This article is for customers with GBP (£) accounts. For EUR account setup, see here.
What You Need to Know
To enable international wire transfers from your Spendesk UK account, you'll need to complete a business verification process with our partner, Wise. This is a one-time setup that typically takes 5-10 minutes to complete and 2-5 business days to be reviewed, after which you'll be able to pay international invoices in 38 currencies to 76 countries with extra low fees, all directly from Spendesk.
Why verification is needed: Wise is a regulated financial institution that must verify your business identity to comply with UK and international financial regulations. This protects both your business and the integrity of the payment network.
How to Set Up International Transfers
Step 1: Connect to Wise
This step can be completed by Admins or Account Owners.
Navigate to the Integrations page in Spendesk
Click Connect to Wise
Review and accept Wise's Terms and Conditions
You'll be redirected to Wise's verification portal
Step 2: Complete Business Verification
Wise will ask you to provide company information and documentation that will allow them to verify your business identity. Most information will be pre-filled using your Spendesk account details, but you may need to provide additional or more recent documentation.
What to expect:
Verification time: Typically 2-5 business days (can be faster)
Documents needed: To prevent verification delays your verification please ensure you refer to the below when submitting your company documents.
Status updates: You'll be notified by email and within Spendesk with your verification outcome.
Verification status outcomes:
Status | What It Means |
✅ Approved | You're ready! Start paying international invoices. |
⏳ Pending verification | Wise is reviewing your information. No action needed. |
📋 Pending actions | Wise needs additional information. You'll receive an email and asked to submit the missing or the additional documents required. |
❌ Rejected | Contact our support team for clarification. |
Once approved, you'll receive an email confirmation and the international wire transfer feature will be available in your Spendesk account.
Documents you may need to provide
Wise may request the following documents during verification. Having these ready can speed up the process.
💡 Tip: All documents must be current (not expired) and clearly show all required information. Poor quality images may be rejected or cause delays.
1. Business registration document
What is accepted:
✅ Companies House extract (recommended)
✅ Certificate of Incorporation
How to get it: Download your business registration document from UK Companies House.
What Wise checks:
Business name matches your Spendesk account
Registration number and legal type
Registered address
Company status (must be active)
2. Director information
What is accepted:
✅ Companies House extract showing directors
✅ Articles of Incorporation
Where to find it: Go to the "People" tab on Companies House, under "Officers". Anyone listed with the role "Director" must be included in the document submitted.
Important notes:
Secretaries, accountants, and other roles do not need to be included
If a director is another company (not an individual), we'll need information about that company's directors too.
3. Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) information
What is a UBO? Any individual who owns or controls more than 25% of your company, or who has significant control over business decisions.
What is accepted:
✅ Companies House extract showing persons with significant control (PSC)
✅ Articles of Incorporation
Where to find it: Go to the "People" tab on Companies House, under "Persons with significant control"
Important notes:
Every business must have at least one UBO who is a natural person (not another company)
If a company is listed as a shareholder, we'll need to verify that company's ownership structure too
4. ID Documents (for Directors and UBOs)
What is accepted:
✅ Passport (including emergency passports and travel documents)
✅ UK Driving Licence
✅ UK Resident Permit
What is NOT accepted:
❌ Expired documents or documents issued over 15 years ago
❌ Diplomatic passports
❌ Bank cards, student cards, or employment cards
❌ Voter cards or public transport passes
Requirements:
Document must be valid at the time of submission
Full document must be visible and in frame
Images of both sides needed if information appears on the back (e.g., UK Residence Permit)
High-quality, clear photo. Blurry images will be rejected
Name on document must match the name on your Wise business profile (if not, provide a marriage/divorce certificate)
5. Business Representative Authorization
Who is this? The person setting up the Wise integration on behalf of your company.
Automatic authorization: If you're a Director, you're automatically authorized. No additional documents needed.
If you're not a Director:
Wise will ask for an ID document from one of your company's Directors
This proves you're authorized to act on behalf of the business
Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs) must also be authorized by a Director (unless they're both a UBO and Directors
Tips for a Smooth Verification Process
✅ Prepare documents in advance: Have your Companies House extract, director IDs, and UBO IDs ready before starting
✅ Check document quality: Make sure photos are clear, well-lit, and show the entire document
✅ Ensure information matches: Business name, registration number, and addresses must be consistent across all documents and your Spendesk account
✅ Use recent documents: Companies House extracts are preferred over older incorporation certificates
✅ Respond quickly to requests: If Wise requests additional information, reply promptly to avoid delays
Next Steps After Approval
Once your verification is approved:
You'll receive email confirmation from both Spendesk and Wise
The international wire transfer option will appear when scheduling invoice payments
You can start paying suppliers in 38 currencies to 76 countries
Learn how to pay your first international invoice
Need Help?
Check your verification status: Go to Integrations in Spendesk
Resubmit documents: Follow the link in your email notification from Spendesk
Contact support: If you're stuck or need clarification, reach out to our team at support@spendesk.com.