What is a Global Forever stamp? It is a stamp that pays for one 1 oz First-Class Mail International letter or postcard to any country, and it keeps that value when prices rise. It costs $1.75 right now, so one stamp works for Toronto, Tokyo or Tallinn.
It is a nondenominated stamp, which means it shows no dollar amount. USPS defines its value by rule, and the rule always points at today’s international price. The sections below cover what it pays for, what it does not, and how to combine it with other stamps.
What is a Global Forever stamp worth?
The Postal Service sets the value in its stamp rules. A stamp labeled “Global Forever” equals the current First-Class Mail International 1 oz stamped letter price. When USPS changes that price, every Global Forever stamp you already own changes with it.
The current figure is $1.75. A stamp bought years ago at a lower price still covers a full 1 oz international letter today. For a wider look at current prices, see how much stamps cost in 2026.
How much is a Global Forever stamp worth on a postcard?
USPS says one Global Forever stamp sends a 1 oz letter or a postcard around the world. The international retail postcard price is $1.75 to Canada, Mexico and every other country. One stamp covers it exactly, with nothing extra to add.
This differs from the domestic side. A domestic postcard costs less than a domestic letter, so a Global Forever stamp on a postcard to a US address would overpay. For international mail, the postcard and the letter cost the same.
What is a Global Forever stamp good for, and what is it not?
The stamp covers the base price of one piece. It does not cover extra weight, odd shapes or extra services. The table below shows where one stamp is enough.
| Mailpiece | One Global Forever stamp enough? | Price to check against |
|---|---|---|
| 1 oz letter to Canada | Yes | $1.75 |
| 1 oz letter to Mexico | Yes | $1.75 |
| 1 oz letter to any other country | Yes | $1.75 |
| Postcard to any country | Yes | $1.75 |
| 2 oz letter to Canada | No, add postage | $2.35 |
| 2 oz letter to Mexico | No, add postage | $2.60 |
| 2 oz letter to other countries | No, add postage | $3.50 |
| Registered Mail or other extra service | No, fee is separate | See the fee list |
The weight rows come from the retail letter prices in USPS Notice 123. The same page lists a $0.49 surcharge for a nonmachinable letter, and a stamp does not absorb that either.
Does a Global Forever stamp work for Canada and Mexico?
Yes. Canada and Mexico both have a 1 oz letter price of $1.75, so one stamp covers either. The difference shows up at 2 oz and above.
A 2 oz letter costs $2.35 to Canada and $2.60 to Mexico. For most other countries it costs $3.50. If you mail often to Canada, the guide to shipping to Canada with USPS covers rates, customs and delivery times.
How many Global Forever stamps do you need for a heavier letter?
Weigh the letter, find its price in the table above, and make up the total with stamps. The stamps must add up to at least the postage price. More is fine, less is not.
Here are two worked examples, using the current $1.75 stamp value:
- A 2 oz letter to Canada costs $2.35. Two Global Forever stamps total $3.50, which covers it with $1.15 overpaid. One stamp plus a $0.60 stamp from your drawer also works, and it wastes nothing.
- A 3 oz letter to Mexico costs $3.50. Two Global Forever stamps total exactly $3.50, so no other postage is needed.
Letters can go up to 3.5 oz in this service. Heavier flat items fall under large envelope pricing, which is a different table. For a step by step count, read how many Forever stamps an international letter needs.
Can you use a Global Forever stamp on a domestic letter?
You can, but it is a poor use of the stamp. USPS rules treat US stamps as valid postage from any point where US mail service operates.
The Global Forever is worth $1.75, while a domestic 1 oz stamped letter costs $0.82.
That means a domestic letter would carry $0.93 more postage than it needs. Keep Global Forever stamps for mail that leaves the country, and use a regular Forever stamp at home. The page on how a regular Forever stamp works explains that stamp.
What does a Global Forever stamp look like and where do you buy it?
Global Forever stamps are round, which sets them apart from the rectangular domestic Forever stamp. The Postal Store listing for Global: Poinsettia gives the size as 1.414 inches across, sold in a pane of 10 for $17.50, and other issues show flowers, a winter wreath or a compass rose. The artwork changes from issue to issue, but the words “Global Forever” appear on the stamp where a denomination would normally be printed.
You can buy Global Forever stamps at a post office counter or at the USPS Postal Store online. To compare buying options, see where to buy international stamps. Buy from USPS or a seller you trust, because counterfeit stamps exist.
The guide on spotting fake Forever stamps lists the warning signs.
What stops a Global Forever stamp from being valid?
A real Global Forever can still be refused as postage. USPS rules list stamps that are not valid for US mail. Three matter most for letters.
- Stamps that are mutilated or defaced, or cut from stamped envelopes or stamped cards.
- Stamps covered or coated so that canceling marks cannot be printed onto them.
- Stamps of other countries, which never count as U.S. postage.
Keep a stamp clean, flat and uncut. If one has been peeled off a card or torn, replace it with a fresh stamp before you mail the letter.
What if the letter is bulky or oddly shaped?
A stamp pays only the base price of a standard letter. USPS adds a $0.49 nonmachinable surcharge to letters that cannot run through its sorting machines. Think of a rigid card, a lumpy envelope or a square envelope.
Take a 1 oz nonmachinable letter to Canada. It costs $1.75 plus $0.49, which is $2.24, so one Global Forever stamp falls $0.49 short. A second Global Forever stamp covers it with $1.26 overpaid, so a $0.49 stamp is the cheaper fix.
Take odd shaped letters to a counter if you are not sure.
Do Global Forever stamps expire, and what if a price changes?
They never expire, according to USPS. The price you paid does not matter after purchase. Each stamp always equals the international 1 oz price at the time you use it.
This works in your favor when prices go up. The rule is worded to follow whatever the price is at the time of use. If you are unsure of a total, the stamp calculator gives the current postage for a letter by weight and destination.
Which stamp should you pick for a letter abroad?
Use a Global Forever stamp when your letter or postcard weighs 1 oz or less and goes abroad. It saves you from looking up a country price group, because every destination is $1.75 at that weight.
Use more than one when the letter weighs over 1 oz, and add a smaller stamp if the total needs rounding up. A regular Forever stamp will not cover an international letter alone, since $0.82 is below $1.75. For all current international stamp prices, see how much an international stamp costs.
The official page for First-Class Mail International lists the weight limits and destinations.
Bottom line on the Global Forever stamp
What is a Global Forever stamp, in one line? It is a $1.75 stamp that pays for a 1 oz international letter or postcard to any country, today and after future price changes. Extra ounces, surcharges and services need added postage.
