How to get mail forwarded from the US to the UK

Hi everyone, I am new to the forum, my dh and I will be moving to England in late Dec. permanently. I am trying to figure out how to get our mail forwarded to us there if at all possible.  Thank you

I don't think you can.
Cherck with the post office, but i don't think their mail forwarding covers international moves... at least it didn't when i moved over, but that was years ago.

We had ours forwarded - junk mail and all!

I didn't have my mail forwarded, but I just contacted all the important ones like my bank, credit card, etc and gave them my change of address. 

At the time I had a PO box so I just kept it for an extra 6 months and gave my friend who worked close by the key.  She emptied it out for me and mailed me everything.  After the box expired she returned the key and kept the $5 deposit.  I figured anything after 6 months or so just wasn't very important anyway.

We had ours forwarded - junk mail and all!

So did I! Just contact your post office and ask them what you need to do. It's been over 5 years, but as I recall they were pretty vague about it all ... "most of it will probably get forwarded, but somethings things go astray." So as a backup, do what Andee did and contact all your important places like banks, credit cards, etc.

I just checked into this the other day.  The PO will definitely forward mail internationally, but you can't do the change of address online like you can with domestic moves.  You have to physically go to the post office to fill out the (same exact) form. 

Thank you very much everyone! I will definitely change address with banks etc, but sometimes something important will be sent to the old address anyway. It's great that USPS will send it abroad. I only need the frst few months covered.

I have a PO box through UPS and they will collect ALL of my mail and forward it to me for $9 /mo.

This might be an option for those who need to get *all* of their mail.

Plus my UPS people are sooooooooo dang nice.

I just checked into this the other day.  The PO will definitely forward mail internationally, but you can't do the change of address online like you can with domestic moves.  You have to physically go to the post office to fill out the (same exact) form. 

No, not all post offices in all places will do this. I know because mine wouldn't let me. In Austin TX mine said they do not forward internationally. Not even with me filling out the change of address form right there in person. She said the best they could do was a "stop mail".

No, not all post offices in all places will do this. I know because mine wouldn't let me. In Austin TX mine said they do not forward internationally. Not even with me filling out the change of address form right there in person. She said the best they could do was a "stop mail".

The USPS is a federal, not local, outfit - so obviously the same rules apply, regardless of where you live. Your post office gave you incorrect information. It is indeed possible to forward post from the US to the UK, from anywhere in the US.

According to the USPS website:

How do I file a Change of Address for an International address?

If you are moving to an International location, you will need to fill out the same Change of Address (COA) form (PS Form 3575) that is filed for a domestic move at your local Post Office™.

If you forget to submit a COA prior to moving to an International address, you can write a letter to the old and new Post Office facilities explaining the situation.  Provide direction on how and where you need mail forwarded.  The letter should also include as many details asked on the COA form as possible.

No, not all post offices in all places will do this. I know because mine wouldn't let me. In Austin TX mine said they do not forward internationally. Not even with me filling out the change of address form right there in person. She said the best they could do was a "stop mail".

Yeah, this is what my post office told me as well. 
Sounds like a training issue for our post offices!

The USPS is a federal, not local, outfit - so obviously the same rules apply, regardless of where you live. Your post office gave you incorrect information. It is indeed possible to forward post from the US to the UK, from anywhere in the US.

According to the USPS website:

How do I file a Change of Address for an International address?

If you are moving to an International location, you will need to fill out the same Change of Address (COA) form (PS Form 3575) that is filed for a domestic move at your local Post Office™.

If you forget to submit a COA prior to moving to an International address, you can write a letter to the old and new Post Office facilities explaining the situation.  Provide direction on how and where you need mail forwarded.  The letter should also include as many details asked on the COA form as possible.

Well then that's too bad. My branch was adamant that it wasn't in their service. Try telling THEM they are under federal not local control -- apparently those particular delightful people are not aware of that, lol.

I've just thought of something I can put in "Reasons you are glad to be in the UK" --- post office staff in the Uk are not, oh, how do I put it, a-holes. :-)

What happens with the difference in postage between mailing something locally and sending it overseas? How does that get paid?