Leaving US, but having/getting an address in US

[solo7100]

Anyone here an expat from the states who no longer has a physical mailing address, but has some kind of US based address for banking, citizenship, other official purposes?

In other words, banks need a physical mailing address in the states (my understanding), but if you have left the US and are an expat in Japan (or anywhere), how does one "have" an address for their US situations?

Clear as mud? Thanks,

[TokyoWart]

Increasingly US banks are closing accounts if the only address is foreign and some banks now also ferret out the use of forwarding addresses. My understanding is that Navy Federal Credit Union will allow a foreign address but I have not used them. I eventually found that I needed to maintain a physical US address for other financial accounts and so have both Japan and US physical addresses and two different phone plans that allow two factor identification, one using a US phone and the other a Japan phone to match with financial institutions in either country.

[captainspoke]

I've never used them, but this one has come up before: https://www.sdfcu.org

[SLW]

As others have mentioned, SDFCU takes foreign addresses and I use them - service is good but you need to join Americans Abroad for $75/year to qualify if you are not otherwise eligible to join the credit union. Citibank and Bank of America will allow you to change your address to a foreign one (at the present time - this could change) but you (probably) can't open accounts with a foreign address. Wells Fargo will lock your account if you move abroad and Schwab Bank will close your bank account with 30 days notice though you can currently keep your brokerage accounts. You can also buy a second home in the US and use that address as your residential address on your accounts but you should get a drivers license and vote in that state and make sure you have utility bills in your name - this is costly but it works. You can also use Wise and it will give you a US bank account in your name which can be used to pay bills, but you can't keep over 1 million yen equivalent if you sign up with a Japan address and its not really a bank.

[TJKansai]

As others have mentioned, SDFCU takes foreign addresses and I use them - service is good but you need to join Americans Abroad for $75/year to qualify if you are not otherwise eligible to join the credit union. Citibank and Bank of America will allow you to change your address to a foreign one (at the present time - this could change) but you (probably) can't open accounts with a foreign address. Wells Fargo will lock your account if you move abroad and Schwab Bank will close your bank account with 30 days notice though you can currently keep your brokerage accounts. You can also buy a second home in the US and use that address as your residential address on your accounts but you should get a drivers license and vote in that state and make sure you have utility bills in your name - this is costly but it works. You can also use Wise and it will give you a US bank account in your name which can be used to pay bills, but you can't keep over 1 million yen equivalent if you sign up with a Japan address and its not really a bank.

Wells Fargo took over my credit card account from Barclay, and it was a nightmare. Calling and going through 4 menus and agents over 30 minute period, only to have a computer voice tell me at the end "we cannot proceed any further, goodbye" and hang up.

[TJKansai]

Anyone here an expat from the states who no longer has a physical mailing address, but has some kind of US based address for banking, citizenship, other official purposes?

In other words, banks need a physical mailing address in the states (my understanding), but if you have left the US and are an expat in Japan (or anywhere), how does one "have" an address for their US situations?

Clear as mud? Thanks,

Another member of the forum sent me a PM a while back with this recommendation:

Regarding mail forwarding I use iPostal1 which let's you choose any address in the US and they receive mail and scan it for you so you can read it online. You can also ask them not to open/scan it and they can FedEx it to you directly or you can ask them to toss it (for junk mail). This is the mailing address I use for my banks and official accounts in the US.

[solo7100]

Increasingly US banks are closing accounts if the only address is foreign and some banks now also ferret out the use of forwarding addresses. My understanding is that Navy Federal Credit Union will allow a foreign address but I have not used them. I eventually found that I needed to maintain a physical US address for other financial accounts and so have both Japan and US physical addresses and two different phone plans that allow two factor identification, one using a US phone and the other a Japan phone to match with financial institutions in either country.

Excuse my ignorance, but for your US phone do you mean you have an American phone plan AND a Japanese phone plan just to make this system work? That is another question on my mind....how to have an American phone number for those types of verification purposes. Seems like lots of $$$, but if it works...?

[solo7100]

Anyone here an expat from the states who no longer has a physical mailing address, but has some kind of US based address for banking, citizenship, other official purposes?

In other words, banks need a physical mailing address in the states (my understanding), but if you have left the US and are an expat in Japan (or anywhere), how does one "have" an address for their US situations?

Clear as mud? Thanks,

Another member of the forum sent me a PM a while back with this recommendation:

Regarding mail forwarding I use iPostal1 which let's you choose any address in the US and they receive mail and scan it for you so you can read it online. You can also ask them not to open/scan it and they can FedEx it to you directly or you can ask them to toss it (for junk mail). This is the mailing address I use for my banks and official accounts in the US.

When you say any address, do you mean I can just choose 123 Main Street, Anytown, State of Whatever, USA as my address and it's all good fort them to work with? Or any address that can physically get your mail (but they won't), and iPostal will intercept the mail and do their thing?

[SLW]

Thats not how it works. You have to choose one of their addresses that they have established as a mail collection point. These are generally retail mail stores like mailboxes etc. or UPS locations with post boxes. They will scan and upload your mail and you can then choose what to do with it.

But, and I know this because I tried this, you cannot use these mail services as a residential address for very long. Banks know about these mail services and will generally figure out it’s not a residence after a few months and will demand a real residential address. So banks, generally it wont work. However, all my credit cards and mortgage servicer were fine with a digital mailbox as a residential address. I suppose because the “know your customer” laws are applicable to banks and brokerages and maybe not to other financial services? Who knows. But be very careful if you tell your bank this is a residence. Once they figure it out, you have about 30 days before everything is locked. Some banks will close your account and send you a check.

[TokyoWart]

Increasingly US banks are closing accounts if the only address is foreign and some banks now also ferret out the use of forwarding addresses. My understanding is that Navy Federal Credit Union will allow a foreign address but I have not used them. I eventually found that I needed to maintain a physical US address for other financial accounts and so have both Japan and US physical addresses and two different phone plans that allow two factor identification, one using a US phone and the other a Japan phone to match with financial institutions in either country.

Excuse my ignorance, but for your US phone do you mean you have an American phone plan AND a Japanese phone plan just to make this system work? That is another question on my mind....how to have an American phone number for those types of verification purposes. Seems like lots of $$$, but if it works...?

Yes. Two different phones, two different phone numbers, two different cell phone plans. Same for my wife. We travel a lot and benefit from employer or business coverage for some of the phones.