Before you invoice an overseas client

Write the currency into the proposal or contract, rather than leaving it to be inferred from a symbol. A dollar sign alone is not enough to distinguish US, Canadian or Australian dollars. Use an explicit currency code alongside the amount.

Separately confirm the currency you expect to receive. If the client pays in one currency and you need another, identify where conversion will take place and who will arrange it. This prevents the parties making incompatible assumptions about the agreed price.

• Invoice amount and currency.
• Currency the client will send.
• Currency and account into which you expect to receive the payment.

Ask whether the client needs a purchase order, supplier registration or supporting information before the invoice can be approved. Confirm the legal entity being billed and the finance contact, especially when your day-to-day contact works in another part of the business.

Use GOV.UK's invoice guidance to check the information relevant to your business. The tax treatment of an overseas service can depend on the service, customer and location; ask your accountant about the particular transaction rather than copying another freelancer's invoice.

• Correct customer and supplier details.
• Purchase order or project reference, where required.
• Agreed payment deadline and a contact for billing questions.

Further reading: GOV.UK: invoicing and taking payment

For each option, compare the same amount, currencies and payment method at roughly the same time. Record the amount the sender pays, any fees shown and the amount the recipient is quoted to receive. If the quote does not explain an intermediary or receiving charge, treat that part as unknown.

An illustrative comparison: one route quotes a recipient amount of £980 and another quotes £972 for the same sender cost. On those hypothetical figures, the difference is £8. This is not a provider quote; it simply shows why the final received amount is more useful than comparing one fee in isolation.

Also consider timing, payment references, available support and how the transaction will be matched to the invoice. A small price difference may not be the deciding factor for your workflow.

Send payment instructions through the channel agreed with the client's finance team. Include the account name, currency and payment reference required for the chosen route. Check the details against the account provider's own instructions.

If either party asks to change payment details, verify the change through an independently known contact method. Do not rely solely on a new email thread or the contact number included in the change request.

• Confirm the details are for the intended account and currency.
• Make the invoice reference easy to copy.
• Keep a record of the instructions agreed with the client.

When the payment arrives, match it to the invoice and record any difference. Preserve the payment record and the quote or fee information needed to explain it. If the amount is short, establish what happened before deciding whether another payment is due.

Turn the result into a useful note for the next invoice: the payment route used, any unexpected charge and anything the client's finance team needed. Over time, this creates a repeatable process for that client without assuming every country or payment route behaves the same way.