Form 1583 asks for two forms of identification, and only one of them needs a photo. The second one is where most people hesitate, and a proof of address is sometimes the right choice for that second slot, though it is not the only option your provider may accept.
This guide looks only at the identification question: what the two IDs usually are, when a proof of address helps, and why your provider's own published list stays the final word on what it will take.
What the form actually asks for
USPS Form 1583 authorizes a commercial mail receiving agency, your virtual mailbox provider, to accept mail on your behalf. Before it notarizes anything, the provider checks your identity against two documents: a primary photo ID and a secondary ID. The form itself does not spell out which documents qualify; that list lives on your provider's own website, and it can differ from one provider to the next.
The first ID: a current photo document
For most international customers, a valid passport covers the primary ID without much debate. A national identity card or a driver's license can sometimes stand in, depending on what the provider accepts from your country. Whatever you choose, it needs to be unexpired on the day of your notarization session, and the name on it has to match what goes on the form, middle names included.
The second ID: when a proof of address is the better choice
The second document usually serves one of two purposes: confirming your identity again, or confirming your home address. A proof of address, such as a recent bank statement, a utility bill or a signed lease, helps most when your passport does not print a street address, which is the case for many passports issued outside the United States. If your provider accepts a second photo ID instead, that also works; the right choice depends on the provider's list, not on a general rule that applies everywhere.
Our guide on getting Form 1583 notarized online walks through the full session from booking to the signed file, including how the two IDs are checked on camera.
When you genuinely do not have a second ID ready
Some international customers reach this step with a passport in hand and nothing else that fits a provider's list, especially right after a move. In that case, a notarized proof of address is often the fastest path: a recent bank statement in your name, a signed lease, or a utility account letter can be prepared and shown during the same session as your Form 1583, rather than waiting on a new document to arrive by mail. Ask your provider whether it accepts a notarized statement in place of a standard bill if your name is not yet on any utility account.
Why the provider's own list has the final word
Every mailbox provider works within USPS rules, but each one also keeps its own internal checklist, and that checklist actually decides whether your documents pass. Before booking a notarization session, open your provider's account dashboard or help center and read its current list of accepted IDs. A document that satisfied a friend's provider last year may not be on your provider's list today.
When the two IDs do not quite line up
A notary cannot notarize a form where the name or address does not match across your documents. Common gaps include a maiden name still printed on a utility bill, an address spelled differently between a passport and a bank statement, or an apartment number missing from one document. None of these are unusual, and most are fixable: update the document that is out of date, or ask your provider whether it will accept a short written explanation alongside a minor mismatch. Our guide on why a Form 1583 gets rejected covers the most frequent causes in more detail.
If the mailbox is for a company
When the mailbox is opened for an LLC or a corporation, the person signing on the company's behalf still presents personal IDs, not company documents, for this identity step. A proof of address for that person, rather than for the business, is what supports the second ID when one is needed. The company's own paperwork, such as its formation certificate, is a separate requirement your provider will ask for on top of this.
How TR Signing Group handles it
TR Signing Group, a company based in Bayonne, New Jersey, checks your two IDs against your provider's own list before booking anything, so you are not guessing at the session. A commissioned New Jersey notary public then verifies your identity on camera through secure identity verification and notarizes your Form 1583 through the Form 1583 virtual mailbox service. TRSG takes on a single signature just as readily as a full founder file with several signers; request a quote and mention your provider's name.
Ready when you are
Services for this guide
USPS Form 1583 / Virtual Mailbox
Get your USPS Form 1583 notarized online and validated by your virtual mailbox provider the first time, from anywhere in the world. IDs checked before the session, form returned promptly.
Identity Verification & Secure Execution
Know who is signing. ID document checks, live face matching on video, signer location confirmation, and PKI certificate-based signing and protected delivery where appropriate.
U.S. LLC Support for Foreign Founders
Foreign founders: we coordinate your U.S. or Wyoming LLC formation and execute the documents around it: operating agreement, membership certificate, Form 1583, ownership declarations, apostille.
Corporate Ownership Documents
Bank-account ownership documentation, notarized: sole shareholder declarations, ownership confirmations, membership certificates and shareholder documents for banks, payment providers and partners. Sole shareholder declarations, ownership confirmations, membership certificates and shareholder documents executed and notarized for banks, payment providers and partners in the U.S. and abroad.
Not sure which one? Book a free 15-minute video call
Questions we hear often
Do both IDs for Form 1583 need a photo?
No. Usually only the primary ID needs a photo. The second document often just needs to confirm your address or identity, depending on your provider's list.
Can a utility bill serve as my second ID?
Often yes, when it is recent and shows your current address, but confirm with your provider since accepted documents vary.
What if my passport does not show a street address?
That is exactly when a proof of address tends to help, since it adds the home address your passport leaves out.
Where do I find the exact list of accepted documents?
On your provider's own website or account dashboard. It is the authority on what it will accept, not a general rule.
Does TRSG decide which documents my provider accepts?
No. TRSG checks your documents against your provider's published list and notarizes once everything matches.
Notary and document-execution services only. TR Signing Group does not provide legal, tax or immigration advice and is not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency.