Registering for VAT or GST outside the US takes more steps than a typical US state registration — every country has its own forms, documents, and review process. This article covers how an international registration works with Numeral, what we need from you, and how long it usually takes.
How the process works
Scope and quote. We confirm which countries you need to register in, and whether each is a new registration or a transfer from another provider.
Onboarding kicks off. Once you sign, you get an "Onboarding in progress" email, and your registration requests appear in your dashboard.
You complete your steps. For each country, your dashboard walks you through what we need — company details, representative information, documents, and forms to sign.
We prepare and submit. Our registrations team validates your information, prepares the application, and submits it to the tax authority.
The tax authority reviews it. Usually the longest step — some authorities follow up with questions or request more documents.
You're registered. Once the authority approves and issues your tax number, we set up your filings so you're ready for your first return.
🔵 Track your progress anytime on the Jurisdictions page of your dashboard — you'll see which step each registration is at and whether anything's waiting on you. A step can occasionally move backward if the authority or our team needs something corrected; that's expected, and we'll tell you what's needed.
Completing your registration in the dashboard
1. Confirm the countries you're registering in
When you first log in after signing, you'll see the jurisdictions we set up for you. Review the list and confirm it — your registrations are created once you confirm.
2. Open your registration requests
Go to Jurisdictions in the left menu and open the Processing tab. Each country shows its status, the date the registration was submitted, and your liability start date. Click Continue to open a registration — or start from Home, where the Tasks card shows how many registrations need information, with a Continue registration button.
3. Complete each step
Open a registration to see what's waiting on you. There are three kinds of steps:
Forms (questions about your business — some are already filled in from your Numeral profile, so check rather than retype, and later questions may change based on earlier answers)
Documents (incorporation documents, ID, and similar uploads)
Signatures (sign prefilled documents electronically, or download, sign with a wet-ink signature, and upload them back when a country requires an original).
🟡 Try to complete each step within 24 hours of it appearing. Your registration can't move forward until your steps are done.
4. Fix anything we flag
If something needs correcting, the registration's status changes to Requires more info and we flag the specific field with a reason. You'll get an email and an in-app notification, and the step reopens for you in the dashboard — update it and resubmit, and the registration picks up where it left off.
5. Follow the status until it's approved
Once your steps are done, the registration moves to our team and then to the tax authority, showing as Registration processing while under review. Open the country to see your registration details, liability start date, and when your request was received. Some of our internal steps aren't visible to you, so it may appear on hold — that's normal. When the authority approves, the registration is marked complete and your filings are set up.
🟡 The estimate on this page is a minimum. For typical timelines by country, see How long it takes below.
🔵 Starting a new country later? You can start a registration yourself from the Jurisdictions page — we're kept in the loop automatically. You can also message us at [email protected] or through in-app chat to get started.
What we need from you
Requirements vary by country, and your dashboard lists exactly what's needed for each registration. Most countries ask for some combination of the following:
Business details (legal entity name, registration number, address, incorporation documents)
Representative details (a company officer or director)
Signed authorizations (such as a power of attorney letting Numeral or our local partner act on your behalf)
Certified documents (some countries require notarized or apostilled documents, or certified translations — Mexico, for example)
Bank details (for tax payments, and in some countries a local bank account)
Sales information (what you sell, where, and your expected annual sales in the country).
Transferring from another provider? It follows the same dashboard steps as a new registration — the difference is what we ask for. Along with the above, we'll also need:
Your existing VAT/GST registration number
Login credentials for the tax portal
Your registration certificate or license (especially if you can't access the portal)
Access to any two-factor authentication device linked to the portal account.
🟢 You don't need a US Employer Identification Number (EIN) to register outside the US.
How long it takes
Every country has its own timeline. The clock starts once we have everything we need from you — after that, most of the wait is the tax authority's review, which we don't control. The timelines below are typical maximums for that review, counted from the day we have your complete information. Registrations in different countries run in parallel and may finish at different times.
Typical timeline | Jurisdictions |
Up to 2 weeks | EU Union OSS, EU Non-Union OSS, EU IOSS, South Korea (simplified registration) |
Up to 4 weeks | Australia, Norway, Singapore |
Up to 6 weeks | Canada federal GST/HST, Canada provincial (British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, Saskatchewan), Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates |
8+ weeks | Bahrain, Japan, Oman, United Kingdom |
Confirmed during onboarding | All other jurisdictions — your onboarding team shares an estimate for your specific registration. |
What can make it take longer
Missing or incorrect information: Registration pauses until the issue is resolved. Completing each dashboard step within 24 hours helps keep things moving.
Original or certified documents: Wet-ink signatures, notarization, apostilles, and certified translations can add time, especially when originals need to be mailed.
Tax authority follow-ups: Some tax authorities may ask questions or request additional documents before approving your registration.
Additional access requirements: Some countries require extra setup before we can access the tax portal, such as a Corppass profile in Singapore. South Korea’s simplified registration portal is only available at set times, and some authorities mail registration certificates or access codes, which can add several weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start selling before my registration is approved?
Can I start selling before my registration is approved?
Your tax obligation usually starts from the date you first had to register, not the date the registration is approved. Tell us your first sales date so we register you from the correct date — if earlier periods need filing once you're registered, we'll handle those as backfilings.
Why does a country need so many documents?
Why does a country need so many documents?
Many tax authorities require formal proof of your company's identity and authority to act, often certified or translated. These are standard requests for that country, not something unique to your account.
I'm already registered in a country. Do I need to register again?
I'm already registered in a country. Do I need to register again?
Usually not. If you already have a VAT/GST number, we transfer the registration to Numeral instead — share your registration number and portal access and we'll take it from there.
Where can I check the status of my registration?
Where can I check the status of my registration?
On the Jurisdictions page of your dashboard, under Processing. If a registration needs something from you, its status shows Requires more info, and it also appears under Tasks on your Home page.
💬 Questions? Reach out to our team anytime via the messaging widget in your Numeral dashboard.