USPS Form 1583 for a Non-US Resident: ID and Address Proof
For applicants outside the US: which IDs and address proof Form 1583 lists, and who can verify your signature.
Form 1583 for a non-US resident does not ask for a US home address. Its home address block ends with a "Country" field and its photo ID list includes "Passport." What the applicant needs is two IDs: one government-issued photo ID, and a second that confirms the home address on the form. The form's address list is a current lease, a home or vehicle insurance policy, a mortgage or deed of trust, a vehicle registration card or a voter card.
The signature also has to be verified live, either by the provider's agent or before a notary commissioned in a US state, territory, possession or DC. Checked October 2, 2026 (source: about.usps.com, opens in new tab)
What the form itself lists
The June 2024 form splits identification into a photo ID and an address ID. These lists are printed on the form, so they apply to every provider before any provider adds its own rules.
| Purpose | Listed on the form |
|---|---|
| Photo ID (item 8e) | US state, territory or tribal driver's or nondriver's ID card; Uniformed Service ID; Passport; Certificate of Naturalization; US Access Card; Matricula Consular; US Permanent Resident Card; US University ID Card; NEXUS Card. |
| Address ID (item 9g) | U.S. state, territory or tribal driver's or nondriver's ID card; Current Lease; Home or Vehicle Insurance Policy; Mortgage or Deed of Trust; Vehicle Registration Card; Voter Card. |
| Not on the address list | National ID cards and utility bills do not appear in the form's address ID list. |
Two printed notes matter most for someone without a US license. The form says "Two types of identification are required" and "Attach a copy of the photo and address ID documents." It also says a driver's or nondriver's ID "may be used for only one of the IDs (either photo ID or address ID), not for both" (PS Form 1583, June 2024).
What the provider must check
The Domestic Mail Manual puts the check on the mailbox provider: "The CMRA owner or manager must verify the documentation to confirm that the addressee resides or conducts business at the permanent address shown on PS Form 1583" (Checked October 2, 2026 (source: pe.usps.com, opens in new tab)). So the address on the second ID has to line up with the home address written in the form. Anytime Mailbox puts it plainly: the address on your ID "must match either the home address in Section 4f, Section 9b, or the business address in Section 7c of Form 1583" (Anytime Mailbox help, updated March 5, 2026).
The home address field is labeled "Applicant's Street Home Address." That is the applicant's own home, not the provider's mailbox address. How to complete Form 1583 covers the full form for any applicant.
Who can verify the signature
The printed note on the form says the applicant "must sign or confirm their signature in the physical or virtual presence (in real-time audio and video) of the Agent or the Agent's authorized employee or acknowledge their signature in the physical or virtual presence (in real-time audio and video) of a notary public commissioned in a United States state, territory, possession, or the District of Columbia" (Checked October 2, 2026 (source: about.usps.com, opens in new tab)). For someone outside the US that leaves two routes: a live video session with the provider's agent, or an online notary commissioned in the US. The note does not mention foreign notaries. The cost and mechanics of the notary route are in Form 1583 notary options and costs.
If you use an online notary, the notary platform sets its own ID rules. Proof's support page (updated July 21, 2026) says "a foreign passport is the only accepted primary ID" for non-U.S. citizens or residents, and that "Foreign driver's licenses and other government-issued IDs from outside the U.S. cannot be accepted on our platform" (Checked October 2, 2026 (source: support.proof.com, opens in new tab)).
What each provider publishes for applicants abroad
Providers add their own document rules on top of the form. The table shows what each one says on its own help pages. Wording is condensed, and every row links to its source. Pages differ in age, so the date shown matters.
| Provider | Address proof it lists | Passport | Utility bill | Verification route and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPostal1 | Current lease; mortgage or deed of trust; voter or vehicle registration card; home or vehicle insurance policy. | Foreign passport listed. | Not listed. | "Customers living outside the U.S, who sign up for a U.S. address MUST use our online notary service" ($25 per notarization). Social Security cards, credit cards and birth certificates are not accepted (iPostal1 FAQ, no date shown). |
| Anytime Mailbox | Lease or rental agreement; homeowner's or renter's insurance; vehicle registration; car insurance; government-issued voter card. The page says this "does not need to be a US document." | Recommended as photo ID. | Not accepted, and neither are bank or credit card statements. | Non-English documents need a certified translation unless the location can interpret them (Anytime Mailbox help, updated May 11, 2026). |
| US Global Mail | Lease or rental agreement; mortgage statement or deed; vehicle registration; home or vehicle insurance policy; voter registration card. The document must show "the physical street address where you actually live" and "cannot be a PO Box or a mailbox address." | "A US and foreign passport is accepted." | Not listed. | If no document is in your name, the provider asks you to reply with your country of residence and the documents you hold, and reviews each case (US Global Mail help, updated August 26, 2026). |
| Traveling Mailbox | A current lease agreement if the passport shows no address. | "A passport can be used as a primary form of identification, even if you reside outside the United States." | Not listed. | A separate, undated page describes a video call instead of notarization, so confirm which applies (Traveling Mailbox help, updated 08.07.2026 as displayed on the page). |
| PostScan Mail | Lease; mortgage; deed of trust; voter registration; vehicle registration; insurance. | Non-U.S. passport listed. | Unacceptable in its general ID list, and not among the documents accepted for international customers. | For international customers, foreign driver's licenses, national ID cards and foreign university IDs are listed as not accepted. Documents must be in English or come with a certified English translation (PostScan Mail help, updated January 1, 2026). |
| Earth Class Mail | Lease; mortgage; deed of trust; voter registration card; vehicle registration card; home or vehicle insurance policy. | Non-US passport is a primary photo ID, along with Matricula Consular (Mexico) and NEXUS (Canada). | Not listed. | The names on both IDs "must match exactly," and all IDs "must use the Latin alphabet." IDs are checked during notarization (Earth Class Mail help, updated May 15, 2026). |
Three patterns show up in the table. Every provider that lists address proof lists a lease, and none lists a utility bill as acceptable. None of the pages checked says it refuses applicants who live outside the US. PhysicalAddress.com is not in the table because no international ID page was found for it.
Steps for an applicant abroad
- Pick a provider whose help pages describe a process for customers outside the US, and read its address proof list before paying for anything.
- Gather two documents: a passport (or another photo ID on the form's list) and an address document that shows your home address, such as a current lease or an insurance policy.
- If no address document is in your name, ask the provider before paying. US Global Mail says it reviews each case.
- If a document is not in English, ask the provider whether it needs a certified translation. Anytime Mailbox and PostScan Mail both mention one.
- Fill in the home address block, items 4f through 4j, with your own address and country. Use the same address as on the second ID.
- Complete the signature verification live: a video session with the provider's agent, or an online notary commissioned in the US. iPostal1 requires its own online notary service for customers without a US address.
- Attach copies of both IDs and send the package the way the provider instructs.
Common mistakes
- No Offering a utility bill as address proof. It is not on the form's list and the providers checked do not accept it.
- No Using a national ID card as the address document. PostScan Mail says it is not accepted for international customers.
- No Using a driver's license as both IDs. The form allows it for one.
- No Writing the provider's mailbox address in the home address field. The label asks for "Applicant's Street Home Address."
- No Letting the ID address and the form address differ. The provider has to confirm the applicant lives at the address shown on the form.
- No Booking a local notary abroad before checking the form's note, which names notaries commissioned in a US state, territory, possession or DC.
What this means for choosing a provider
For an applicant abroad, the useful differences between providers are the documents each one lists, whether it accepts a lease or insurance document from another country, and which verification route it offers. Owners who run a US company from abroad can also read which address goes where for a foreign-owned LLC. To compare providers on international forwarding and ID rules, see virtual mailbox options for expats, or compare providers by what your business needs.
FAQ
Do I need a US address to fill out Form 1583?
No. The form's home address block has a Country field, and iPostal1 says you "can and must" file Form 1583 even without a US address. The address on the form has to be your own home address, and it has to match your address document.
Can I use a foreign passport as my photo ID?
The form lists "Passport" without limiting it to US passports. iPostal1, US Global Mail and PostScan Mail list foreign passports as accepted. Anytime Mailbox recommends a passport as photo ID and says you do not need US-based identification. Traveling Mailbox says a passport can be used even if you live outside the United States.
What can I use as proof of address from another country?
The form lists a current lease, a home or vehicle insurance policy, a mortgage or deed of trust, a vehicle registration card and a voter card. Anytime Mailbox says the document does not need to be a US one. US Global Mail says it must show the physical street address where you actually live, not a PO Box or mailbox address.
Is a utility bill accepted?
It is not on the form's address list. Anytime Mailbox says it does not accept utility bills, and PostScan Mail lists them as unacceptable in its general ID list. None of the other provider pages checked list one.
Can a notary in my own country notarize Form 1583?
The printed note on the form names a notary commissioned in a United States state, territory, possession or the District of Columbia and does not mention foreign notaries. Providers offer one of two routes: a live video session with the provider (Traveling Mailbox describes one) or an online US notary (iPostal1 requires its own for customers abroad).
Do I need a certified translation?
Anytime Mailbox and PostScan Mail say documents not in English need a certified translation, with exceptions Anytime Mailbox describes for documents from your country of origin or a location that can interpret them. Ask the provider before ordering one.
Check with the provider first. Providers set and change their own document rules, and their help pages carry different dates. Confirm the current list with the provider before paying for a notarization.
How this page is sourced
Cedrick Reese wrote this guide for VirtualMailboxBusiness.com from USPS PS Form 1583 (June 2024), the Domestic Mail Manual section on commercial mail receiving agencies and each provider's own help pages. Form wording and the USPS rules were checked against the official pages on the date shown. Provider rows quote each provider's published pages and show the date on the page where one appeared. The page is reviewed when USPS revises the form or a provider changes its document list.
Sources
- USPS: PS Form 1583, June 2024, checked October 2, 2026
- USPS: Domestic Mail Manual, section 508.1.8, checked October 2, 2026
- iPostal1: Mailbox account FAQ, checked October 2, 2026
- Anytime Mailbox: Using international or foreign IDs, checked October 2, 2026
- Anytime Mailbox: Your address on your ID and on Form 1583, checked October 2, 2026
- US Global Mail: Documents for Form 1583 if you live outside the US, checked October 2, 2026
- Traveling Mailbox: Non-US citizens and identification, checked October 2, 2026
- PostScan Mail: What ID is acceptable for Form 1583, checked October 2, 2026
- Earth Class Mail: Acceptable identification for USPS 1583, non-SSN holders, checked October 2, 2026
- Proof: Acceptable forms of ID for the USPS Form 1583, checked October 2, 2026