Tuvalu is a small island nation in the Pacific Ocean, situated midway between Australia and Hawaii. It is one of the world’s least populous countries, and also one of the smallest by land area. Despite its size, it holds a rich cultural heritage and unique traditions rooted in Polynesian ancestry. The country consists of nine islands, six atolls, and three reef islands scattered across the central Pacific.

People within Tuvalu write address formats differently. Unlike large countries with standardized addressing systems, Tuvalu is a small island nation with limited infrastructure, few formal street names, and tightly knit communities. This leads to flexibility in how people structure addresses, depending on context.

Most islands in Tuvalu have only a handful of named streets, and in many cases, houses are not numbered. As a result, people often describe locations based on landmarks such as a church, school, or government building, or by using family names.

Moreover, there are different types of addresses, each with its specific element requirements. If you need to mail a client or customer in Tuvalu but are unsure of the correct address format, we can assist you. We have listed all the different types of addresses, along with their formats and examples.

Recipient Name

In the first line, write the recipient’s full name. If you are sending the mail to a business, the company name will appear in the first line. Write the person’s name and department in the second and third lines. Add ATTN. in front of the person’s name to ensure the internal mail distribution system sends the mail to the correct office and desk.

Street Address

In the second line, write the street name of the residential or business address. If the recipient uses a P.O. box, write “P.O. BOX” followed by the box number.

Postal Code and Locality

Write the alphanumeric postal code. In the same line, write the name of the city or district where the person lives.

Island Name

Write the name of the island where the person lives.

Country Name

Write the name of the country in the last line. When sending international mail to Tuvalu, write the country’s name in capital letters.

Residential Address Format

Write the recipient’s name, street address, P.O. box number, postal code, locality, island, and country name. Except for the postal code and locality, every address element will come in separate lines.

Rural Address Format

Typically, the streets in rural areas of Tuvalu do not have a formal name. In this case, write the name of the village or the settlement, followed by the nearest large town or city. Add the rest of the address elements in the same way as the residential address.

Business Address Format

Instead of the recipient’s name in the residential address, write the company’s name in the first line. Write the person’s name in the second line, and add their department in the third line.

International Address Format for NGOs and Organizations

Write the organization’s name in the first line and the specific department in the second line. Place all the other address components, except the recipient’s name, in the same way as the residential address.

P.O. Box Address Format

Instead of the street address, write the term “P.O. box” and then the box number in the residential address.

Government Office Address Format

Instead of the recipient’s name, write the office and department names in the residential address on the first and second lines.

Address Format for Multiple Recipients

If you want to mail multiple people in the same household or business, you should write each name on separate lines of the residential and business addresses.

Address Format for Courier Services

If you send mail using courier services like DHL or FedEx, add the recipient’s contact details to the end of the residential address. Delivery agents can call them if they cannot find the address.

The national postal service provider of Tuvalu is Tuvalu Post, which operates under the Ministry of Transport, Energy, and Tourism. As one of the smallest postal systems in the world, Tuvalu Post plays a vital role in maintaining communication links for the country’s population spread across its nine islands.

Tuvalu Post provides essential services such as domestic and international mail delivery, parcel handling, and post office box rentals. Because Tuvalu does not have a vast network of street addresses, post office boxes are especially critical. Many residents and businesses rely on them as their primary means of receiving mail. The post offices also serve as community hubs where people come not only to send and receive letters but also to access related services, including financial transactions and remittance support.

You have learned how to structure the address format for a recipient in Tuvalu. However, you need a verified address to ensure your address reaches the intended recipient. The PostGrid Address Verification solution verifies, standardizes, and offers real-time address autocomplete suggestions. Whether you want to verify a single or bulk address, we provide correct, complete, and up-to-date addresses in sync with the official postal service provider for over 245 countries and territories. 

If you are curious about the format of any other country, visit our global address format page and learn the format followed in countries across the world.