How to Send an International Fax Online

Sending a fax across borders used to mean dialing confusing country codes on a clunky machine and hoping for the best. Today you can send an international fax online from any device with an internet connection -- no fax machine, no landline, no subscription. The whole process takes about two minutes once you know how to format the number correctly.

This guide walks you through everything you need to get an international fax delivered on the first try, including the number-formatting rules that trip most people up.

Why people still send international faxes

Fax might feel like a relic, but it remains a standard channel for cross-border business and government communication. Courts, embassies, immigration offices, financial institutions, and healthcare providers in many countries still accept or even require faxed documents. In Germany, fax is deeply embedded in government and legal workflows. In Japan, it is still common in everyday business. And when you are dealing with a foreign agency that does not accept email attachments or has no online portal, fax is often the fastest fallback.

How international fax numbers work

Every international fax number follows the same structure: a country code followed by the local fax number. The country code tells the fax network which country to route the transmission to, just like dialing an international phone call.

A few examples:

• United Kingdom: +44 20 7946 0958
• Germany: +49 30 901820
• Japan: +81 3 1234 5678
• Australia: +61 2 9876 5432
• Canada: +1 416 555 0199

When you send a fax through an online service like JustFax Online, you typically enter the number in full international format starting with "+" -- the service handles the routing from there.

The leading-zero rule

This is the single most common source of failed international faxes. In many countries, local phone and fax numbers start with a "0" when dialed domestically. That leading zero is dropped when you dial internationally.

For example, a fax number in London might be written locally as 020 7946 0958. To fax that number from abroad, you drop the leading 0 and use the country code instead: +44 20 7946 0958 -- not +44 020 7946 0958.

Countries where this rule applies include the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Australia, Japan, and many others. The United States and Canada are exceptions -- they do not use a leading zero, so the number stays the same after the country code (+1).

If your fax fails and the number looks correct, check for a stray leading zero first. It is the most likely culprit.

How to send an international fax online -- step by step

The process is nearly identical to sending a domestic fax online, with one extra detail: getting the number format right.

1. Prepare your document

Save or scan your document as a PDF, PNG, JPEG, or TIFF file. PDF is the best choice for multi-page documents because it preserves formatting and keeps everything in a single file. If you are working from a paper document, you can scan it using your phone -- see our guide to faxing from your phone for step-by-step scanning instructions using iOS Notes or Google Drive.

Keep the file under 20 MB and under 200 pages. For most international faxes -- contracts, government forms, legal filings -- you will be well within those limits.

2. Look up the correct fax number

Get the fax number from the recipient's official website, letterhead, or direct correspondence. Do not rely on third-party directories for international numbers -- they go out of date quickly.

Convert the number to full international format:

1. Start with + followed by the country code.
2. Drop any leading zero from the local portion of the number.
3. Remove spaces, dashes, and parentheses -- most online fax services accept digits only.

If you are unsure about the country code, check the country availability page -- JustFax Online supports faxing to 150+ countries, and each listing shows the country code.

3. Upload and send

On JustFax Online, the process is three steps: upload your document, enter the fax number in international format, and pay. There is no account to create and no subscription. Pricing is a flat rate for the first four pages, with additional pages priced separately. You can check the exact rate for any destination on the pricing page.

Payment options include major credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay (Safari), Google Pay (Chrome), Alipay, WeChat Pay, and Cash App Pay -- helpful when you are sending from abroad and may not have a US payment method.

4. Track delivery

After sending, you will receive a confirmation page and email with delivery status. If the fax fails -- because the recipient's line is busy or their machine is off -- JustFax Online automatically retries. If all attempts fail, you are not charged.

You can also retrieve your fax status at any time using the reference from your confirmation email.

Common mistakes that cause international faxes to fail

Most international fax failures come down to number formatting, not technical problems. Here are the issues to watch for:

Forgetting to drop the leading zero. As explained above, this is the number-one cause of failed international faxes. If the local number starts with 0, remove it and replace it with the country code.

Using a domestic exit code instead of "+". If you are entering the number on an online fax service, use the "+" format. Do not prepend 011 (US exit code) or 00 (European exit code) -- the service handles the routing.

Dialing a voice number instead of a fax number. This sounds obvious, but many offices have separate voice and fax lines. If your fax repeatedly fails with a "no fax tone" error, double-check that you have the fax-specific number.

Sending outside business hours. Some fax machines -- especially in smaller offices -- are turned off outside working hours. If your fax is not going through, consider the time zone difference and try again during the recipient's business day.

File too large or wrong format. Stick to PDF, PNG, JPEG, or TIFF. If your file is unusually large, compress the PDF or reduce image resolution before uploading.

Tips for a successful international fax

Include a cover sheet. A cover sheet with the recipient's name, department, fax number, and a brief description of the documents helps make sure your fax reaches the right person -- especially when it lands on a shared machine in a large office. This is particularly important for legal documents and government filings.

Send during the recipient's business hours. Time zones matter. A fax sent to Tokyo at 3 PM Eastern time arrives at 4 AM local time -- and the machine may be off. Aim for mid-morning in the recipient's time zone.

Keep a confirmation record. Save the delivery confirmation email or screenshot the confirmation page. For legal or regulatory faxes, this confirmation serves as proof of transmission and can be important if a dispute arises.

Test with a single page first. If you are faxing to a new international number for the first time, consider sending a one-page test fax before transmitting a large document. This confirms the number is correct and the recipient's machine is working.

If you are an expat sending faxes to US government agencies from abroad, the IRS is one of the most common destinations. Our guide to faxing to the IRS lists which forms can be faxed and the correct fax numbers by form and state.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to send an international fax online?

JustFax Online does not charge per destination, but instead charges a flat rate for the first four pages, with additional pages priced separately, regardless of whether you send domestically or internationally. You can check the exact rate for any country on the pricing page. There is no subscription or per-minute charge -- you pay once per fax.

Can I send a fax to any country?

JustFax Online supports faxing to 150+ countries. You can check whether your destination is covered on the availability page. Coverage includes most of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America.

Do I need a fax machine to send an international fax?

No. Online fax services like JustFax Online handle the entire transmission over the internet. You upload your document, enter the recipient's fax number, and the service converts it to a fax signal and delivers it. You can send from a computer, phone, or tablet -- see our guide to faxing from your phone for details.

What format should the fax number be in?

Use full international format: + followed by the country code and the local number without the leading zero. For example, to fax a number in Paris that is locally written as 01 42 68 53 00, you would enter +33 1 42 68 53 00.

What happens if the international fax fails?

JustFax Online automatically retries failed faxes. If all attempts fail -- for example, because the recipient's machine is permanently off or the number is incorrect -- you are not charged.

Is it safe to send sensitive documents by international fax?

Online fax transmits your document over encrypted connections to the fax gateway, which then sends it over the telephone network to the recipient's fax machine. This makes it comparable in security to a domestic fax. For highly sensitive documents, include a confidentiality notice on your cover sheet and confirm the recipient's fax number directly before sending. For a detailed breakdown of how each stage of online fax security works, see our guide to online fax security.