Getting paid from anywhere in the world

At a glance

After you get a job, the next question is how the money reaches you. The answer depends on where you live, because international payment services don't all work in every country. So it's worth knowing the options in advance. This page covers ways to receive money from abroad, payments within your own country, the basic rules of invoices, and what to check before you take a job.

What to know first

No payment service works everywhere. PayPal, Stripe, Wise and Payoneer are well-known international services, but each one is open only in certain countries, and sometimes only for certain kinds of account. Before you count on any of them, open its own website and check what it says for your country — and check again from time to time, because availability and rules change. If someone offers to "open a PayPal account for you", be careful: it usually means using another country's address or another person's name. Accounts like that can be shut at any moment, and the money inside gets frozen. Don't go that way. If a service really does become available in your country, you'll find it on the service's own official website or your bank's — don't trust social media posts or middlemen.

So what are the options? Here they are.

Getting paid from abroad

International payment services such as Payoneer, Wise or PayPal (services that receive money from other countries and pass it on to you) — freelancers around the world use these, wherever they're available in their country. They usually work like this:

1. You open an account in your own name, with your own real details.
2. You submit papers to prove who you are — usually a national ID or a passport.
3. The marketplace or the client sends the money to that account.
4. From there, you withdraw the money to your own bank account, in your local currency. Check the fees and the exchange rate before you do.

Direct bank transfer — some clients want to send money straight to your bank. That's a legitimate route too. Ask your bank what process and paperwork they need to receive payments from abroad, and what fees they charge.

A marketplace's own payout options — some websites let you receive your earnings straight into your bank, or by other methods. When you open your account, look at which options are open to you in your country.

The route to never take: bringing money in through informal or unofficial channels, or through someone else's account. It may be against the law where you live, there's no proof of anything, and if something goes wrong there's nothing you can do. Money that comes in through proper channels leaves a record — and later, for a loan, a visa or any other money matter, that record works in your favour.

Payments within your own country

With local clients it's much simpler — your mobile wallet or a direct bank transfer, whichever is common where you live. Keep two habits here as well: save a screenshot or receipt of every payment, and use an account in your own name.

What to check before taking a job

• The client's track record. On a marketplace, clients have ratings and a work history too. With a brand-new client who has no history, it's better not to take on a big job.
• Whether the payment method is verified. Most marketplaces show whether the client's payment has been verified. If it hasn't, be careful.
• A written description of the job. What you'll deliver, when, for how much, how many rounds of changes — all four have to be in writing. Chat messages count as writing.
• Split big jobs up. Instead of finishing the whole job and being paid once at the end, split it into three parts and take payment after each part. It lowers the risk.
• Part payment up front with direct clients. For work outside a marketplace, taking some payment first is normal practice, not bad manners.

Receipts and invoices

An invoice is just a piece of paper that says what work you did and how much you're owed. Nothing complicated. It contains:

• Your name and contact details
• The client's name
• The date and a serial number
• A description of the work and the amount (make clear which currency)
• How the money should be sent, and by when

Make a template in Google Docs or Sheets and just change the details each time. Keep a copy of every invoice you send.

Tax and the law

This page isn't giving tax or legal advice, because it's not the right place for that. Just two things:

• Once income starts, talk to a qualified accountant or tax adviser in your own country about what to do — tax, registration, record-keeping. Many countries expect you to report freelance income, but the rules differ from place to place.
• Follow the law of your country, and keep your income records in order. Keeping clear records from the very start saves a lot of trouble later.

Try it yourself

1. 1.Check that you have a clear photo of your national ID or passport and a working bank account. These two are what you need to open a payment service.
2. 2.Make a sample invoice of your own.

   Delete the part inside the square brackets [ ] and put in your own details.

   I freelance from [your country], and my work is: [name of the work]. Make me a simple sample invoice — in English, in table form. It should include my name, the client's name, the date, invoice number, description of the work, amount, currency, and payment details. No need to give any tax or legal advice.

   Copy
3. 3.Save the sample in Google Docs, so you don't have to hunt for it on the day you get your first job.
4. 4.Visit or contact your own bank once and ask what their process is for receiving payments from abroad. While you're there, also look up which international payment services are open in your country.