How to Send an International Fax Online — Country Codes, Formats, and Tips

Sending a fax to another country follows the same basic process as a domestic fax — but international fax numbers have a specific format that must be entered correctly, and there are a few extra points worth understanding to avoid failed deliveries.

This guide explains international fax number formatting, common mistakes, country-specific conventions, and how to send an international fax online without a monthly subscription.

International fax number format

Every international fax number consists of two parts:

1. Country code — the numerical prefix that identifies the destination country (e.g. +1 for the US and Canada, +44 for the UK, +65 for Singapore, +81 for Japan)
2. Local fax number — the number as it would be dialled locally in the destination country, usually without any leading zero

When using an online fax service, you typically select the destination country from a dropdown (which fills in the country code automatically) and then enter the local number. The service combines both to form the full international dial string.

Country code quick reference

Note on Italy: Italy is unusual — it retains the leading zero when dialling internationally. Enter +39 and then the full number including the 0.

How to send an international fax online

1. Prepare your PDF

Make sure your document is a PDF. Convert Word files, images, or scanned pages to PDF before uploading. The file should not be password-protected.

2. Go to Send Fax Online

Open Send Fax in your browser — phone or desktop. No account is required to start uploading and previewing.

3. Select the destination country

Use the country selector dropdown. This sets the correct country code automatically and validates that we support faxing to that destination.

4. Enter the local fax number

Type the local number — in most countries, without the leading zero. If you have the number written as a local format (e.g. 030 123456 in Germany), drop the leading zero and enter 30 123456. The country code (+49) is already handled by the dropdown.

5. Review and pay

The service counts your pages and shows the cost. At 10 credits per page, the price is the same regardless of the destination country. Credit packs start at $4.99, with no subscription required.

6. Monitor delivery

Delivery times vary by country. Most faxes arrive within a few minutes, but international lines can sometimes have higher busy rates. The fax history page shows you the current status: queued, sending, delivered, or failed.

Common reasons international faxes fail

Incorrect country code: The most common issue. If the country code is wrong, the call may not connect at all, or may reach an entirely different number in a different country.

Leading zero not removed: In most countries (UK, Germany, Australia, France), the area code starts with a 0 locally but the 0 is dropped for international dialling. Leaving the 0 in will create a malformed number.

Fax line is not active: Many business phone numbers listed online are voice lines, not fax lines. Verify with the recipient that the number you have is their active fax line.

Time zone mismatch: A fax machine that is turned off or in power-save mode overnight may not answer. If delivery to a business fax is failing repeatedly, consider timing your send for their business hours.

Recipient line is busy: High-traffic fax lines in hospitals, courts, or busy offices can be busy for extended periods. The service retries automatically.

Countries we support

Send Fax Online covers 100+ countries worldwide. All major destinations are supported, including:

Americas: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina

Europe: United Kingdom, Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania

Asia-Pacific: Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines

Middle East & Africa: UAE, Israel, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Egypt

If you are unsure whether your specific destination is supported, the country dropdown in the send form will only show available countries.

International fax vs international email

For international business communications, email is generally more convenient. But fax remains relevant when:

• The recipient's organisation requires fax for formal documents (common in law, healthcare, and government)
• You need a delivery record that is difficult to dispute (the fax confirmation is tied to the recipient's physical machine)
• The document has signatures or formatting that could be disrupted by email clients
• Privacy of the document content is a concern (fax is point-to-point; email passes through multiple servers)

FAQ

Is it more expensive to fax internationally?

No. Our pricing is flat — 10 credits per page, regardless of the destination country. A 3-page document costs 30 credits whether you send it to a US number or a Japanese number.

How long does an international fax take?

Most international faxes are delivered within 2–5 minutes. Remote or high-traffic destinations may take longer. If the recipient's line is busy, the service retries automatically for up to 30 minutes.

Can I fax to a mobile number internationally?

No. Fax requires a dedicated fax line connected to a landline telephone network. Mobile phone numbers cannot receive faxes.

What if I don't know the recipient's country code?

Every country has a single country calling code. If you have the recipient's fax number written in international format (e.g. +44 20 XXXX XXXX), the first digits after the + symbol are the country code. You can also look up country codes by country name in any international dialling directory.

Can I send a fax in another language?

Yes. Your fax is transmitted exactly as it appears in your PDF — including text in any language, character set, or writing direction.

Need to send a fax right now? Start at Send Fax. For guidance on a specific document type, see our guide on faxing legal documents online.

Related guides:

• How to send a fax from your phone
• How to send fax online in Singapore
• Is online fax secure?