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How to Receive Your Salary in Euros While Living Abroad

Whether you're a remote worker, freelancer or new expat, receiving your salary in euros often requires a European IBAN. Here's the simplest way to get one — even without a local address.

What you need: a European IBAN

A European IBAN (International Bank Account Number) is a standardised format for identifying a bank account across Europe. It typically starts with a two-letter country code (DE for Germany, NL for Netherlands, BE for Belgium, etc.) followed by two check digits and the bank account number.

For your employer to pay your salary in euros via SEPA bank transfer, they need your IBAN and BIC (Bank Identifier Code). Any SEPA-compliant IBAN works across all EU and EEA countries — you don't need a local IBAN from the specific country you live in.

Who provides euro IBANs remotely

The following services give you a real European IBAN that works for salary receipt, without requiring a local address or citizenship:

  • Wise: Belgian IBAN (BE...) with BIC TRWIBEB1XXX. Accepted by employers across Europe. Free to open, mid-market exchange rate if you need to convert to another currency.
  • Revolut: Lithuanian IBAN (LT...) or country-specific IBAN. Free Standard plan. Works for salary payments via SEPA.
  • bunq: Dutch IBAN (NL...) with full deposit guarantee. From €3.99/month. The most credible option if your employer has concerns about the legitimacy of your account.
  • N26: German IBAN (DE...) once you have an EU address. Free Standard plan. Widely accepted by European employers.
  • Monese: European IBAN. Free Simple plan. Open without local address.

Which is best for salary receipt

Wise is the top choice for most situations because:

  • You can open a Wise account before you have a local address
  • Your employer gets a proper Belgian IBAN that works across all SEPA countries
  • If you need to convert your EUR salary to another currency (GBP, USD, etc.), Wise gives you the best exchange rate
  • You can hold multiple currencies simultaneously — receive in EUR, convert what you need, hold the rest

If you want the additional security of a licensed bank with deposit guarantee, use bunq for your salary receipt. The Dutch IBAN (NL...) is well-recognised, and the deposit guarantee means your salary is protected up to €100,000.

Remote workers and freelancers

For remote workers employed by a company in another country, you typically have two scenarios:

  1. Employed by a foreign company paying in EUR: Provide your Wise or Revolut IBAN. Most European payroll systems accept any valid SEPA IBAN, regardless of which country the bank is based in.
  2. Paid in USD or GBP and need EUR: Have your salary paid into Wise (which accepts USD and GBP accounts), then convert to EUR at the mid-market rate for a small fee. This is significantly cheaper than asking your employer to do the conversion, or converting through a traditional bank.

For freelancers invoicing EU clients, include your Wise or bunq IBAN on your invoice. SEPA transfers from EU clients will arrive within 1 business day.

Tax considerations

Receiving salary in a foreign account does not eliminate your tax obligations in the country where you are resident or where the work is performed. If you live in France and receive salary in a Belgian IBAN (Wise), you are still liable for French income tax on that salary. Always consult a cross-border tax specialist for your specific situation.

Keep records of all salary payments received — the date, amount, and exchange rate applied if you converted currencies. These records are essential for tax declarations in most European countries.