Guide · International

Invoicing international clients

A cross-border invoice has the same job as any other — get paid — with more ways for the money to go missing. Currency, fees, tax and bank details need to be explicit.

Updated November 3, 2026 · BillCanvas

Choose the currency before you quote

Pick one currency for the contract and the invoice. If you quote in USD but the client pays in EUR, someone carries the exchange risk. State whether the amount due is fixed in the invoice currency or converted at the payment date, and which rate applies.

Who pays the transfer fees?

A wire can lose money at three points: the sender’s bank, the correspondent bank and the receiving bank. Say who pays which fees. “Payment in full; all transfer fees are the client’s responsibility” is clear. If you accept the fees, price them into the invoice or accept the shortfall knowingly.

What to put on the invoice

• Your legal business name and address, and the client’s legal name and address.
• The invoice number, issue date and due date, in one currency.
• A clear description of the service or goods, quantity and price.
• Tax details: VAT, GST or sales tax number, or a note that the supply is outside the scope of tax.
• The bank details the client needs: account name, IBAN or account number, SWIFT/BIC, bank address.
• A payment reference — usually the invoice number — so the payment can be matched.

Payment methods

Tax: do not guess

Cross-border tax depends on what you sell, where the customer is and where the work is performed. Services may be outside the scope of VAT in one country and taxable in another. Exports of goods have their own documentation. Ask an accountant or the destination tax authority before you put a tax line on the invoice — and keep the wording consistent from quote to invoice.

Exchange rates

Record the rate you used and the date. If the client pays weeks later, the amount your bank receives may differ from the invoice. For small differences, absorb them; for large ones, agree in the contract how they are handled. Do not silently change the invoice total after payment.

Get the deposit before you start

Cross-border collection is slower and more expensive than domestic collection. A deposit reduces the amount at risk and confirms the client can actually pay. For a first order, a proforma invoice is a normal way to request the deposit before shipment.

See the proforma vs invoice guide and the proforma template for the pre-shipment document. For payment terms, use the payment terms guide.

This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Cross-border rules change; confirm the treatment for your own transaction.

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