Some countries require you to submit identity and address documents before you can get a fax number there. Your documents must be submitted and approved before a number from one of these countries can be assigned to your account.
How does it work?
- Submit your documents in Settings > Faxing > Fax Numbers Regulatory Documents. See How to submit regulatory documents.
- Wait for approval. Our compliance team reviews your documents, usually within 48-72 hours, and emails you the result. See Awaiting approval for regulatory documents.
- Get your number. Once approved, you can purchase the number. If you still can't get your chosen number, contact support - our inventory team will request a number in that locality for you. This is common in countries such as Austria, Germany and France. See Awaiting approval for regulatory documents.
Why are documents required?
Local regulations in some countries require identity documents to be provided to the carrier or a local regulatory authority. Some numbers also require the user to be located within a specific geographic area.
To get and keep one of these numbers, you must provide, and keep up to date, valid business or personal identification that meets the local requirements. The address on your documents must match the residence or business location of the person or company using the number.
Which documents do I need?
The default requirements are below. Requirements can vary by country, and the regulatory documents flow in your account always shows the exact documents needed for the country you select.
If you're an individual
- Name - proof of identity: a government-issued ID or a passport.
- Address - proof of address: a utility bill, tax notice, rent receipt or title deed. The address must be within the locality or region covered by the number's prefix. PO Boxes are not accepted where a local address is required.
- Identity document number: the number from your government-issued ID or passport.
If you're a business
- Business name - proof of identity: an excerpt from the commercial register.
- Business address - proof of local address: a utility bill, tax notice, rent receipt or title deed, dated within the last 3 months. The address must be within the locality or region covered by the number's prefix. PO Boxes are not accepted where a local address is required.
Business only: in some countries, local numbers are not available to individuals - for example, Brazil and Germany. In these countries, only registered businesses can get a local number.
Which countries require approved documents?
You need approved regulatory documents before getting a fax number in any of these countries:
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahrain
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Luxembourg
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Panama
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Qatar
- Romania
- Saudi Arabia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- United Kingdom
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
Country-specific guides
- Germany (business only): How to acquire a local German fax number
- France: How to acquire a French fax number
- Japan: How to acquire a national Japanese fax number and Documents required for the Japan bundle application