Post offices abroad

In the latter part of the 19th and early part of the 20th century, a number of countries maintained post offices in foreign countries, arranged by treaty. Most such offices were operated by European powers in the Middle and Far East. They were partly motivated by the desire to provide reliable postal service for merchants and other foreign nationals in major cities, and partly by suspicion of the local postal service. The currency in use could be either the local currency, or that of the home country.

Additionally, it became the practice of occupying military powers to establish postal services in the occupied country.

List

• Austrian Post Abroad
  • Austro-Hungarian Military Post 1915 - 1918
  • Austro-Hungarian Post in the Turkish Empire 1867 - 1915
  • Crete (Austro-Hungarian Post) 1903 - 1914
  • Italy (Austrian Occupation) 1918 only
  • Lombardy and Venetia 1850 - 1866
  • Montenegro (Austrian Occupation) 1917 only
  • Palestine (Austrian Post Offices) 1854 - 1914 see Postal history of Palestine
  • Romania (Austrian Occupation) 1917 - 1918
  • Serbia (Austrian Occupation) 1916 only

• Belgian Post Abroad
  • Eupen and Malmedy (Belgian Occupation) 1920 only
  • German East Africa (Belgian Occupation) 1916 - 1918
  • Germany (Belgian Occupation) 1919 - 1920

• British Post Abroad
  • British post offices abroad
  • British post offices in Africa various issues
  • Baghdad (British Occupation) 1917 only
  • Bangkok (British Post Office) 1882 - 1885
  • Batum (British Occupation) 1919 - 1920
  • British post offices in the Turkish Empire 1885 - 1923
  • British postal agencies in Eastern Arabia 1948 - 1966
  • Bushire (British Occupation) 1915 only
  • Cameroons (British Occupation) 1915 only
  • China (British Post Offices) 1917 - 1930
  • China (British Railway Administration) 1901 only
  • Crete (British Post Offices) 1898 - 1899
  • East Africa Forces 1943 - 1948
  • Egypt (British Forces) 1932 - 1943
  • Eritrea (British Administration) 1950 - 1952
  • Eritrea (British Military Administration) 1948 - 1950
  • German East Africa (British Occupation) 1917 only
  • Iraq (British Occupation) 1918 – 1923
  • Japan (British Commonwealth Occupation) 1946 - 1949
  • Japan (British Post Offices) 1859 - 1879
  • Long Island (British Occupation) 1916 only
  • Madagascar (British Consular Mail) 1884 - 1895
  • Mafia Island (British Occupation) 1915 - 1916
  • Malaya (British Military Administration) 1945 - 1948
  • Middle East Forces (MEF) 1942 - 1947
  • Morocco Agencies 1898 - 1957
  • North Borneo (BMA) 1945 only
  • Salonika (British Field Office) 1916 only
  • Sarawak (BMA) 1945 only
  • Somalia (British Administration) 1950 only
  • Somalia (British Military Administration) 1948 - 1950
  • Tangier 1927 - 1957
  • Tripolitania (British Administration) 1950 - 1952
  • Tripolitania (British Military Administration) 1948 - 1950

• Chinese Post Abroad
  • Chinese post offices in Tibet 1911 - 1912

• Egyptian Post Abroad
  • Turkish Empire postoffices
  • Gaza (Egyptian Occupation) 1948 - 1967 See Postal history of Palestine
  • Jaffa (Egyptian post office) See Postal history of Palestine

• Finnish Post Abroad
  • Aunus (Finnish Occupation) 1919 only
  • Eastern Karelia (Finnish Occupation) 1941 - 1944

• French Post Abroad
  • French post offices abroad
  • Alexandria (French Post Office) 1899 - 1931
  • Andorra (French Offices) 1931 -
  • Arad (French Occupation) 1919 only
  • Beirut (French Post Office) 1905 only
  • Castelrosso (French Occupation) 1920 - 1921
  • China (French Post Offices) 1894 - 1922
  • Cilicia (French Occupation) 1918 - 1921
  • Crete (French Post Offices) 1902 - 1913
  • Dedeagatz (French Post Office) 1893 - 1914
  • Egypt (French Post Offices) 1899 - 1931
  • Ethiopia (French Post Offices) 1906 - 1908
  • Japan (French Post Offices) 1865 - 1880
  • Kavalla (French Post Office) 1893 - 1914
  • Klaipeda 1923 only
  • Korce (Koritza) 1917 - 1919
  • Madagascar (French Post Offices) 1885 - 1896
  • Majunga (French Post Office) 1895 only
  • Memel (French Administration) 1920 - 1923
  • Morocco (French Post Offices) 1862 - 1914
  • Palestine (French Post Offices) 1852 - 1914 see Postal history of Palestine
  • Port Lagos (French Post Office) 1893 - 1898
  • Port Said (French Post Office) 1899 - 1931
  • Syria (French Occupation) 1919 - 1924
  • Tangier (French Post Office) 1918 - 1942
  • Saar (French Administration) 1920 - 1935
  • Tientsin (French Post Office) 1903 - 1922
  • Vathy (French Post Offices) 1893 - 1914
  • Zanzibar (French Post Office) 1889 - 1904
  • French post offices in the Turkish Empire 1885 - 1923
  • Postage of the Free French Forces in the Levant 1942 - 1946

• German Post Abroad
  • Albania (German Occupation) 1943 - 1944
  • Alsace (German Occupation) 1940 - 1941
  • Alsace-Lorraine 1870 - 1871
  • Belgium (German Occupation) 1914 - 1918
  • China (German Post Offices) 1898 - 1917
  • Dalmatia (German Occupation) 1943 - 1945
  • Dorpat (German Occupation) 1918 only
  • Eastern Command Area 1916 - 1918
  • Estonia (German Occupation) 1941 only
  • German Ninth Army Post 1918 only
  • Postage of German Occupation Forces (WWI) 1914 - 1918
  • German Occupation Issues (WWII) 1939 - 1945
  • German post offices in the Turkish Empire 1884 - 1914
  • Laibach (German Occupation) 1943 - 1945
  • Latvia (German Occupation) 1941 only
  • Lithuania (German Occupation) 1941 only
  • Lorraine (German Occupation) 1940 - 1941
  • Luxembourg (German Occupation) 1940 - 1944
  • Macedonia (German Occupation) 1944 only
  • Montenegro (German Occupation) 1943 - 1945
  • Morocco (German Post Offices) 1899 - 1917
  • Ostland 1941 - 1945
  • Palestine (German Post Offices) 1898 - 1914 see Postal history of Palestine
  • Poland (German Occupation WWI) 1915 - 1918
  • Poland (German Occupation WWII) 1939 - 1945
  • Romania (German Occupation) 1917 - 1918
  • Serbia (German Occupation) 1941 - 1944
  • Ukraine (German Occupation) 1941 - 1944
  • Western Command Area 1916 - 1918
  • Zante (German Occupation) 1943 - 1945
  • Zanzibar (German Postal Agency) 1890 - 1891

• Germany (Allied Occupation)
  • American, British and Russian Zones 1946 - 1948
  • Anglo-American Zones (Civil Government) 1948 - 1949
  • Anglo-American Zones (Military Government) 1945 - 1946
  • Baden (French Zone) 1947 - 1949
  • Postage of Berlin-Brandenburg in the Russian Zone 1945 only
  • French Zone (General Issues) 1945 - 1946
  • Postage of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in the Russian Zone 1945 - 1946
  • Postage of North West Saxony in the Russian Zone 1945 - 1946
  • Postage of the Rhineland - Palatinate in the French Zone 1947 - 1949
  • Russian Zone (General Issues) 1948 - 1949
  • Saar (French Zone) 1945 - 1947
  • Saxony (Russian Zone) 1945 - 1946
  • Postage of South East Saxony in the Russian Zone 1945 - 1946
  • Thuringia (Russian Zone) 1945 - 1946
  • Württemberg (French Zone) 1947 - 1949

• Greek Post Abroad
  • Albania (Greek Occupation) 1940 - 1941
  • Dodecanese Islands (Greek Occupation) 1947 only
  • Greek Post Offices in the Turkish Empire 1861 - 1881
  • Kavalla (Greek Occupation) 1913 only
  • Khios 1913 only
  • Lemnos 1912 - 1913
  • Lesbos 1912 - 1913

• Indian Overseas Forces
  • China Expeditionary Force 1900 - 1923
  • Congo (Indian UN Force) 1962 only
  • Gaza (Indian UN Force) 1965 only
  • Indian Expeditionary Forces 1914 - 1922
  • Indo-China (Indian Forces) 1954 - 1968
  • Korea (Indian Custodian Forces) 1953 only
  • Mosul (Indian Forces) 1919 only

• Indo-Chinese Post in China
  • Canton (Indo-Chinese Post Office) 1901 - 1922
  • China (Indo-Chinese Post Offices) 1900 - 1922
  • Hoi-Hao (Indo-Chinese Post Office) 1902 - 1922
  • Kouang-Tcheou 1898 - 1943
  • Mong-Tseu (Indo-Chinese Post Office) 1903 - 1922
  • Pakhoi (Indo-Chinese Post Office) 1903 - 1922
  • Tchongking (Indo - Chinese Post Office) 1903 - 1922
  • Yunnanfu (Indo-Chinese Post Office) 1903 - 1922

• Israeli Post Abroad
  • Palestinian Occupied Territories (Israeli Post Offices) 1967 - 1995
  • Israeli Settlements in the Palestinian Occupied Territories (Israeli Post Offices) 1995 -
  • Golan (Israeli Post Offices) 1967 -
  • Sinai (Israeli Post Offices) 1967 - 1982

• Italian Post Abroad
  • Italian post offices in Africa
  • Albania (Italian Occupation) 1939 - 1943
  • Benghazi (Italian Post Office) 1901 - 1912
  • Cephalonia and Ithaca (Italian Occupation) 1941 only
  • Italian post offices in China
  • Constantinople (Italian Post Office) 1908 - 1923
  • Corfu (Italian Occupation) 1923 only
  • Corfu and Paxos (Italian Occupation) 1941 only
  • Italian post offices in Crete
  • Dalmatia (Italian Occupation) 1919 - 1923
  • Durazzo (Italian Post Office) 1902 - 1916
  • Italian post offices in Egypt
  • Ethiopia (Italian Occupation) 1936 only
  • Fiume and Kupa Zone 1941 - 1942
  • Ionian Islands (Italian Occupation) 1941 – 1943
  • Italian post offices in the Turkish Empire 1873 – 1923
  • Jannina (Italian Post Office) 1909 - 1911
  • Jerusalem (Italian Post Office) 1908 - 1914 see Postal history of Palestine
  • Khania (Italian Post Office) 1900 - 1912
  • Lubiana (Italian Occupation) 1941 only
  • Montenegro (Italian Occupation) 1941 - 1943
  • Pechino (Italian Post Office) 1917 - 1922
  • Salonika (Italian Post Office) 1909 - 1911
  • Saseno (Italian Occupation) 1923 only
  • Scutari (Italian Post Office) 1909 - 1915
  • Smirne (Italian Post Office) 1909 - 1911
  • Tientsin (Italian Post Office) 1917 - 1922
  • Trentino (Italian Occupation) 1918 - 1919
  • Tripoli (Italian Post Office) 1909 - 1912
  • Valona (Italian Post Office) 1909 - 1916
  • Venezia Giulia (Italian Occupation) 1918 - 1919

• Japanese Post Abroad
  • Brunei (Japanese Occupation) 1942 - 1945
  • Burma (Japanese Occupation) 1942 - 1945
  • Central China (Japanese Occupation) 1941 - 1944
  • Honan (Japanese Occupation) 1941
  • Hong Kong (Japanese Occupation) 1945 only
  • Hopei (Japanese Occupation) 1941
  • Inner Mongolia (Japanese Occupation) 1941 - 1943
  • Japanese Taiwan (Formosa) 1945 only
  • Java (Japanese Occupation) 1943 - 1945
  • Kelantan (Japanese Occupation) 1942 - 1945
  • Korea (Japanese Post Offices) 1900 - 1901
  • Kwangtung (Japanese Occupation) 1942 - 1945
  • Malaya (Japanese Occupation) 1942 - 1945
  • Manchukuo 1932 - 1945
  • Mengkiang (Japanese Occupation) 1942 - 1945
  • Nangking and Shanghai (Japanese Occupation) 1941 - 1945
  • North Borneo (Japanese Occupation) 1942 - 1945
  • North China (Japanese Occupation) 1942 - 1945
  • Japanese post in occupied China 1941 - 1942
  • Sarawak (Japanese Occupation) 1942 - 1945
  • Shansi (Japanese Occupation) 1941
  • Shantung (Japanese Occupation) 1941
  • South China (Japanese Occupation) 1942
  • Sumatra (Japanese Occupation) 1943 - 1945
  • Supeh (Japanese Occupation) 1941
  • Philippines (Japanese Occupation) 1942 - 1945
  • China (Japanese Post Offices) 1900 - 1922
  • Japanese Naval Control Area 1942 - 1943

• Jordan
  • Palestine (Jordanian Occupation) 1948-1967 - See Postal history of Palestine see Postal history of Palestine

• North Korea
  • South Korea (North Korean Occupation) 1950 only

• Polish Post Abroad
  • Polish post offices in the Turkish Empire
  • Central Lithuania (Polish Occupation) 1920 - 1922
  • Constantinople (Polish Post Office) 1919 - 1921
  • Danzig (Polish Post Office) 1924 - 1939
  • Polish Army in Russia 1942 only
  • Polish Corps in Russia 1918 only
  • Polish Government in Exile 1941 - 1945

• Romanian Post Abroad
  • Banat Bacska (Romanian Occupation) 1919 - 1920
  • Constantinople (Romanian Post Office) 1896 - 1919
  • Debrecen (Romanian Occupation) 1919 - 1920
  • Hungary (Romanian Occupation) 1919 - 1920
  • Romanian post offices in the Turkish Empire 1896 - 1919
  • Temesvar (Romanian Occupation) 1919 only
  • Transylvania (Romanian Occupation) 1919 only

• Russian Post Abroad
  • Russian post offices abroad
  • Beirut (Russian Post Office) 1879 - 1910
  • China (Russian Post Offices) 1899 - 1920
  • Constantinople (Russian Post Office) 1909 - 1910
  • Crete (Russian Post Offices) 1899 only
  • Dardanelles (Russian Post Office) 1909 - 1910
  • Kerrasunde (Russian Post Office) 1909 - 1910
  • Mount Athos (Russian Post Office) 1909 - 1914
  • Mytilene (Russian Post Office) 1909 - 1914
  • North Korea (Russian Occupation) 1946 - 1948
  • Palestine (Russian Post Offices) 1868 - 1914 see Postal history of Palestine
  • Rizeh (Russian Post Office) 1909 - 1910
  • Russian post offices in the Turkish Empire 1863 - 1914
  • Salonika (Russian Post Office) 1909 - 1914
  • Smyrne (Russian Post Office) 1909 - 1910
  • South Lithuania (Russian Occupation) 1919 only
  • Trebizonde (Russian Post Office) 1909 - 1910

• Serbian Post Abroad
  • Baranya (Serbian Occupation) 1919 only
  • Hungary (Serbian Occupation) 1919 only
  • Temesvar (Serbian Occupation) 1919 only

• Spanish Post Abroad
  • Andorra (Spanish Offices) 1928 -
  • Morocco (Spanish Post Offices) 1903 - 1914
  • Tangier (Spanish Post Offices) 1921 - 1957
  • Tetuan (Spanish Post Office) 1908 - 1909

• Thai Post Abroad
  • Malaya (Thai Occupation) 1943 - 1945

• Togo
  • Togo (Anglo - French Occupation) 1914 - 1919

• Turkish Post Abroad
  • Military postoffice in Romania(WWI)
  • Korea UN Military Contiengent
  • Cyprus Peace operation Military posts
  • Kosovo UN Military Contiengent
  • Afghanistan UN Military Contiengent

• US Post Abroad
  • United States post offices in China
  • Guam 1899 - 1901
  • Philippines (US Administration) 1899 - 1945
  • Shanghai (US Postal Agency) 1919 - 1922
  • US post in Military occupation in Constantinople, Turkey (US Military Postal Agency) 1919 - 1922
  • US Post Offices in Japan 1867 - 1874

Sources

• Stanley Gibbons Ltd: various catalogues
• Encyclopaedia of Postal History
• Stuart Rossiter & John Flower: The Stamp Atlas