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My first invoice, billing a UK company from Spain
Thread poster: Matthew John Walker
Matthew John Walker
Matthew John Walker  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 18:06
Spanish to English
May 8, 2014

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me.

I've just had my first paid translation work and I need to send an invoice to a UK company. I live in Spain and I pay my taxes in Spain.

I have no idea about how to invoice them. Do I have to include any VAT?

I'm not "autonomo" yet, as my main job for the moment is as a teacher. Translation is just sporadic work at the moment.

Do companies in the UK have a CIF or tax code?

Any help apprecia... See more
Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me.

I've just had my first paid translation work and I need to send an invoice to a UK company. I live in Spain and I pay my taxes in Spain.

I have no idea about how to invoice them. Do I have to include any VAT?

I'm not "autonomo" yet, as my main job for the moment is as a teacher. Translation is just sporadic work at the moment.

Do companies in the UK have a CIF or tax code?

Any help appreciated. Thanks.

Matt ▲ Collapse
 
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 18:06
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Ask them May 8, 2014

A key question to your customer is whether they have a VAT number (CIF in Spanish). Most companies operating or subcontracting internationally have a VAT number, but they are not necessarily required to have one by law in the UK.

If they have a VAT number, you do not include VAT, since it would be an intracomunitary invoice to a company. If they do not have a VAT number, then the problem is for you that Spanish law requires you to include VAT but they will not accept it.

... See more
A key question to your customer is whether they have a VAT number (CIF in Spanish). Most companies operating or subcontracting internationally have a VAT number, but they are not necessarily required to have one by law in the UK.

If they have a VAT number, you do not include VAT, since it would be an intracomunitary invoice to a company. If they do not have a VAT number, then the problem is for you that Spanish law requires you to include VAT but they will not accept it.

So pray to God they have a VAT number! Good luck.

(As for income tax or "retención de IRPF", I think you only include that for Spanish customers, but the colleagues might know more about this.) ▲ Collapse
 
Emma Goldsmith
Emma Goldsmith  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 18:06
Member (2004)
Spanish to English
VAT and IRPF May 8, 2014

Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:

If they have a VAT number, you do not include VAT, since it would be an intracomunitary invoice to a company. If they do not have a VAT number, then the problem is for you that Spanish law requires you to include VAT but they will not accept it.



That's correct, so long as both you and the UK company are registered in the VIES EU database. If not, you have to add 21% VAT to the invoice. You can check this out here:
http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/vies/

You only add (actually, you subtract) IRPF withholding to invoices issued to Spanish companies, not elsewhere or even to Spanish individuals, because only Spanish companies will pay this withholding to Hacienda.
 
Arlete Moraes
Arlete Moraes  Identity Verified
Local time: 17:06
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Invoice to individuals May 9, 2014

Hi Emma and Tomás,

What about the invoices issued to individuals (other translators) in the UK?
Do I have to include VAT?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Arlete
 


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My first invoice, billing a UK company from Spain







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