If you are wondering where to buy international stamps, USPS sells them at any Post Office, on its Postal Store at usps.com, by phone at 844-737-7826 and by mail through USA Philatelic, and the stamp you want is the Global Forever stamp at $1.75 each. One stamp pays for a 1 oz letter or a standard postcard to any country. It also never expires, even if the price rises later.
That makes the stamp easy to buy ahead of time. The harder part is knowing which channel to trust and how many stamps a heavier letter takes, so the numbers below come straight from USPS price and stamp pages.
Where to buy international stamps and what to check
USPS stamp releases list four official channels: The Postal Store at usps.com, the order line at 844-737-7826, mail order through USA Philatelic, and Post Office locations nationwide.
The easiest to browse is the online Postal Store. A search there for “international” brings up stamps designated International, each priced at $1.75 per stamp. You pay face value, so a sheet or booklet price is just the number of stamps times $1.75.
| Where | What USPS says |
|---|---|
| USPS Postal Store (store.usps.com) | Sells Global Forever stamps at $1.75 each, in sheets and booklets, with current designs listed. |
| Post Office counter | USPS lists Post Office locations nationwide as a sales channel for every stamp issue. Ask for Global Forever stamps; a branch can be out of a particular design. |
| Phone and mail order | Call 844-737-7826 or order by mail through USA Philatelic. |
| Grocery, pharmacy and big box stores | Not an official USPS channel for international stamps. Retailers that carry stamps usually stock domestic Forever stamps, so check before you count on it. |
| Other online sellers | Not an official channel. Buy from the Postal Store to avoid fakes and added fees. |
If you want every place that sells any kind of stamp, see our guide to where to buy stamps. It covers the general list, not only the international kind.
Online buying has its own traps, including fees and fake listings. The official store is the safe route when you want international stamps without guessing.
Designs you can find at the Postal Store
The store listing in late 2026 shows several international designs. The Postcrossing stamps, issued May 26, 2026 as four triangular designs, are listed at $14.00. The 1794 Compass Rose, Poinsettia and Winter Wreath designs are $17.50 each.
Those prices are for the sheet or booklet, and every stamp inside is still $1.75. Designs rotate, so the list you see today may differ. Pick any design you like, because they all pay the same international rate.
What the Global Forever stamp covers
A Global Forever stamp pays the price of a 1 oz First-Class Mail International letter. The same $1.75 applies to a standard international postcard. That price is the same to Canada, Mexico and every other country on the USPS price list.
The stamp keeps its value. If the international price climbs, a stamp bought years ago still pays for a 1 oz letter. That is why people buy a stack before a trip or a holiday card season.
The stamp does not turn a heavy item into a letter.
First-Class Mail International accepts postcards, letters up to 3.5 oz and large envelopes. The service tops out at 15.994 oz, and anything past 1 oz needs more than one stamp.
Our guide to what the service covers in 2026 explains the rest. It also lists what the service leaves out.
How many stamps for a heavier letter
USPS prices international letters by weight, and by destination group once you pass 1 oz. A 1 oz letter costs $1.75 everywhere. After that the price depends on where it goes.
| Letter weight | 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 |
These are the retail prices in USPS Notice 123, effective July 12, 2026. For countries outside Canada and Mexico, two Global Forever stamps ($3.50) cover a 2 oz letter. Three ($5.25) cover a 3 oz letter.
A 3.5 oz letter to those countries costs $5.75. Three stamps fall $0.50 short, so you need extra postage.
Canada and Mexico are cheaper above 1 oz, so a stack of Global Forever stamps can overpay. A 2 oz letter to Canada costs $2.35, while two stamps total $3.50. Check the exact total with the stamp calculator before you seal the envelope.
Worked examples with the numbers
Ten holiday cards in 1 oz envelopes, going to any mix of countries, need ten stamps. That is $17.50 at $1.75 each. Twenty postcards sent abroad come to $35.00.
A 3 oz letter to Mexico costs $3.50, which is two Global Forever stamps. The same letter to Canada costs $2.95, so two stamps would overpay by $0.55. A 3 oz letter to a country in groups 3 through 9 costs $5.25, or three stamps exactly.
These examples show why the destination matters as much as the weight. Before you buy a large number of stamps for one trip, decide where the mail is going. If most of it is for Canada or Mexico, you may prefer to pay the exact amount at the Post Office.
Postcards, odd shapes and surcharges
An international postcard costs $1.75 to every destination, the same as a 1 oz letter. One Global Forever stamp is enough for a standard postcard. A domestic stamped letter is only $0.82, so one ordinary Forever stamp will not cover mail leaving the country.
A nonmachinable international letter carries a $0.49 surcharge. Square envelopes, rigid items and lumpy letters are the usual causes. If your envelope holds a bulky card or a stiff insert, plan for that extra amount.
Large envelopes and packages follow different price tables. For those, use the postage price calculator instead of stamps.
If you need faster delivery for something important, read about Priority Mail International. It is a separate service with its own prices and customs rules, so stamps are not the right tool there.
Ordinary Forever stamps versus international stamps
A standard Forever stamp only covers the domestic letter price. At $0.82 for a 1 oz domestic letter, it falls far short of the $1.75 international rate. You can combine several to reach the total, but a single Global Forever stamp is simpler.
Where to buy international stamps matters here, because the international version also protects you from underpaying. A letter with too little postage can be delayed or returned. That is harder to fix once it has left the country.
For the current price, see how much an international stamp costs.
The page on how many Forever stamps an international letter needs goes deeper into weights. It is the better stop if your letter is heavy or if you are mailing several pieces in one envelope.
Keep any leftover stamps dry and flat in a drawer. Because they never expire, there is no rush to use them up.
Steps before you mail
- Weigh the letter on a kitchen or postal scale, with the envelope sealed.
- Look up the weight and country in the table above or in the calculator.
- Add the Global Forever stamps, then top up if the total is short.
- Put the full address and the country name on the item.
Our guide on addressing international mail shows the line order. If you are unsure of the weight, ask a Post Office clerk to weigh it.
Letters near a weight break deserve a second check. An extra sheet of paper or a thicker card can move the price up one step.
Bottom line
Where to buy international stamps comes down to a Post Office or the USPS Postal Store. Each Global Forever stamp costs $1.75, never expires, and covers a 1 oz letter or a postcard anywhere.
Heavier letters need more stamps or extra postage, and Canada and Mexico cost less above 1 oz. Post Offices sell the stamps too, but a branch can run out of a design, so call ahead if you need a large quantity.
