Chapter 2 of 6 · 4 checks · 3 min
Invoice foreign clients properly
A complete invoice gets paid faster and is the main record for your taxes. Include what a foreign finance team needs to pay without asking questions.
Include every detail the client needs to payMust
Why it matters and how to check
A good international invoice has: a unique invoice number, the invoice date and due date, your full legal name or business name and address, the client's legal company name and address, a description of the work tied to the contract or milestone, the amount and currency, and clear payment instructions.
Larger clients may need a purchase order number or their own reference on the invoice, or their finance team will reject it. Ask at the start.
Check it: your invoice template has all of these fields, and the client's finance contact has confirmed the first invoice is complete.
Do
- Ask the client for their billing name, address and any PO number
Avoid
- Sending a chat message with an amount instead of an invoice
Number invoices sequentially and keep every copyShould
Why it matters and how to check
Use a simple, continuous numbering scheme, such as 2026-001, 2026-002, and never reuse a number. Keep a copy of every invoice you send, together with proof of payment.
Sequential numbering makes it easy to see gaps, to match payments to invoices and to show a tax authority or bank a clear record of your foreign income.
Check it: you can list every invoice issued this year in order, with its amount, currency, client and the date it was paid.
Do
- Keep invoices and payment proofs in one folder per year
Avoid
- Editing an old invoice instead of issuing a corrected one
Understand what EU business clients mean when they ask about VATShould
Why it matters and how to check
Clients in the EU may ask about VAT. The EU's Your Europe guidance explains that an EU business buying services from a supplier outside the EU usually pays VAT itself at its own country's rate, as if it had supplied the service, under the reverse charge. In that common case you, as a non-EU supplier, usually do not charge EU VAT, but the client's finance team may want your details and theirs on the invoice.
The EU page notes there are several important exceptions, and rules differ for selling to consumers rather than businesses. Ask the client what they need on the invoice, and confirm your own position with a tax professional if you sell to EU or UK consumers.
Check it: you know whether each EU or UK client is a business or a consumer, and the invoice includes any tax identifiers they asked for.
Do
- Ask business clients what they need on the invoice for their VAT records
Avoid
- Adding VAT to invoices without knowing you are required to
Put exact payment instructions on the invoiceMust
Why it matters and how to check
Payment instructions should leave nothing to guess: the platform payment link, or the account holder name, bank name, account number or IBAN, SWIFT or routing details and the payment reference to use. Copy them from your provider's dashboard rather than typing them.
If you change accounts, tell clients in a separate message and expect them to check, since changed bank details are a common fraud pattern.
Check it: a colleague can pay a test amount using only the instructions on the invoice, and the reference appears with the payment you receive.
Do
- Copy account details directly from the provider dashboard
Avoid
- Changing payment details on an invoice without telling the client