I have already lived in the Philippines for 18 years. Uninterrupted. However, there are people I do business with who still think I live in the United States. I don’t intentionally fool anybody, but, I don’t go out of the way to make people aware of where I do live.
If people need a shipping address or mailing address, I give them an accurate address. I have the United States address where people can ship things to me, send invoices, or whatever is needed. That mail will get to me no matter where I am. Packages with merchandise, samples, or whatever it is that I order will also get to me if they arrive at my US address.
I think that keeping a presence in the United States is an important thing. Sure, many readers of this website live in other countries or lived in other countries, such as the UK, Australia, or anywhere else. While I am particularly addressing Americans this article, the same things can apply no matter what country you are from.
I don’t expect that I will ever return to live in the United States, but if I ever do, having maintained some presence in the United States, even though I’m not there, will be beneficial to me. Even if I do not return to the United States to live, there are some companies that do not like to do business with people who are outside the United States. Because of this, maintaining a United States address is important, beneficial, and helpful.
In addition to my United States address, I also have a United States telephone number. It is easy to get a United States telephone number, or a telephone number in any other country you wish. This could be done through Skype. It costs money to get Skype in number, but it’s not too expensive. As I recall, I think I pay around $60 a year for my phone number service. In fact, I could get many different Skype phone numbers in different locations, different states, or different countries if I wish.
Last year, I found a mail service called Anytime Mailbox. I had been using a different mail service in the past but was never really happy with it. They did a good job, but their online presence was not very good, and they did not allow me to do things I would have wanted to do online. With Anytime Mailbox, I can really manage my mail, direct it where I wanted to go, get scans of the mail, instruct them to discard my mail, and many other things online. This is very important to me, and it also saves me money. If I had basically junk mail which I had received and had it forwarded to the Philippines, that would be a waste of money. But if I can find out what I have waiting there, and choose only the important items to send here, or to have scanned and emailed to me, that is a big money saver, and also very convenient.
One of the things that really impressed me about Anytime Mailbox is that they have locations available all over the United States. You can get a US mail address in any state, and in most major cities too. If not for that, I probably would not have made the change from my previous provider. Now, my United States telephone number, and my mailing address are both in the same location! I like that.
Anyway, I wanted to let everybody know about this because I think that Anytime Mailbox is a great solution for maintaining your US presence.
This shall also be helpful info to me as I’m planning to return to new island in Cebu where my company is located! Hopefully, I shalt not return to California…
I Truely did leave my heart behind in the Philippines!!!! Blessings always Sir~~~P
Good luck with your move, Patrick!
I find MagicJack allows me a US number, and I can answer it from Philippines. That mail company will really help me though. MagicJack also allows me to phone any North American phone number from the Philippines, very helpful and loved by neighbors and friends so they can easily phone family working overseas.
Hi Steve. I used Magic Jack for years. The problem I had with them was that I needed a piece of hardware. When my MagicJack device failed, it was not an easy thing to get another one here. With Skype, it is just software and easy to get here.
Bob Martin I have been using MyTraveling Mail Box for over 18 years and I am happy with them. As you know there is a lot of good mail forwarding services out there. All the things you mentioned, I am able to do them with satisfaction at MyTraveling Mail Box.
One thing is for sure, Michael.. if you find something that works and you are happy with.. you gotta stick with it! 🙂
Magic jack also has a cell app now. No hardware and very efficient. We use the dangle at home, which doesn’t need the computer anymore, and is also wifi. And we have the app in all our phones. To buy and activate for 6 years is uNader 80 bucks. I find it works on very weak signal, when Skype and Facebook won’t work.
I was unaware that MJ had an app now, thanks for letting me know. That is good news. When I was using MJ you had only one choice… use the Dongle!
My wife and I have lived in the Phils. for12 years. We also will remain here for live. Still I agree that a ”presence” in the U.S. is important. to that end I use U.S.Global Mail. We also maintain a US bank account as well as local ones,. and use Xoom to forward funds from the former to the latter. All this works well.
LIke you, I maintain US bank accounts too. I will occasionally use the ATM if I need funds from there, but usually just use those accounts (debit card) to pay bills or online purchases. I have used Xoom a couple of times as well.
Side note. I cant believe the typos that l made in my original comment. Shame on me for careless editing.
I generally don’t allow the Spelling Police to patrol here. LOL
Hello Bob,
Question for you. Do you incur any state tax obligation with your US mailing address?
The state where I have my address/telephone number has no State Income Tax, so no, no liability. I am not sure if that would be something that wuld kick in in other states, though.
Having been here for some years now, I have pared down my US based resources considerably! I have no plan to live in the states again….everything I need is here! 🙂 However, I do keep a US credit card, a bank account and a US address. Just nominal costs, and I have had occasions where having that base has made for smoother transactions. Good article Bob….and good advice!
Thank you Greg. It sounds like you and I are on the same wavelength. 🙂
Bob I am amazed, as always, with your timing. My Exploratory excursion (scouting permanent relocation) to Gensan is rapidly approaching and I have been recently looking for this service. And again as always, your insightful knowledge is making the road easier.
That is great to hear, Jeff. You can’t go wrong with Anytime Mailbox in my estimation. Good luck iwth your research and hopefully your move. Take care.
Just to clarify, will this work as a legal address for my US bank as well? They require a US address, and I have been using my sisters. Thanks for the information.
I use it as my bank address.
While we’re on the subject of forwarding, how do you forward packages to the Philippines? I have been using LBC’s shipping cart, but they are a little clunky at times. Great local delivery, but hard to communicate with.
I have a friend ship Balikbayan Bixes to me.
I’ve tried these services before but certain stuff didn’t get delivered.. Like new credit cards etc..
I have had no problem.
Do you list them as your residence or as a forwarding address?
I list it as my address. It doesn’t ask anything about forwarding, and I don’t go out of my way to tell them things that they don’t ask about . LOL
Ya i put them as my forwarding address.. Your right
Bob Martin I need to replace my debit card this year. How do you handle receiving a debit or credit card? Is it simply forwarded to your Philippine postal address? Is that safe?
It is forwarded by anytime mailbox to my home in the philippines just like all my other mail.
Something like a credit card I have sent by FedEx or UPS where it has to be signed for!
Yes, those are the methods that Anytime Mailbox uses to send my items to me.
Bob Martin are the UPS or FedEx fees included in a minimum monthly fee plan, or do you pay an up charge for that service?
When sending through USPS you can request GXG, Global Express Guaranteed, it is handled by FedEx through the post office. It is their most secure way to mail. I have never had any problem with this method. But when something important is needed here I use FedEx, that is how I transported my dogs ashes, cost me over $200 but was very well taken care of and got here when promised. There are lots of secure ways to get your things here, depending on what you are willing to pay.
Michael L Sturkey thanks for the input. You hit the key points for me about what you are willing to pay. LOL I’m living on Social Security only, so $200 is out of the question.
No you have to pay the shipping charges of course.
Ray Bacon that was for my beloved life long best 4 legged friend! Point is that if there is something very important that you have to have, there is a way to get it here, safely! Thanks for your reply. Bob Martin is in Davao and I am in San Remigio if we can help send a message!
Bob Martin that was done while we were still in the USA to here and for me it was worth it. It was a little of a battle as I do every thing above board and when I told FedEx it was my pets ashes it took a few days to get them approved to ship! I guess that is the price you pay when one chooses to do things the right way! For us there is no other way!
I’ve benefited greatly from travelingmailbox.com
Hi Bob,
Good and useful article. May I please ask you some questions related to the Phil-health coverage and health insurance. I had read a previous article about yours. For some years, my wife (Philippine citizen) was regularly paying philhealth coverage and I was listed as a dependent. I read that there have been some changes to foreigners.
(1) I have permanent residency (13a) status. Am I still covered if I am a dependent member of my wife’s philhealth coverage?
(2) If not, can I take a separate one? As I want my wife to have Z category benefits, which won’t be given to foreigners taking the phil-health coverage. So she can keep her separate account with them.
(3) Does Philihealth cover 100% of hospitalization fee and outpatient services? If not, is there something I can add-on with it? such as a pre-paid health card?
(4) Primarily the health insurance is against accidents, infection, stroke, heart-attack although I am still in mid age, and healthy and never had any of those issues. They are the main conditions I want to guard against, would you or any kind expat here recommend me a good coverage plan or a combination please ?
Many thanks in advance.
PhilHealth made changs in 2017, but later changed back to the old rules.
You are still able to be under your wife’s coverage.
Z Package was limited for foreigners under the rule change. When the changed the rules back to the old rules, I don’t know if Z Package was reenstated for foreigners. In 2016, I was the first foreigner ever covered for Z Package benefits when I had heart surgery. I am still covered by Z Package benefits, because I am on my own policy through employment and not under the “informal economy” status, which is what was cut from Z Package for foreigners.
100% of hostpitalization? No, PhilHealth has never covered 100% of hospitalization, in fact, in most cases the coverage is less than 50%. The amount covered depends on your diagnosis. For outpatient procedures, in the past PhilHealth covered nothing for outpatient, but now thereare some outpatient procedures that get coverage from PhilHealth.
There are private health insurance policies available from companies like Blue cross, you can look into those to find additional benefits that PhilHealth does not pay.
Good luck.
Thank you so much Bob for the information provided. I am glad you got the Z coverage and your health is better now, and hope it stays good always. Keep up the healthy living changes you have made in your life. Will look at Bluecross +some other pre-paid add on if possible.
I may with all humility, add a few cents worth of opinion. It is a great idea to keep a mailing address overseas in your home country, bank details etc while living in the Philippines especially for those engaged in business matters that pertain to your home country that you can remotely manage from the Philippines. However, never burn your bridges with your home country is what I would advise most expats (of course, Bob knows this already). Any time, the government here can change their minds if they wish to, (hope they won’t), and suddenly decide to revoke PR visas (out of some future conflict or political reasons), or some other situation (war, serious natural disasters, total economic collapse – God forbid!) where one may be forced to return to one’s home country for extended periods of time. So always keep a house/place to stay and income /pension in your home country, maintain relations with friends/family always in your home country. Never know, when we might need it. Even if we all have PR visa for Philippines, we are still treated as “guests with extra privileges than the average tourist, but still a guest”. let us never forget this. Filipinos have more rights in our home countries, with a PR visa, than we do, in Philippines.