On this page, you will find information on sending and receiving e-invoices from abroad. Further questions can be sent via email to palaute@tieke.fi.
General
Sending and accepting e-invoices from abroad to Finland is not as easy as invoicing within Finland. When a company sends e-invoices from Finland to another country, there are several issues to consider. Consider the following factors
- International invoicing requirements: different countries may have different e-invoicing requirements. Find out what the requirements of the target country are and ensure your invoices meet them. This may include adopting certain invoice formats or including certain information.
- Tax matters: international invoicing may involve various taxation issues. Make sure you understand international tax regulation and that your invoices include the correct tax information, such as value-added tax (VAT) or other taxes, if applicable.
- Cultural aspects: consider the cultural differences and business practices of the target country. For example, some countries expect certain information or formats on their invoices. Make the necessary changes to the appearance or content of the invoices to meet local expectations.
- International payment methods: find out what payment methods are common and in use in the target country. Offer your customers various payment methods that are convenient for them, such as international bank transfers, credit card payments, or popular local payment methods.
- Language settings: check that your invoices are available in your customers’ language or at least in English. Make sure that all essential information, such as payment terms and invoice contact information, is clearly expressed in the customer’s language.
- Ask the operator: it is advisable to find out before sending e-invoices how to proceed. Follow the information below when sending international e-invoices. Each country can be different, so it is important to ensure you comply with local practices and regulations.
Most important rule – ask your own e-invoice service provider how to proceed
If your e-invoice service provider is a global operator operating in Finland, it takes care of invoices from all countries and will tell you what information is required to transmit invoices.
Find out from your own e-invoice operator whether it supports e-invoicing abroad and to which countries.
Sending an e-invoice to a customer outside of Finland
Find out from your own e-invoice service provider if it is possible to send an e-invoice to the customer’s home country. In addition, you should ask your own e-invoice operator what information should be in the invoice address for the invoice to be accepted. If successful, find out the customer’s e-invoice address.
Receiving an e-invoice outside of Finland
Find out from your own e-invoice operator if it is possible to receive an e-invoice from the customer’s home country. If so, ask your own e-invoice intermediary how this happens.
Sending or receiving an e-invoice to or from the USA and Canada
Sending or receiving invoices from these countries is possible through an international e-invoice operator. The invoice is converted into a format that the customer in the USA or Canada accepts.
The sender of the invoice should ask their own operator what information should be in the invoice address for the invoice to be accepted.
Compatibility between e-invoicing models of EU countries
The e-invoice directive has defined a common specification (standard EN16931 or the so-called European standard). In Finland, all public administrations must be able to handle invoices in accordance with the European standard. Domestically, Finvoice 3.0 and TeappsXML 3.0 are compatible with the European standard.
The PEPPOL network, which enables cross-border e-invoicing, is used in the EU. With PEPPOL, the development of countries’ e-invoicing is likely to accelerate significantly. In Finland, only a few operators currently transmit PEPPOL messages.
Where can I find specific e-invoice addresses?
The most common and fastest way is to ask companies directly what their e-invoice address is. There are no general country-specific e-invoice registers or directories other than for Finland and Sweden.
Sweden
The eNEA register (https://eregister.nea.nu/nea/) contains the e-invoice addresses of Swedish organizations. The register is currently incomplete, but the number of addresses is increasing all the time.
Finland
There is a e-address registry: https://verkkolaskuosoite.fi/client/index.html#/. All e-Invoice addresses of Finnish companies and public sector organisations can be found there.
PEPPOL directory
The Peppol directory (https://directory.peppol.eu/public) is a general register of Peppol addresses. The register is currently incomplete, so it doesn’t yet include all Peppol addresses.
Common questions concerning cross-border invoicing
Intermediary codes
What intermediary information should be used depends entirely on the recipient and their operator. It is always worth confirming the correct information from the recipient. This applies to both EU countries and other countries. There are many local intermediaries and different ways of presenting intermediary information around the world.
Country codes
Country codes are often used in e-invoice addresses. A country code has four characters. For example, 0007 is Sweden’s code and 0037 is Finland’s.
E-invoice validation?
An invoice that passes Finvoice EN16931 validation may be rejected by the Peppol network because in some cases, stricter validation rules apply than with the EN16931.
Live Reporting
Live Reporting often refers to the transfer of invoice data directly to the tax administration for processing. Especially in Central Europe, e-invoicing is associated with or equated with Live Reporting. E-invoicing does play an important part in this, but these are two different processes.
Consumer invoicing abroad
Invoicing is country-specific, i.e., consumer invoicing works differently in different countries. In some countries it is not available at all.
You should contact your own service provider for information on how consumer invoicing is handled in a specific country.
