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Invoicing Italian companies from the UK
Thread poster: Bronagh McInerney
Bronagh McInerney
Bronagh McInerney  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:40
Member (2020)
Italian to English
+ ...
May 20, 2021

Hello.
I did a short translation for an Italian company who have asked me for a VAT no. I looked into getting one but would prefer to avoid it. I am currently doing a few translations for another Italian company and it is likely that they will give me small pieces of work regularly. I'm still doing my MA so I'm a full-time student and new to freelancing. How should I invoice these companies?
Thanks
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:40
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Just tell them May 20, 2021

Bronagh McInerney wrote:

Hello.
I did a short translation for an Italian company who have asked me for a VAT no. I looked into getting one but would prefer to avoid it. I am currently doing a few translations for another Italian company and it is likely that they will give me small pieces of work regularly. I'm still doing my MA so I'm a full-time student and new to freelancing. How should I invoice these companies?
Thanks


Include the following wording on your invoice/s:

VAT not applicable

Or if that seems too simple,

VAT not applicable in compliance with UK tax rules

YOur invoices should of course be in English since for tax purposes you are resident in the UK and if anyone ever want to inspect your books, it will be HMRC (not the Agenzia delle Entrate). If you want to issue the same invoice in Italian, you can of course do so, but the one that counts is the one in English.




[Edited at 2021-05-20 10:25 GMT]

Emanuele Vacca
 
Bronagh McInerney
Bronagh McInerney  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:40
Member (2020)
Italian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks for the advice. May 20, 2021

Thanks, Tom.
I thought it might be terribly complicated. That's reassuring.
 
Tony Keily
Tony Keily
Local time: 04:40
Italian to English
+ ...
Tom's right... May 23, 2021

...according to https://www.freelanceuk.com/news/3520.shtml

The Italian companies have to look after VAT at their end (your service is provided in Italy).
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:40
Member (2008)
Italian to English
But Anthony is wrong... May 23, 2021

Anthony John Keily wrote:

...according to https://www.freelanceuk.com/news/3520.shtml

The Italian companies have to look after VAT at their end (your service is provided in Italy).


You are resident for tax purposes in the UK and your service is provided in the UK. That's why VAT is not applicable i.e. your Italian client doesn't have to pay it.

By the way if you want to do your Italian clients a favour and win Brownie points, open a WISE account and ask them to pay the Euros into it. The bank transfer will cost them a lot less and you will get a more favourable exchange rate as and when you need to transfer the Euro into your UK bank account.

I did it recently and have just received payment of the first invoice. It was dead easy and everybody's happy.


https://wise.com/
 


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Invoicing Italian companies from the UK







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