Receiving payment from foreign clients (as a US national)

[QuickHitRecord]

Lately I've done a couple of domestic shoots for clients based in Europe. After the footage had been delivered and it came time to invoice them and receive payment, my clients all requested an IBAN (International Bank Account Number) from my bank. None of my banks has an IBAN (do any US-based banks have an IBAN?), which has lead to a lot of administrative headaches for both myself and my client. I have one email thread with a client that is literally fifty emails long trying to figure this out, before they finally paid me via PayPal and just absorbed the charges.

There must be a better way! What works for you?

 

[Alex H.]

Yeah, international payments are an international PITA.

Your bank may not have an IBAN number, but likely has a SWIFT number, which should serve the same function. All I did was get a letter printed and signed by my banker at my regular branch affirming that I have an active account, and providing the bank’s SWIFT number.

 

[QuickHitRecord]

All I did was get a letter printed and signed by my banker at my regular branch affirming that I have an active account, and providing the bank’s SWIFT number.

That's a good idea. Thanks, Alex.

 

[JAMedia]

None of my banks has an IBAN (do any US-based banks have an IBAN?),

We found the US a PITA for banking compared to the Rest of The World. IBAN, developed in the 1990s in Europe is used by 88 countries and supersedes the French-Belgium SWIFT system developed in-the 1970s. We used SWIFT when dealing with the US
The problem is US retail banking is somewhat behind the times.