In November last year I sent several letters through UNPA Vienna. Shortly before that, the postage rates were increased, but this was communicated very late and I therefore did not take it into account in time. That’s why I got all the letters back today (3 months later!). This annoyed me because the increase was really announced very late on the website.
However, it also has an interesting advantage: I also got back my sending-in envelope with all the receipt rubber stamps of UNPA Vienna. This gives a little insight into the internal markings of the UNPA Vienna.
2 Likes
I’m glad I found this thread. I received a postcard with this stamp from the USA some time ago and I thought the stamp was fake. 
Glad to hear it wasn’t! But I think many others get confused too.
Wow! I truley learn something new every day! I have this UN stamp from 1970, but it’s just regular US postage. I had no idea there’s an actual UN post office. How interesting!
3 Likes
There are 3 UN post offices…I send via NY and once the recipient told me in his hurray that he previously worked at the Vienna location
1 Like
You also have a similar system in France with UNESCO and Council of Europe stamps. It’s called “timbres de service”.
Sometimes you can find entire collections at very low prices, and people use it for ordinary mail, even if you officially can’t, that’s not really a fraud,
I sent some cards through the UN postal system at Genève last week and also included one to myself which has already arrived today!
The postmarks turned out great and it even received an extra postmark from the mail sorting center at Genève 2 
7 Likes
The United Nations Postal Administration operates in a fairly similar manner to the postal service of any other country. You can only mail items with UN stamps from a UN office (or if you mail it to their office for them to mail out) Similar to how you would be unable to buy stamps from the Deutsche Post and then use them to mail a letter from the United States.
The only big difference is that the UNPA doesn’t deliver mail, they just hand it off to another postal service for processing. For instance, the UNPA office in New York, NY, USA postmarks all of their mail and then hands it off to the USPS to be delivered.
Based on the postmarks, That postcard was mailed in New York. I would guess either a Polish Postcrosser visiting New York who didn’t use travel mode, or a Polish postcrosser who sent the card to the New York office to be postmarked
1 Like
Is the UN Post Office in New York City open for business? I checked their website, and it says it is closed still due to Covid-19.
I am patiently awaiting stamps to arrive after ordering some from their website last week. I am starting with the Geneva office with hopes that will be a new option to send to friends in two countries I can’t send directly to this past year.
All this information is very helpful and I will share updates on timetables in the future as I’m curious and excited to try this.
My only question I’m trying to find an answer to is regarding the “registration fee” that each office lists. Does anyone have experience with what that means?
I ordered the Swiss Geneva UN stamps, and the page makes sense with rates to different locations, but just don’t understand what the registration fee is in reference to (if I am sending cards in envelope for further mailing). If anyone has any insight, would be appreciated!
This is for mail that you like to send as a “Registered Mail” which allows you to get a proof of mailing via some kind of verification receipt.
2 Likes
I’ve mailed through NY with no problems. I try not to do it too much as they primarily handle diplomatic mail and have a small staff
2 Likes
I’m mailing cards through the UN postal administration in NY for the first time…will they put the cards in protective wrapping after postmarking like the USPS does for FDOI postmarks or will they end up in the USPS mail stream “naked”? And for those of you who have done this before, do you include a note asking for the UN postmark or do you just mark the outer envelope FOR MAILING (per the instructions on the ‘postal rates’ page)?
Edit to add: Upon closer inspection of the nice pictures people shared in this thread it looks like the postcards go through the mail system “naked” after getting the UN postmark and there was mention of including a written letter telling them how many letters and postcards there are to be postmarked/posted so I will do that.
What a helpful and interesting thread! I learned a lot 
2 Likes
Today I received the card that I mailed to myself. I sent it to New York on April 24th and received it back May 23rd.
7 Likes
An update on my experience so far:
I placed order through their website on 13 April (for all Geneva stamps). Processing took 5 days, with another email on 18 April. Stamps arrived to me 19 May, so just over a month.
I’ve sent multiple envelopes to UN Geneva so far. With cards to Russia, Belarus, and a postcard to myself in each envelope (as another little test/indicator to see if it works).
All my cards from the first envelope have now made it to their destinations. Postmarked at the UN 10 days after sending (US to Switzerland). Then my card made it back to me in another 10 days (20 days total trip). Card to Belarus took 25 days, and final card to Russia made it in 30 days from when I sent that first envelope.
Today I received back my postcard from the second envelope, only couple days longer (22 days round trip to get back to me), so hopefully other cards reach their destinations again soon. Has been exciting! Mailart is always fun, and hope it gave some postal workers laughs along the way!
Last week I also received my first issue of “Fascination” the UN Philatelic Bulletin that I must have been added to the mailing list after my stamp order (not complaining, and making me want to make another order with crazy new stamp designs) 
10 Likes
I am going to Vienna in July and plan to go to the post office of the UNO City there, I will report here after my holidays
3 Likes
I went to the UN HQ in NYC in May. I checked out the gift shop that sells postcards and stamps. Seems like people can just pick a card, write and mail it right there. Unfortunately I didn’t have enough time there also they were about to close. I’m not sure if there’s other UN post offices. You will need to go to the visitor from cross the street and come back to go through the security check. It’s ok just visit the gift shops without booking the tour.
3 Likes
I’m also a UN postcrosser!
2 Likes
They are open?1?! I’ve been waiting for them to reopen.