How to invoice international clients
Working with clients abroad is one of the best things about freelancing, but cross-border invoices bring questions a local invoice never does: which currency, who pays the bank fees, what tax wording to include and how the client can actually send the money. Here is how to handle each one.
Invoicing · Published 2026-10-14 · By Vinayak Chandran
Agree the currency before you start
Decide the invoice currency when you agree the price, not when you send the invoice. There are three common options:
- The client's currency: easiest for the client, and often required by large companies. You carry the exchange rate risk.
- Your currency: you know exactly what you will receive, but the client carries the risk and may push back.
- A major currency such as US dollars or euros: a common middle ground for clients in countries with less widely traded currencies.
Whatever you choose, always show the currency code on the invoice, such as USD 1,500 rather than 1,500 or $1,500. Several countries use the dollar sign.
Give the client every payment detail they need
Missing bank details are the most common reason international payments are delayed. Depending on where your account is, the client may need:
- Account holder name exactly as the bank has it.
- IBAN, used in Europe, the Middle East and many other regions.
- SWIFT or BIC code of your bank.
- For US accounts: account number and ACH or wire routing number.
- For UK accounts: account number and sort code.
- Your bank's name and address, which some payment systems still ask for.
If you also accept a payment link or a service such as PayPal, Wise or Payoneer, list it too. Giving clients a second option often speeds things up.
Who pays the bank fees?
International wire transfers can pass through one or more intermediary banks, and each may deduct a fee. You invoice USD 2,000 and receive USD 1,965. On SWIFT transfers the sender chooses who pays: OUR (the sender pays all fees), SHA (fees are shared) or BEN (the receiver pays).
If you want to receive the full amount, say so in your terms, for example: All bank charges to be paid by the sender (OUR). Alternatively, build the expected fee into your price.
Multi-currency accounts from providers such as Wise or Payoneer can give you local account details in several countries. The client then makes a cheaper domestic transfer instead of an international wire.
Exchange rates
If you invoice in a foreign currency, the amount you receive in your own currency depends on the rate on the day you convert. For your own records, note the rate you actually received. If your tax authority requires amounts in your local currency, use the rate method it specifies. In the UAE, for example, VAT-registered businesses must show the VAT amount in AED on a tax invoice.
Tax wording: reverse charge and VAT numbers
Tax on cross-border services depends on both countries, and this is where an accountant earns their fee. A few common patterns:
- Business clients in the EU or UK: services supplied to them from abroad are often subject to the reverse charge, meaning the client accounts for the VAT. Invoices commonly include the client's VAT number and a note such as Reverse charge: VAT to be accounted for by the recipient.
- Clients in countries with withholding tax: some clients must deduct a percentage before paying you. Ask about this upfront so the amount you receive is not a surprise.
- Consumers rather than businesses: different rules often apply, and you may need to charge VAT in the customer's country for some digital services.
Ask the client's finance team what they need on the invoice. They deal with foreign suppliers every month and usually know exactly which wording their accounts require.
Avoid date confusion
05/06/2026 is the 5th of June in most of the world and May 6th in the United States. On international invoices, write dates with the month as a word, such as 6 November 2026, or use the international format 2026-11-06. It removes any doubt about when payment is due.
A checklist for international invoices
- Currency agreed in advance and shown as a code, such as EUR or USD.
- Client's full legal name, address and VAT or tax number if they have one.
- Complete bank details, including SWIFT or BIC and IBAN or local account details.
- Who pays bank fees, stated in your terms.
- Any tax wording the client's country requires, such as a reverse charge note.
- Unambiguous dates and a clear due date.
Zonlet's invoice generator supports a long list of world currencies and has a notes field for bank details and tax wording.
Create a multi-currency invoice
About the author. Vinayak Chandran is the developer behind Zonlet, based in the United Arab Emirates. Vinayak builds and maintains Zonlet's free invoice, QR code, barcode and NFC business card tools for freelancers and small businesses, and writes these guides from what building, testing and supporting those tools has taught.