A Global Forever stamp costs $1.75, which settles how much is an international stamp for most senders: it pays for a 1 oz letter or a postcard to any country, including Canada and Mexico. Heavier letters need more postage, and the extra cost depends on the destination.
USPS sets this price under First-Class Mail International, and the answer to how much is an international stamp stays at $1.75 for the first ounce. The rates below come from the July 2026 USPS Notice 123 price list, so they match what the counter charges today.
How much is an international stamp for a standard letter?
One price covers the first ounce everywhere. USPS charges $1.75 for a 1 oz letter to Canada, to Mexico and to every other country. A single Global Forever stamp meets that price exactly.
A Global Forever stamp is the stamp USPS sells for this purpose. It is not a separate rate for Europe or Asia. The same stamp works for a letter to London, Toronto or Tokyo, which is why people call it the one stamp that goes anywhere.
If you only have regular Forever stamps, you can still use them. Each one is worth the current domestic stamped letter price of $0.82, so you need enough of them to reach $1.75.
USPS accepts any combination of stamps that totals the right amount. Our guide on how many Forever stamps an international letter needs covers the counting in detail.
What does an international letter cost by weight?
The price climbs after the first ounce, and here Canada and Mexico stop matching the rest of the world. USPS prices letters up to 3.5 oz. Anything heavier is no longer a letter and moves into a different product.
| Weight not over | Canada | Mexico | All other countries |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 oz | $1.75 | $1.75 | $1.75 |
| 2 oz | $2.35 | $2.60 | $3.50 |
| 3 oz | $2.95 | $3.50 | $5.25 |
| 3.5 oz | $3.50 | $4.15 | $5.75 |
The difference is large for overseas mail. A 2 oz letter to Canada costs $2.35, while the same letter to France costs $3.50. Two ordinary sheets of paper and a standard envelope usually stay near the 1 oz mark, but a few extra pages can tip you over.
How much does an international stamp cost for Europe and other overseas destinations?
USPS prices letters to price groups 3 through 9 identically, so how much is an international stamp for Europe is the same question as for Australia or Brazil. The answer does not change by continent. The first ounce is $1.75, the second ounce brings the total to $3.50, and the third brings it to $5.25.
The easy way to buy for overseas mail is to keep a few Global Forever stamps on hand. A 1 oz letter needs one stamp. A 2 oz letter needs two, because $3.50 is exactly double $1.75.
A 3 oz letter needs three stamps, which total $5.25. The jump from 3 oz to 3.5 oz adds only $0.50, so a fourth stamp would overpay by $1.25 on a $5.75 letter.
For comparison, a domestic stamped letter is $0.82 for the first ounce. You can see every domestic rate on our page about current USPS stamp prices.
How much is a postcard stamp for international mail?
International postcards cost $1.75 to Canada, Mexico and every other country. That is the same as a 1 oz international letter, and one Global Forever stamp covers it. A domestic postcard is far cheaper at $0.65, so the overseas price surprises many senders.
USPS treats a regular rectangular postcard at the same price as a letter on this route. Our page on the postcard stamp rate and rules explains size limits and what counts as a postcard.
What extra costs can raise the price?
Some letters need more than the weight price. USPS adds a $0.49 nonmachinable surcharge to letters that cannot run through its sorting machines. The USPS international letters page lists envelopes that are lumpy or rigid, have clasps, string or buttons, or are square or vertical, meaning taller than they are wide.
A greeting card with a gift inside, a stiff card or a bulky padded envelope can trigger the surcharge. If you mail a 1 oz nonmachinable letter, the total becomes $2.24 ($1.75 plus $0.49). Ask the clerk to check anything unusual before you stamp it.
Registered Mail and other extras are priced separately from the stamp. Registered Mail on a First-Class Mail International letter adds $25.00, and a return receipt with it adds $7.20. Most casual letters and cards do not need them.
Wedding invitations, thick birthday cards and letters with a small keepsake inside are the usual surprises. When you are unsure, add the $0.49 to your budget and let the clerk confirm.
What if the letter is too heavy for a stamp?
Letters stop at 3.5 oz. Large envelopes are allowed up to 15.994 oz on the First-Class Mail International route, but those are priced by their own rate chart, not the letter chart above. Anything heavier, or anything shipped as a package, needs a parcel service.
For a package, compare First-Class Mail International against the other services.
The faster Priority Mail International service suits heavier items.
If you need the quickest option, see the guide to Priority Mail Express International. Stamps are not the right way to pay for those services, because the postage is printed at the counter or online.
How do you work out the exact stamp total?
Weigh the finished letter with the envelope and everything inside it. Then match the weight to the table and divide by $1.75 if you are using Global Forever stamps. Round up to the next whole stamp when the price falls between two amounts.
Check the destination column before you stamp a heavier letter. Canada and Mexico cost less than other countries from the second ounce on, so the same envelope can need different postage depending on where it goes.
The stamp calculator does the math for you and shows how many stamps to apply.
Global Forever stamps are sold at post offices and on the USPS website. Our list of places that sell stamps covers the other choices.
The bottom line on international stamp prices
So, how much is an international stamp? One Global Forever stamp at $1.75 sends a standard letter or a postcard anywhere in the world.
Extra weight is where costs change, and overseas letters rise faster than letters to Canada or Mexico. Weigh the letter, check the table, and add stamps until the total reaches the price.
