Frequently asked questions
A Virtual Mailbox is a service that enables you to manage your postal mail from a remote location. It provides you with a legitimate street address for receiving mail and packages. You can access your mail through our app or a web browser, as long as you have an active internet connection.
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Once mail arrives at our location, you will receive a notification of the delivery. Through the app or browser, you can then take actions such as opening and scanning the mail contents, forwarding them to a different address, or shredding or recycling them. You can also schedule to pick up your mail items at a time that’s convenient for you during business hours.
Virtual Mailbox features include the convenience of mail scanning, which allows you to view your mail online, mail and package forwarding for easy delivery wherever you are, secure mail shredding and recycling for peace of mind, and the option to schedule mail and package pickups and even deposit checks.
Your mail items are delivered to a secure and staffed location, where they are stored safely until you pick them up or arrange for forwarding to a different address. This practice ensures that your items are not left outside on your porch or mailbox, where they could be exposed to the elements or targeted by mail thieves or porch pirates and packages at your virtual mailbox address.
Yes! The State of Florida, frequent travelers, digital nomads, van lifers, etc., can use a virtual mailbox address as a registered address for official documents, such as IDs, bank forms, and tax forms. So, you won’t need to change your address if you move, as you can keep receiving paper mail and important packages at our address.
Virtual Mailbox utilizes secure, encrypted servers with a 2048-bit SSL connection. To enhance security, we never send images of your mail items via email. This can only be accessed through our secure platform, available on our web portal or app. Additionally, Virtual Mailbox operators adhere to USPS rules and regulations to ensure the security of your mail and packages.
The international mailing system is complicated. When you send a package, one single carrier isn't responsible for delivering it to you. International packages depend on the availability of transportation, meaning they go with whichever transportation mode is there at the time (typically a plane, but sometimes it's a boat).
Based on what's happening in the world, available transportation options may be more limited. When tracking your package, this can result in "dead spots" where you might not see any updates for several days at a time... but that doesn't mean your shipment is lost.
Global events are beyond the control of the Postal Service, UPS, and Asendia while USPS, UPS, and Asendia are all highly reliable carriers — and most shipments arrive without a problem — sometimes global events can cause unexpected delays that are simply out of their hands.
For example, you might remember when some countries completely shut down shipments during COVID-19, or when a massive container ship got stuck in the Suez Canal and blocked about 10% of global trade! Situations like these can slow down the international mailing system and cause tracking information to update more slowly than usual.
If you're waiting on an international shipment, please know that some delays are just part of the process. International deliveries can take a bit of extra time, and although it’s rare, you might run into a longer wait than expected.
Here’s what you can do: No matter what’s happening around the world, there are a few ways you can stay proactive about your international shipment:
Purchase additional insurance
Protecting your packages is easy — and highly recommended! Purchasing additional shipping insurance is the best way to safeguard yourself if a package goes missing or arrives damaged.
If your international shipment hasn't arrived after 40 days, you’ll be eligible to file a claim for the full declared value of the package.
Insurance is inexpensive — just a few extra dollars — and can bring a lot of peace of mind if something unexpected happens.
Investigating a package once it has left the United States
Tracking international packages can get tricky once they leave the U.S. Here's what you need to know:
USPS and Asendia packages: Once these packages leave the United States, it's very difficult to track or investigate their whereabouts. In most cases you will need to contact your country's or your local town postal service (or local Post Office) for the most accurate information.
UPS packages: UPS shipments are often easier to track internationally because UPS uses its own global network. Just enter your tracking number directly into the UPS tracking portal for updates.
Here's a clear and concise differences.
Feature | iPostal1 | Anytime Mailbox | PostScan Mail |
|---|---|---|---|
Best For | Business, LLCs | Traveler, digital nomads | Individuals, business and general use |
Number of Locations | 2,500+ worldwide | 1,3000+ worldwide | ~400 (mostly U.S. |
International Support | Yes | Excellent | Limited |
Mobile App Experience | Good | Excelent | Good |
Mail Handling (Scan/Forward) | Varies by location | Varies by location | Centralized, consistent |
Business Use/LLC Support | Yes, with digital office features | Depends on address selected | Yes |
Customer Support | Reliable | Varies by location | Strong, centralized |
Pricing | Starts around $9.99/mo | Starts around $7.99/mo | Starts around $10.00/mo |
Extras | Phone/fax add-ons, package forwarding | Easy onboarding, flexible plans | Shredding, multi-user dashboard |
Address Type | Real street addresses only | Real street addresses (varies) | Real street addresses only |
💡 Final Recommendation:
Choose iPostal1 if you need many locations and professional features.
Choose Anytime Mailbox for global flexibility and a great mobile experience.
Choose PostScan Mail if you want secure, consistent service with strong customer support.