Getting Paid Internationally Checklist for Freelancers

What this checklist is

A practical checklist for developers and other freelancers who invoice clients in other countries. It covers agreeing currency, fees and payment terms before work starts, writing invoices international clients can pay, choosing payment platforms that actually work where you live, contract points that protect you from currency and payment risk, tax forms clients may ask for, record keeping, and staying within your own country's rules. It is practical guidance, not tax or legal advice.

It has 6 chapters and 26 checks, each with how to verify it and how much it matters. For freelancers and contractors paid from abroad.

Chapter by chapter

1. Agree how you will be paid before work starts (4 checks)

Most payment problems start with things nobody agreed. Settle currency, method, fees and timing in writing before you write any code.

2. Invoice foreign clients properly (4 checks)

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.

3. Choose payment platforms that work in your country (5 checks)

Payment services differ widely in which countries and features they support. Check each provider's own pages for your country before you rely on it.

4. Contract terms that protect your payment (4 checks)

A few contract points reduce currency risk, late payment and disputes with clients in other countries.

5. Tax forms and records (4 checks)

Clients may ask for tax forms, and your tax authority will expect records. Keep them from the first payment.

6. Follow your own country's rules (5 checks)

Foreign income is usually taxable where you live, and many countries have rules on how it should arrive. Confirm them with official sources or a tax professional.

How it works on Sefism

The checklist is one page: each check has a severity (must, should or nice to have) and a concrete way to verify it, and members can tick checks off as they go. The opening chapters are open to everyone. Adding it to your account uses credits, opens every chapter and keeps your progress.

Every claim is checked against the sources listed on the page (8 cited).