Getting paid
Seven changes that get overseas invoices paid faster
The average international invoice takes 23 days to clear. Most of that delay is fixable before you hit send.
When a client in another country owes you money, three things slow it down: the invoice sits unread, the payment method is awkward for them, and the transfer itself takes days. You control more of this than it seems.
1. Agree payment terms before the work starts
Put the terms in the proposal, not the invoice. Net 14 is reasonable for most freelance work. If a client's finance team insists on Net 45, ask for a 30–50% deposit up front.
2. Invoice in the client's currency
A US client paying a USD invoice from a US bank account is a domestic payment for them. A EUR invoice is a foreign wire that needs approval. Use local account details so the client pays you the way they pay everyone else.
3. Send it to the person who pays
Your contact is often not the person who releases payment. Ask for the accounts payable email and copy both.
4. Make the due date a date
"Due on receipt" gets ignored. "Due 16 October" gets put in a calendar.
5–7. Remind, offer a card option, and follow up once by name
- Automatic reminders at 3, 7 and 14 days remove the awkwardness.
- A card option lets small clients pay in a minute, even if you absorb a fee.
- After 14 days, one short personal email beats a fourth automated one.
“The fastest invoice is the one that looks like every other bill the client pays that week.”
