How to Send a Fax to a Foreign Country

Fax machine

Sending a fax to a foreign country isn't difficult; with a few basics pieces of information at hand, you can send a fax to an overseas recipient. Country and city codes are required, as well as access to a fax machine and long-distance service.

Things You'll Need

• Fax number, including country and city code
• A fax machine, or access to a fax service

Instructions

1. Determine the time difference between your location and your recipient's country. If you wish for your fax to be received during business hours in the recipient's country, check the time difference between countries.

2. Obtain the fax number of the individual or company to whom you wish to fax. This may be the local number, which can vary in length compared to United States fax numbers, or a complete number with city and country code.

3. Obtain the country code for the country to which you will be faxing, if needed. This is usually a two-digit number. For example, the country code for South Africa is 27. You'll usually see the country code written with a plus sign in front of it, e.g., +27.

4. Obtain the city code for the number you are going to be faxing to, if necessary. European countries and other locations use city codes, each beginning with 0. For example, 023 is the city code of Haarlem, The Netherlands. To send a fax from the United States to Haarlem, the Netherlands, you would only use 23 and not the zero. Sometimes the zero is in parentheses.

5. Insert the documents you wish to fax into the fax machine.

6. Dial the entire fax number when prompted. Remember to first dial the international access code from the U.S. (011), then the country code, city code and local number. After dialing, hit the "Start" or "Send" button.

7. Stand by and wait for the fax to go through.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are unsure or have any questions about the number you are faxing to, contact the recipient to verify it, especially if the country or city code is missing. Dial 0 for the operator and ask for help.