Applying for a PO Box number in Abu Dhabi is not uncommon among foreign nationals in the emirate. Emirates Post, the country’s official postal operator, manages the postal service. If you want to rent a post box, you may do so through the Emirates Post Office. However, the prices vary based on the type of service you want. Continue reading to the end of this guide to learn more about your choices.
Because the UAE has no ZIP codes, people utilize PO Boxes to send parcels by shipping them through Emirates Post, the sole courier provider that handles ordinary deliveries. Having said that, private courier firms like DHL, UP, FedEx, and others operate throughout the emirates, too.
Regular ‘snail’ mail or package deliveries, on the other hand, are handled by Emirates Post, which only accepts deliveries to those with PO box numbers.
Contents
- Guide to Applying for a PO Box number in Abu Dhabi
- What is a PO Box in Abu Dhabi?
- What is the Purpose of an Abu Dhabi PO Box?
- Requirements
- Step-by-Step Process: How to Get a PO Box in Abu Dhabi
- Video: How Regular Packages are Delivered in UAE
- Video: PO Box Guide in Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Frequently Asked Questions
- 1. How important is it to get a PO box address?
- 2. How do PO Boxes work in the UAE?
- 3. What are the uses of a public Post Office Box address in the UAE?
- 4. Can mail be delivered to my personal address from a PO box?
- 5. How much is the rent for a PO Box in the UAE?
- 6. What are the PO Box Locations of Emirates Post?
- 7. Where can I find a public PO Box in Abu Dhabi?
- 8. What are the services offered by the EPG?
- 9. What are the other services offered by Emirates Post?
- Summary
- Contact Information
- Google Map Location
Guide to Applying for a PO Box number in Abu Dhabi
The Indian Post Office Services opened the first post offices in Abu Dhabi in 1909, becoming the city’s first postal agency. The first mail was dispatched from the post office in Abu Dhabi utilizing the facilities at Sharjah Airport in October 1932. Emirates Post now operates the mail and courier services in the city of Abu Dhabi.
What is a PO Box in Abu Dhabi?
As previously stated, the UAE does not have a ZIP or postal code. To receive mail, you must supply a PO Box number in Abu Dhabi.
You may also apply for a personal or business post box with Emirates Post.
If you are asked to specify a zip code, the Abu Dhabi Central Post Office recommends using “00000.”
What is the Purpose of an Abu Dhabi PO Box?
If you are a working professional in the UAE, you should include your company’s postal address. This is the most convenient method of receiving mail in the emirates. This allows you to receive and return mail, which is crucial for residents, particularly expats, in the country.
If, on the other hand, you want a personal post box, you can apply for one through Emirates Post.
You may accomplish this by visiting the nearest Emirates Post branch and completing the relevant paperwork. You may also do it online at Emirates Post’s website – www.emiratespost.ae.
Requirements
When renting a private PO Box in Abu Dhabi, you’ll only need the following:
- Cash (minimum of AED 300 per year)
- Emirates ID – this means that only legal UAE residents can rent a post box in the country. Tourists and visitors cannot.
Step-by-Step Process: How to Get a PO Box in Abu Dhabi
Renting a personal PO Box number in Abu Dhabi is simple, which can be accomplished in seven steps, as follows:
Step 1: Go to the official website of the Emirates Post.
Go to the Emirates Post website at emiratespost.ae.
Scroll down the page and then choose ‘Rent a PO Box’ from the menu icons. You may choose whether to rent a personal or corporate PO Box in this section.
Step 2: Pick the PO Box of your choice.
At this point, you can decide whether you’re getting a personal or corporate PO Box.
If you choose to rent a personal PO box, you can choose from either MyBox or MyHome.
- MyBox: Emirates Post charges AED 300 per year for this service. It offers a post box at one of Emirates Post’s sites. You’d have to go to the local post office to pick up your shipments. This amenity is available to owners 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- MyHome: In comparison, the MyHome service costs AED 995 per year. In addition, your mail will be brought straight to your door on a weekly basis as part of its features.
Step 3: Register and open your personal Emirates Post Account.
To open an Emirates Post account, visit the Emirates Post website, select “Apply,” and then fill out the form.
The virtual PO Box ID you created will then be used to log in to your Emirates Post account.
To finish this step, go through the verification procedure.
Step 4: Select ‘Rent a PO Box.’
After you’ve registered, just click the ‘Rent a PO Box’ option, and select the Emirate and the nearest Emirates Post branch.
To contact a PO Box, choose one of the available numbers from the list.
Specify the expiration date for your PO Box. The leasing rate for the length of the service will be determined by this.
Step 5: Verify all your PO Box details.
You will be given all the information concerning your PO Box, such as the owner’s name, preferred branch, and post box number.
Step 6: Pick a PO Box Agent.
You may also add an agent to your account who will take care of your PO Box on your behalf. This is free for the first year, but after that, there will be a cost of AED 50.
To proceed, you must submit the agent’s complete name, cell phone number, and Emirates ID number. You may also attach a copy of their Emirates ID.
Step 7: Settle the PO Box rental Fees.
Your payment will be confirmed through email.
You may also get the key sent to your PO Box for AED 30. You can also go to the nearest Emirates Post branch to collect the key.
It is crucial to remember that the prices and procedures for obtaining a corporate PO Box may differ.
Video: How Regular Packages are Delivered in UAE
Check out this video from Khaleej Times YouTube channel where they feature how a package is sent to the UAE and reaches the doorstep of every resident. As you can see, they encourage UAE residents to have an individual PO box because UAE does not have zip codes. This will make sending and delivering packages much easier.
Video: PO Box Guide in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Here’s another video that features a guide to the PO Box system in UAE. It answers questions why there are no zip codes and also clarifies the business office address system in the country. Please be guided accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions people may ask about getting a PO Box in Abu Dhabi, UAE:
1. How important is it to get a PO box address?
– Unlike in other places, there are no zip codes in the UAE. As a result, all emails will be routed to a PO box. If your firm offers a Flexi desk, you should have your own PO box.
2. How do PO Boxes work in the UAE?
The majority of people in the country will have their private PO Box. If you work for a company, you should check to see if you may still use the firm’s PO box. Many businesses have a black hole where employee correspondence goes missing once it is sent. It is possible to prevent this by having it collected at a public PO box.
3. What are the uses of a public Post Office Box address in the UAE?
If you have a PO Box address, you can use it to send or receive mail in the UAE. You may also use this address to place orders from numerous online stores such as Amazon and AliExpress.
4. Can mail be delivered to my personal address from a PO box?
In the UAE, all emails will be routed to a PO box address. These boxes are often put around the country in various areas. If you do not have any staff, you can arrange door-to-door delivery.
5. How much is the rent for a PO Box in the UAE?
- MyBox – Dh300 per year
- MyHome – Dh995 per year
6. What are the PO Box Locations of Emirates Post?
In the United Arab Emirates, Emirates Post has around 90 branches. These offices are located around the country to ensure that you can always check and recover your packages.
7. Where can I find a public PO Box in Abu Dhabi?
Public PO boxes are available at the majority of post offices in the UAE. For the most up-to-date addresses and locations, you may visit the EPG’s website.
8. What are the services offered by the EPG?
- Advertising and marketing services: unaddressed mail, special edition stamps.
- Courier and express mail delivery.
- Government services.
- Letter and parcel delivery, national and international.
- Licence issuing for postal activities.
- Money transfer, local and international.
- Online, e-services.
- Personal and corporate services.
- Philatelic services.
- Post Office Boxes (PO Boxes) for mail delivery.
- Postal and stationery items: stamps, aerogrammes, envelopes, postcards.
- Others:
- Apps for smartphone use.
- EMS Express Mail Service (EMS Mumtaz Post).
- Home and office mail delivery.
- Letter and parcel delivery timings. Our test: letter envelope to Europe posted 23 Dec 2016, arrived 18 Jan 2017, took almost 4 weeks. Allow 2-4 weeks for normal delivery to most international destinations. If you’re lucky, will be 1-2 weeks. Local mail delivery allow a week.
- Mail rate calculator.
- Online parcel delivery information submission (but still need to bring the parcel to post office, and submission reference ignored anyway, tested in 2015).
- Track and trace postal items.
- Others:
9. What are the other services offered by Emirates Post?
The usual services offered by Emirates Post counters include stamps, letter and parcel delivery, registered letters, and PO Box rentals. However, there are also additional services that can be obtained in certain establishments, such as:
- Air Arabia flights booking and ticket purchases (8 am to 8 pm).
- Customer service by email: send complaint or enquiry to the Emirates Post ecustomer service info@empost.ae, they say a reply should be received within 24 hours.
- Driving licence: submit your application for lessons and a UAE driving licence in Abu Dhabi or Sharjah with Emirates Driving School (AED 450 gets you 6 classes and covers administrative and typing fees).
- Driving permit, International: applications (bring passport with residence visa and copy, Emirates ID, UAE driving licence, 2 photos, and AED 150).
- Emirates ID applications.
- Express mail delivery (Mumtaz Post or EMS for Express Mail Service).
- Ministry of Labour (MOL) labour cards renewals and labour licence applications can be delivered to a post office, along with necessary documents and fees (plus a few extra dirhams for the stamps), and Emirates Post will ship them off to the Labour department for processing. When complete, the applicant can collect them from Emirates Post. A good way to avoid waiting in queues at the Labour Department and wait in a post office queue instead.
- Mobile telephone recharge for Etisalat and Du telecoms.
- Mobi-Post – mobile post offices to be established for labour camps in the UAE.
- Money transfers through Western Union (8am to 8pm), or Empost’s own “Instant Cash Global Money Transfer”.
- Postal items: aerogrammes (AED 2 – any destination), registered envelopes (AED 0.50-1.00), parcel boxes (AED 1.50-3.50).
- Postcard Millionaire: buy postcards, send them, and win a million postcards. Or maybe dirhams. Started in 2004, with weekly and 3-monthly prize draws.
- Salary payments to workers if an employer sets up an account to do this with Emirates Post.
- Shopping: magazines and newspapers, mobile phones, stationery.
- SMS Track and Trace service: send your receipt number for an Empost service (registered letter, parcels, application, bill payment, etc) to 7678 (POST) from your mobile phone and you’ll get a reply with a status report. If you bought a stamp, don’t expect a reply saying “I’m wet” just after you licked it.
- Traffic fine payments.
- Utilities payments for DEWA, SEWA, and FEWA electricity and water bills.
Summary
There are no houses, offices, or apartment complexes that have a PO Box number in Abu Dhabi. As a result, if you intend to send and receive mail in a PO Box, you will need to rent one from Emirates Post.
With this guide, you should be able to make the application procedure for a PO Box with Emirates Post as simple and stress-free as possible. Also, if you believe this information will be useful to your friends or family members, please share it with them!
READ NEXT: How to Register for Abu Dhabi Toll Online
Contact Information
Emirates Post Group Head Office
Address: Marrakech Street, Garhoud, Next to Al Mawakeb School PO Box: 99999 Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Telephone: +971 4 230 3000
Fax: +971 4 214 8884
Website: http://www.epg.ae/
Email: custservice@emiratespost.ae
Google Map Location
Here’s the Emirates Post Group Headquarters map guide: