The full address must be typed or legibly written in English — using roman letters and Arabic numerals — and should be placed lengthwise on one side of the item. An address in a foreign language is permitted if the names of the city, province, and country are also indicated in English.
The last line of the address block area must include only the complete country name (no abbreviations) written in uppercase letters. Foreign postal codes (numeric or alpha), if used, should be placed on the line above the destination country. Some countries prefer that the postal code follow the name, while others prefer that it precede the city or town name. The following shows the order of information for the destination address:
CITY OR TOWN NAME, OTHER PRINCIPAL SUBDIVISION (I.E., PROVINCE, STATE, COUNTY, ETC.) AND POSTAL CODE (IF KNOWN) (Note: In some countries, the postal code may precede the city or town name.)
As a precaution, senders should place a card showing the names and addresses of the sender and addressee inside parcels. Items sent to general delivery must show the addressee’s name and the endorsement “Poste Restante,” which is the French term for “general delivery.”
