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using iShop Mail or Handymail U.S. addresses


Kevin K

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I apologize in advance if this topic has been thoroughly addressed as I suspect it must have been, but I'm not finding info using the site's search function. 

When we've lived in Mexico in the past we've always used a family member's U.S. address as our "home" address for mail, but we'd ideally like to not have to depend on doing this. We've solved (we think!) the phone number issue by having a U.S. Google Voice number that can be forwarded to our Mexican phones, but I'm wondering if U.S. brokerages (e.g. Schwab, Vanguard) and other instituttions will accept a Handymail or iShop mail Laredo address. When we lived in San Miguel de Allende a few years ago we had a hellish experience with the mail forwarding service there, as they used a PMB address that the U.S. Postal Service was unwilling to "undo" when we wanted to revert to a normal U.S. street address. 

 

 

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Most financial firms will know that the Laredo addresses are not RESIDENTIAL addresses. Best not to tell your brokerage firm you are a Mexican resident.  Continue to use a relative or even a friends RESIDENTIAL address.

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Etrade has no no problem with Handimail's 5802 Bob Bullock C-1, Ste 328C-54 Laredo

How credit card companies will always screw it up. They won't send a new card to that address. However if you already have a US credit card keep it and change your mail address online with no problem. It is truly strange that credit card issuers always insist on NO PO boxes, but then claim they didn't get your payment if you send it to their street address and refuse to use their PO Box. 

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We have Handy Mail the Banamex USA cancelled and many others due to the Laredo address.  Apparently it is getting more and more, in order to have a U.S. bank you have to have resident address.  Just like everything else getting harder and harder to live here. 

We don't have a problem getting replacement credit cards when they are getting ready to expire but the Handy Mail postal system in U.S. regularly defaults to an incomplete address so you have to check it all the time to make a change to the complete address.  It is important every character is included so you will get your mail.  Otherwise it may be lost out there in space.  Check your mailing addresses frequently with your credit cards and banks.

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We've used HandyMail's Laredo address as our US "home" address for over 5 years now, with no problems.  We have received both new and replacement credit cards in the mail there, and use that address for all our US based credit cards and accounts.  One minor irritation - some computer systems strip off the "Apt #" which is our box number - and then the HandyMail staff have to figure out whose box it is.  I also use it as my Amazon shipping address (you need to filter your Amazon searches, for items that can be delivered to Mexico); and I just got some assistance with a Social Security issue from my Laredo-based Congressman.

BTW - for any forms which require a US phone number, I just put in the last phone number I had back in New Jersey.  That number is part of my data record from many different financial transactions, and even though it's not an active number any longer, it's always been accepted.

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17 hours ago, holdrja said:

We've used HandyMail's Laredo address as our US "home" address for over 5 years now, with no problems.  We have received both new and replacement credit cards in the mail there, and use that address for all our US based credit cards and accounts.  One minor irritation - some computer systems strip off the "Apt #" which is our box number - and then the HandyMail staff have to figure out whose box it is.  I also use it as my Amazon shipping address (you need to filter your Amazon searches, for items that can be delivered to Mexico); and I just got some assistance with a Social Security issue from my Laredo-based Congressman.

BTW - for any forms which require a US phone number, I just put in the last phone number I had back in New Jersey.  That number is part of my data record from many different financial transactions, and even though it's not an active number any longer, it's always been accepted.

If you want you can buy a Magic Jack and get a Laredo phone number to match your Laredo address. Very inexpensive and your friends can call you for free. 

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My experience with opening banking and/or debit card accounts with CapitalOne360 and Charles Schwab was that you had to have a regular residential address that they could verify however they do it.  For CapOne360 they had me send in a copy of my property tax statement and they would also accept a utility bill...sounds like they're taking a hint from Mexico.  Having a "verified address" however was optional with them.  I already had my CapOne360 (formerly INGDirect Orange) account before I moved here but I helped a friend here establish his.  I found out from another friend first that he'd been denied because he told them he lived in Mexico and wanted to use his Laredo address with the PMB#.  He had filled out everything online then they called him to interview him and he blabbed too much info...sorry, no account, bye, and they hung up.  So my now better informed friend, who has no current US address to use, signed up with my AZ address as he gets some of his US mail at my house and I've put him on my mailbox up there.  When interviewed he said he traveled often to Mexico and would be using the card at ATM's there.  He set the account to paperless so didn't even have to use his Laredo mailing address for anything.  You also have to link the account to another established account you have at a brick-and-mortar bank.

With Charles Schwab you have to have an investment account set up before you get the debit card account but that investment account's statements cannot come to you paperlessly.  So we did the same process using my US address, he was interviewed over his MagicJack phone number from AZ, and told them that he spent a great deal of time in Mexico.  He wanted their card because of the ATM fee reimbursement from any machine.  Once the account was set up and linked to another US account he was able to change the mailing address to Laredo for the statements.

I have no credit cards that I can't be paperless with, so I've not bothered to change my address to my Laredo one.  It might not work with some if they know it's a forwarding service.  When I do have to give it as a secondary address, I tell them I travel a lot now that I'm retired and that's my forwarding address for paper mail.  Laredo works fine with SS, Hartford auto/home insurance for US, getting new debit/credit cards sent down, Medicare, and all my insurance plans.

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26 minutes ago, phxfunguy said:

My experience with opening banking and/or debit card accounts with CapitalOne360 and Charles Schwab was that you had to have a regular residential address that they could verify however they do it.  For CapOne360 they had me send in a copy of my property tax statement and they would also accept a utility bill...sounds like they're taking a hint from Mexico.  Having a "verified address" however was optional with them.  I already had my CapOne360 (formerly INGDirect Orange) account before I moved here but I helped a friend here establish his.  I found out from another friend first that he'd been denied because he told them he lived in Mexico and wanted to use his Laredo address with the PMB#.  He had filled out everything online then they called him to interview him and he blabbed too much info...sorry, no account, bye, and they hung up.  So my now better informed friend, who has no current US address to use, signed up with my AZ address as he gets some of his US mail at my house and I've put him on my mailbox up there.  When interviewed he said he traveled often to Mexico and would be using the card at ATM's there.  He set the account to paperless so didn't even have to use his Laredo mailing address for anything.  You also have to link the account to another established account you have at a brick-and-mortar bank.

With Charles Schwab you have to have an investment account set up before you get the debit card account but that investment account's statements cannot come to you paperlessly.  So we did the same process using my US address, he was interviewed over his MagicJack phone number from AZ, and told them that he spent a great deal of time in Mexico.  He wanted their card because of the ATM fee reimbursement from any machine.  Once the account was set up and linked to another US account he was able to change the mailing address to Laredo for the statements.

I have no credit cards that I can't be paperless with, so I've not bothered to change my address to my Laredo one.  It might not work with some if they know it's a forwarding service.  When I do have to give it as a secondary address, I tell them I travel a lot now that I'm retired and that's my forwarding address for paper mail.  Laredo works fine with SS, Hartford auto/home insurance for US, getting new debit/credit cards sent down, Medicare, and all my insurance plans.

For those who do not have any US address, at some point the credit and debit/ATM cards will expire and new ones will need to be mailed.  Maybe a Laredo PMB address becomes an issue then?? 

We recently joined the State Deptartment Federal Credit Union who have no problem with full-time expats.  They issue debit/ATM cards as well as no-fee credit cards.  

We joined so we can have peace of mind, not to save ATM fees.  I'd rather pay ATM fees than worry about getting my account closed out of the blue.  

 

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6 hours ago, Bisbee Gal said:

For those who do not have any US address, at some point the credit and debit/ATM cards will expire and new ones will need to be mailed.  Maybe a Laredo PMB address becomes an issue then?? 

We recently joined the State Deptartment Federal Credit Union who have no problem with full-time expats.  They issue debit/ATM cards as well as no-fee credit cards.  

We joined so we can have peace of mind, not to save ATM fees.  I'd rather pay ATM fees than worry about getting my account closed out of the blue.  

 

My experience has been that once you've established the account, you're good to go.  When it comes time to get the new card, just make sure they know to send it to the mailing address since you're traveling.

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I have no problem with ishop and the Laredo address, was MBE before and I used it then.  Have had 18 years and no issues, leave out the PMB if an issue and just always say you travel lots or have two homes.  18 years no issues seems a pretty good track record. 

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Thanks very much everyone for all of the thoughtful responses. 

Here's an article by a very smart guy who has been a perpetual traveler for several years and is well-known for his financial savvy:

http://www.gocurrycracker.com/snail-mail-paper-checks-21st-century/

If you read the entire post including skimming the comments section you'll see he's had no problems getting credit cards sent. The service he settled on has a lot of advantages over any of the common Lakeside options, including a choice of real physical street addresses in various states, the ability to have them scan, forward or send any kind of mail or package, and low costs ($15-20 per month). 

Obviously it's vital for all of these options to give only the bare minimum of information to banks and brokerages. If you want a higher level of peace of mind clearly the best answer is to use a trusted friend or relative's U.S. address, preferably in one of the 7 States that doesn't impose an income tax. 

I really appreciate all of the wise consel and sharing of experiences. 

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My comment pertained to Financial/Brokerage firms and the growing requirement for a US residential address. Credit cards are a whole different animal and don't depend on residential address requirements. Some firms will have clients outside the US. UBS has all Mexican and Central American clients serviced out of their San Antonio, TX office. It is best, if you can, to maintain a US residential address, with relative or friend. This is all due to money laundering laws that are growing, not shrinking.

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14 hours ago, tomgates said:

My comment pertained to Financial/Brokerage firms and the growing requirement for a US residential address. Credit cards are a whole different animal and don't depend on residential address requirements. Some firms will have clients outside the US. UBS has all Mexican and Central American clients serviced out of their San Antonio, TX office. It is best, if you can, to maintain a US residential address, with relative or friend. This is all due to money laundering laws that are growing, not shrinking.

Yes, exactly! You're wise to point this out Tom. For others interested in this issue I recommend takiing the time to read not just the post I provided the link to above from the Go Curry Cracker blog site, but the comments on it as well, as the issue of what kind of address will pass muster with brokerages is addressed in some detail, plus there's a link provided to a more detailed discussion of the issue as it specifically applies to Vanguard over on the Bogleheads forum. 

As Tom, Bisbee Gal and phxfunguy have pointed out you have to already have established a U.S. brokerage account with a legit physical street address (PMB's like iShop Mail and Handymail use don't qualify) and then MAY be able to get them to accept your PMB address in Laredo as your "real" address provided you say you are just traveling in Mexico for extended periods of time, and that when you call in to your brokerage you do so using a VOIP with a U.S. number such as Magic Jack or Ooma. Far better to maintain a U.S. residential address if possible. 

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Ah yes, I've been here over 10 years, and I have cultivated my persona as a widowed grandma who lives in Tucson (my son's address) I tell them I love to travel, and I am calling from Lake Chapala in Mexico where the weather is wonderful. Almost all phone reps seem to dig this and hope they can join me some day!

But in the last couple of years, it has gotten impossible to get any banks or credit card companies to accept my Laredo P.O. Box address, which I would prefer as I can get my mail faster. Makes me wonder what kinds of scams are going on using US mail box addresses! (Makes me wonder if my son could get some extra income providing Tucson addresses for desperate expats;) Well, the situation is silly--why should we have to lie about where we actually live? I have to admit, my bank branch in Tucson is very supportive (Tucson has a lot of cross-border clients), but their parent (BofA) is not. 

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