How to get an Australian Postal Address

Here is my proven three-stack process to getting all your mail on the go:

The most important detail you need to know about applying for any Work Essential yourself is that you need a postal address. You will need to use a mixture of your accommodation and a mail forwarding service and/or visa company.

With mail forwarding services and visa companies, you use their address to open all your accounts and you can just update your details when you are ready. However, most mail forwarding services and visa companies don’t forward your mail directly. They scan and email it to you wherever you are based.  

Therefore you need an address for everything physical once you land – most people use their hostel address.

Tip: The best advice I can give you is to book at least two weeks of accommodation before you leave!

Stack # 1: Using your accommodation 

Get a physical address using your accommodation to first collect all physical cards, information, and confirmations when you land.

Tip: No matter what you use, make sure you keep track of where your information is going and know how to change it.

Get permission from the manager of your accommodation

Let the manager know what you need to use it for and ask for permission. Then be aware most hostels & Airbnb’s will throw out your mail if you are not staying with them anymore. Also, most hostel managers are not good about notifying you that you have mail, so try to ask or check every day.

Stack # 2:  Turn everything you can into digital documents

Cut down the amount of mail you receive by signing up online and opting into as many eStatement options as possible. Track everything you use your accommodation address for and make sure you can make all your mail digital. 

Stack # 3: Mail forwarding services

After this, you can transfer everything over to a mail forwarding service while you’re on the move.  Mail forwarding services are your final safety net for any car fines, random letters or physical confirmations you may need. 

How to use a mail forwarding service

Make sure you speak to someone about how it works before signing up and read the terms and conditions. 

Some companies limit the amount of mail they will pass on. For instance, they might only scan and email you 5 letters a month and to do more you might have to pay extra. 

Here is how to get a Mail Forwarding service, so that you can receive mail on the move.

1. Sign up online. It usually only works for one person so you can’t do it as a couple.
2. Make sure you read and understand the terms of using this address before paying.
3. Pay a cost of between 50-120 Australian Dollars a year.
4. Once paid and signed up. They give you an address to use.
5. You use this address to their terms and conditions and they can either email a scan of your mail or sometimes forward it on to you.

Mail Forwarding Service Providers

Here are a few private companies that offer mail forwarding services for travellers within Australia: