We only provide postal addresses of penfriends. We ask for your email address on the application form but it will not be passed on to other Club members. We only need your email address for customer service emails. After introductory letters you are of course free to exchange email addresses with your penfriends and use other methods to keep in touch with them if you prefer and if your penfriend agrees to this. Actually, adding other ways to keep in contact with your penfriends can add another interesting dimension to the penfriend hobby.

How much is the application fee?

The service categories are arranged by age and this determines how much your application fee would be. A full list of our services together with application fees can be found on the application form. Please scroll down the page and the list will appear.

Is the application fee payable monthly or yearly?

The application fee is a one-time payment for 12 months' membership. If you wish to renew your membership for another year, you will need to pay the application fee again.

How do you send out the address lists?

We normally send the address lists by email. The booklet will be sent to you as a PDF file together with the address list to the email address you have provided on the application form. The instructions on how to access the digital Club magazine online will be sent to you by email as soon as your application from is processed, which may take up to approximately 4 weeks depending on the workload our Head Office in under at that time.

When can I renew my membership with International Pen Friends?

You are welcome to renew your membership at any time, even if your current membership has not expired yet.

How do I renew my membership?

You can renew your membership for another 12 months by filling out the application form and paying the appropriate application fee for your age.

I want an extra list of addresses. What should I do?

If you are not happy with the number of letters you are receiving, you can request one extra list of addresses during your 12 months' membership by filling out the application form and paying a fee of 30 USD/18 GBP/20 EUR. There is no need to select a specific service on the application form as the service for an extra list is not listed on the form but please do send us an email to let us know you would like to receive an extra list of addresses. The extra list contains 10 addresses (please note that your address will not be given to other Club members like it will when you renew your membership). Instead of obtaining an extra list you can also renew your membership even if your current membership is still valid.

Can I use a P.O. Box address when applying?

Yes, it is fine to use a P.O. Box address if you wish.

What if my address changes during the duration of my membership with International Pen Friends?

Please notify us of your new address as soon as you can so that we have your current address in our database. This will enable us to give your correct address to your penfriends so that the letters they will write to you will reach you.

I am a teacher and my students want to join International Pen Friends. Can I give the school address as their address?

Yes, you can use the school address as your students' home address as long as you can ensure that the letters will reach your students and their penfriends will have their current address especially if they change or leave school.

I want to join International Pen Friends together with a person who is of a different age. Which service should we choose?

The service category under which you can join the Club together is determined by the age of the older person. For example, if one of you is in the C1 service category (for 8-14 years old) and the other one is in the C3 service category (15-20 years old), you can join the Club together under the C4 category. This will save you money compared to you joining IPF separately. Please see the list of service fees on the application form for details.

I have a child who is younger than 8 years old. Can they join International Pen Friends at this age?

We do have some very young members but most of our youngest members are from English-speaking countries and are only able to write in English. Therefore, with the youngest members there may not be much variety of countries and the penfriends we provide them may include members who are slightly older (a year or so). If you are OK with this, your child is welcome to join the Club even if they are younger than 8 years old. If in doubt, or if you have specific requirements, please get in touch with us at info@ipfworld.com to check if we can find penfriends for your child.

I have lost contact with my old penfriends from previous decades. Can you find their contact details for me?

We regret we are unable to help you reconnect with your old penfriends as our records only go back a few years. Furthermore, it would be impossible for us to keep a database of former Club members that would cover several decades as many people move house and some also change their names through marriage etc. so many details would be outdated any way.

I am concerned about safety matters such as people posing as another person. Should I be worried?

We are not a government agency so of course we have no means of doing background checks on people living in other parts of the world to ensure they are who they say they are. However, our service provides more security than contacting people over the Internet. IPF's membership database in not connected to the Internet. Your address details will only be given to a handful of Club members we have matched you with whereas on friendship sites on the Internet profiles with names, addresses and/or photos may be freely viewed by anyone. Also, the Internet provides an easier, quicker and more attractive means for a person with malicious intentions to contact other people. In a stark contrast to this, our penfriend service has been designed to provide Club members with a high level of protection and security. We regard asking for gifts and all kinds of financial support or sponsorship as undesirable behaviour and will immediately expel such members from the Club if they are reported to us. The same applies to members sending offensive mail or any objectionable material, and the offender may also be fined and legal action may be taken against them. In addition, we do not offer penfriend services to prisoners.

International Pen Friends - Snailmail Penfriends From Around The World

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Does International Pen Friends provide postal addresses or email addresses of penfriends?