- Why Fax Internationally?
- Hardware Needs or No Need For Hardware
- How Do You Send an International Fax in the Traditional Way?
- How to Send a Fax Using an Online Faxing Service?
- International Faxing Best Practices
- Frequently Asked Questions
- 1. How does international fax work?
- 2. Does it cost money to fax internationally?
- 3. What shouldn’t be sent by fax?
- 4. Can I send an international fax from my device?
- 5. What happens if a fax doesn’t go through?
- 6. How long does it take to send an international fax online?
An international fax can be handy when you want a legally binding document sent to an international recipient. It’s not uncommon for industries and agencies to use international fax as a means of sending valuable documents.
There are different ways you can send a fax, but we’re going to go over the benefits of international fax, what you require to send an international fax, how you can send an international fax, and the best practices of sending an international fax to your recipient.
Why Fax Internationally?
The name ‘fax’ comes from the term ‘facsimile’ meaning printed material sent through telephone lines or via the Internet. Faxing is used to convert any kind of document into a bitmap, and then this bitmap is sent as an electronic signal. It’s still very important because it’s legally acceptable and it’s a secure transmission of documents and data. So, here’s why fax internationally:
- Legal aspect: Many countries still consider faxed documents legally binding, because faxed contracts and official documents contain a copy of the signature, stamp, etc. This is a very important thing for various government sectors.
- Security aspect: A fax is a direct line of communication, there’s no risk of interception. Unlike email, it’s not so vulnerable to hacking or phishing attacks. The transmission is secure and it’s great for sending sensitive information.
- Reliable and simple: Unlike email, it’s reliable and simple because there’s no chance of losing it in spam filters or having a size limitation for attachments. You get immediate confirmation of receipt.
- No Internet needed: We know that you probably have Internet access, but you don’t need it because fax machines don’t rely on Internet access. You can use a fax even in an area with a poor connection.
The most common misconception is that faxing is irrelevant because we have so many other channels of communication, but the fact is that the documents sent by fax are still legally recognized.
Hardware Needs or No Need For Hardware
If you want to send an international fax, you need to consider your options. There are two options available at the moment, there are traditional fax machines, and there are online fax services, i.e. online alternatives to faxing.
For traditional faxing, you need a machine connected to the phone line and access to a reliable phone network, i.e., a network of phone lines. But, you also need toner and paper for your fax machine, and you need to know how to use it.
Suppose you’re opting for a much more convenient service, i.e. an online fax service to send your international fax. In that case, you need a device with proper internet access and a subscription to one of many online fax services, and you need to digitize the documents that you want to send.
Many of the things we mentioned are available in user manuals for hardware and in the form of walkthroughs and documentation for an online faxing service. We’d like to add the essential components of international dialing:
- Exit code: There’s a code when you’re dialing out of your country, and it’s available for all countries, the exit code for the U.S. is ‘011’. The UK, and some European countries as well as a large part of Africa use ‘00’ as the exit code.
- Country codes: There’s a code that represents the country you’re sending your fax to, e.g. you can send a fax to the UK by using ‘44’. Germany is ‘49’, France is ‘33’, etc. You can take a look at the list of codes if you want to make sure you’re sending to the right one.
- Area codes: There’s a variety of codes available for areas within countries, but it largely depends on which country you’re faxing to. If it’s a larger country like the U.S., you’ll have a large number of area codes.
How Do You Send an International Fax in the Traditional Way?
When sending faxes internationally in a traditional way, we assume that you already have a traditional fax machine. It’s important that you know how to properly prepare the document, which number you’re dialing, and how to send the fax:
- Document preparation: When faxing something, make sure that the only things that are handwritten are the signature and the initials. Everything else should be typed and as clear as possible, so that it gets faxed properly. If it’s a multiple-page document, arrange the pages in order.
- DIaling the international fax number: First, you need to enter the exit code that will let you dial out of your country, then enter the country code of the recipient. Finally, enter the fax number of the recipient.
- Sending the fax: Put the document face down on the machine, and press the send button, if possible, you can adjust the resolution or the contrast of the document. Wait for the transmission confirmation. If it fails, then you should debug by looking at the error codes.
How to Send a Fax Using an Online Faxing Service?
To send an international fax online, you need to look at which online faxing service suits your needs first. But, you also need to prepare your document properly using the guidelines of that service:
- Choose an online faxing service: You need to pick the right service and to do that, think about their features and reliability. It’s also useful to look at the reviews from other clients or customers.
- Prepare your document: To prepare it, you need to scan it or take a photo of it. Make sure that the pages are in the correct order, and think about the format, i.e. which formats your chosen service supports.
- Send the fax: Now, you need to log in, enter the recipient's international fax number, including the exit code, the country code, and the local number, in this format, attach the document, and click the send button to send the document. You should get a confirmation, either via email or on the dashboard of your service.
International Faxing Best Practices
There are certain things you should adhere to when sending an international fax online. These include ensuring the quality of the document, making sure you got the right number, and considering the right time.
- Document Quality
If you want your recipient to be able to read the document you’re sending via international fax, you need to make sure that it has proper quality. Scan in high-resolution to make sure the document is clear, and avoid handwriting.
Handwriting has a personal touch, but it’s not very clear when it’s faxed. Try to type documents you want to send, or at least get a high-res quality scan of the handwritten document.
- Double-Check Numbers
Make sure you’ve got the right number, and verify the recipient’s international fax number, i.e. validate against any available contact information. All the digits must be correct. If you enter a single wrong digit, it will end up being sent to the wrong recipient.
Ensure you have the right exit code for your country and the right country code for your recipient. With an incorrect code, your fax won’t reach its destination. You can reach out to your fax service provider for help if you’re unsure.
- Timing Consideration
When you’re sending an international fax, you need to take care of the time zone differences. If you send a fax outside the business hours of your recipient, they might not be able to confirm the reception immediately.
It’s best to check out different sources where you can see what the proper time for sending a fax is. You can use world clocks or just simply ask your recipient what time would be best for them and calculate the difference in your time.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How does international fax work?
It works the same way a local fax works, you just send a document using a fax machine or an online faxing service using different codes that route the transition to a recipient in another country.
2. Does it cost money to fax internationally?
Depending on the way you’re faxing, either traditionally or online, there will be some charges. For a traditional fax machine, you have long-distance phone charges, for online faxes, you probably have fees that depend on the number of pages.
3. What shouldn’t be sent by fax?
Don’t send information that’s sensitive. This includes any credentials, credit card details, social security numbers, or any other confidential stuff.
4. Can I send an international fax from my device?
You can send an international fax from any device as long as you’re using an online faxing service.
5. What happens if a fax doesn’t go through?
If it fails, you’ll get a notification, or you’ll get some type of error code that you can look up from your provider. It doesn’t matter if it’s an international fax or a local one.
6. How long does it take to send an international fax online?
The typical fax duration depends on the quality of the document, and the document length. If it’s a one-page document, it’ll probably take around 3 minutes, if it’s larger than that, it can take up to 10 minutes.