A US mailbox from abroad is a mailroom, not a residency
Expats, immigrants who have left, and non-US founders use the same CMRA product as everyone else. The extra pain is identity documents, notarization across time zones, international postage, and banks that already dislike CMRAs. None of that is solved by picking a prettier city.
Can you open one if you do not live in the US?
Yes. Anytime Mailbox’s FAQ says international users can hold a US virtual mailbox. VirtualPostMail’s mailbox FAQ asks the same question and answers yes. Traveling Mailbox says you do not need to live in a particular state. USPS Form 1583 has country fields for the home address. A foreign passport is an acceptable primary photo ID under DMM 608.10.3.
What you still must provide is a real permanent home address and an address ID that matches it. You may not list the PMB as your residence on 1583. Lying on 1583 is a federal problem, not a clever privacy tip. See Form 1583.
Notary from another country
DMM 508.1.8.3 allows the applicant to sign or acknowledge the signature in the physical or virtual (real-time audio and video) presence of the CMRA or of a notary public commissioned in a US state, territory, possession, or the District of Columbia. Providers wrap this as “online notary.” Fees are extra (PostScan Mail’s how-it-works page mentioned $20 for online notary — check the live checkout). A foreign notary who is not a US commissioned notary is not what that sentence describes. Use the provider’s US online-notary flow or appear in person at the CMRA.
What the mailbox will and will not do for a nonresident
| Task | Mailbox | Not the mailbox |
|---|---|---|
| Receive IRS, bank, and vendor paper | Yes, then scan or forward | |
| Forward a packet overseas | Yes, with new postage; international rates apply | USPS will not run a free COA from a CMRA to Paris |
| Deposit a US check | If the provider offers it and your US bank accepts mail-in or remote deposit | Does not open the bank account |
| EIN, ITIN, tax returns | They can scan the CP 575 | IRS processes, a tax pro, or you |
| US domicile / “tax exile mailbox” | Irrelevant | See a cross-border tax advisor |
| Stripe / Mercury / US bank KYC | Expect more questions, not fewer | Banking caveats |
Forwarding and customs
CMRAs remail with new postage. International packets can need customs forms. iPostal1 advertises discounted international forwarding locations (they claim up to 80% savings on some US-export routes — that is their marketing; compare a live quote). Traveling Mailbox charges postage + $2 per shipment anywhere they will ship.
Do not have people send perishable food, alcohol, or hazardous goods to a mailbox. Escapees, for example, lists those as refused. Other shops will refuse or destroy them.
Time zones and “same day scan”
Hub operators in one US time zone scan on US business days. A network store in Manhattan has Manhattan hours. If you live in GMT+8, overnight is when the shop is closed. Plan your 1583 video notary for overlapping hours.
Providers expats actually use (descriptive, not ranked)
- Traveling Mailbox — published scan bundles, international forwarding, check-mail-to-bank.
- Anytime Mailbox — US plus international locations if you also need a non-US address.
- iPostal1 — largest map, including Canada (CAD pricing there).
- VirtualPostMail — they say non-US sign-up is allowed; mailbox ≠ banking product.
- St. Brendan's Isle — older forwarding model used by some expats and cruisers; Florida address; scanning is an add-on.
Reviewed 2026-08-29.