but never used anything more than normal air mail and never had a problem. I currently just use a Soi mail service (using Thai post) normal 14 day mail service for sending bank checks and have never had any lost. If use EMS it is about ten times the price but gets there in about 3-4 days.

[FrankieDimes]

There is a U.S. Post Office located at the U.S. Embassy. They allow active military as well as veterans to mail items out of Thailand. Veterans are limited to mailing documents, cds, etc. just a few ounces which prevent business enterprise. I don't know what other category of people are allowed to use the post office or they may allow mail from any U.S. citizen addressed to the IRS. It may be worth a telephone call to ask.

[vagabond48]

There is a U.S. Post Office located at the U.S. Embassy. They allow active military as well as veterans to mail items out of Thailand. Veterans are limited to mailing documents, cds, etc. just a few ounces which prevent business enterprise. I don't know what other category of people are allowed to use the post office or they may allow mail from any U.S. citizen addressed to the IRS. It may be worth a telephone call to ask.

Yes I have used the US Consulate to send in my voting registration but these were postage free envelopes. I don't know if they would do the same for an IRS return but how would one pay for the US postage?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Just to be sure, do you mean United States Postal System (USPS) as you mentioned which is a U.S. govt entity, or UPS (United Parcel Service) which is a letter/parcel shipping company like FEDEX.

It seems member Givenall who talked above about using "USPS" hasn't come back to this thread as yet...

But I'm assuming he meant to say or should have said "UPS." Various of the local mail counters at places such as MBK advertise mailouts via UPS... But I've never heard of or seen any that would mail via USPS (United State Postal Service) from Thailand.

Were that the case, I think a lot more of us would be aware of it and using it. And folks here wouldn't be trying to figure out if they can mail their tax documents thru the U.S. Consulate postal counter.

Edited March 6, 2012 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[tutsiwarrior]

last year I sent my tax return and treasury dept document via Vietnam EMS (from a small town out in the provinces) and using the same tracking number I found that on arrival in the US the USPS then handles the delivery as the delivery confirmation in Austin and Detroit came from a USPS website...

seems like EMS is a worldwide integrated service...

Edited March 6, 2012 by tutsiwarrior

[Pib]

Just to be sure, do you mean United States Postal System (USPS) as you mentioned which is a U.S. govt entity, or UPS (United Parcel Service) which is a letter/parcel shipping company like FEDEX.

It seems member Givenall who talked above about using "USPS" hasn't come back to this thread as yet...

But I'm assuming he meant to say or should have said "UPS." Various of the local mail counters at places such as MBK advertise mailouts via UPS... But I've never heard of or seen any that would mail via USPS (United State Postal Service) from Thailand.

Were that the case, I think a lot more of us would be aware of it and using it. And folks here wouldn't be trying to figure out if they can mail their tax documents thru the U.S. Consulate postal counter.

Yea, I would be very, very suprised if it was a United States Postal System (USPS) outlet in a foreign country except on a U.S. Embassy property or U.S. military station like JUSMAG. Plus a USPS employee must be a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident alien (i.e., possession of a “green card”), a citizen of American Samoa or any other territory owing permanent allegiance to the United States. Individuals solely granted asylum status, refugee status or conditional permanent resident status are not eligible for Postal Service employment. Or, for Thais working for the U.S. Govt in Thailand I think they must first undergo something called a foreign national security clearance and be under the direct supervision of a U.S. citizen federal employee/active duty member. I expect the place Givenall is referring to is a Thai business/UPS location versus a USPS office and the Thai business just advertises it can feed mail into the USPS....of course any mail system in the world can feed into the USPS by just mailing it to the U.S. But it would indeed be nice to have a USPS in Bangkok, but I just don't expect the Thai Govt/Thai Postal System is going to let other governments to setup an official/govt mail branch in Thailand, except where allowed under treaties/status of forces agreements between countries which cover the U.S. Embassy and JUSMAG post offices. I expect other countries embassies in Thailand also have postal outlets/offices for their country's mail system but its use is limited to embassy personnel, military, etc.

[Sateev]

Jeez, it isn't complicated: send to US by EMS, it's delivered by USPS...and vice-versa. Both completely trackable (from US, if you use Express mail, and from Thailand, if you use EMS.)

[pmarlin]

I had the same problem, Mailed it to Austin, TX using Register airmail with no problems. Got my refund and the wifes tax number in about a month.

Can you please tell me what does Thai Post Register airmail do for you, track or let you know when it arrived?

Yes it does also you can track it on the US USP web site. On thai side it is on the same web site you use to track EMS.

[TerryLH]

Wasn't the USPS question answered in post 16?

[pmarlin]

Wasn't the USPS question answered in post 16?

No

[vagabond48]

I decided to send my letter using registered airmail. The last tracking entry on the Thai EMS website shows the following April 7, 2012

11:23:04 SUVARNABHUMI MAIL CENTRE Outgoing International

Should I be concerned that there is not further entry?

Is there another US website to track my letter once it hits the USA?

I would have thought that it would have arrived at the 1st US delivery point by now?

[gregb]

I decided to send my letter using registered airmail. The last tracking entry on the Thai EMS website shows the following April 7, 2012

11:23:04 SUVARNABHUMI MAIL CENTRE Outgoing International

Should I be concerned that there is not further entry?

Is there another US website to track my letter once it hits the USA?

I would have thought that it would have arrived at the 1st US delivery point by now?

That is the last entry you will see on the Thai site. You now need to start looking for it on the US side:

https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction!input.action

Use the same RRxxxxxxxxxTH number you used on the Thai side.

About 20% of the time in my experience it never gets scanned in on the US side, but rarely have I seen a letter not get delivered. So if it doesn't show up on the USPS you need to wait a while and then check with the IRS before you assume it was not delivered.