Paying an invoice in ZAR
For an invoice payable in ZAR, ask for a quote that delivers the invoice total and shows the full debit in STD. Confirm how long the quote is valid and copy the invoice reference onto the payment.
Sending money from São Tomé & Príncipe to South Africa? Calculate how much your recipient could receive in South African rand (ZAR) when you send STD. Compare transfer costs and check the bank details you need before booking.
Estimates use the 29 April 2025 margin model and the latest available market rate. Transfer and bank fees are excluded. We may earn commission from TorFX.
Exchange rate currently unavailable.
Ask the recipient how their bank handles incoming foreign payments. FNB, for example, asks for a reason for payment for balance-of-payments reporting. Agree the purpose with the recipient and have the invoice or other supporting document ready if the bank requests it.
Give each provider the same total budget, including fees, and ask how much will arrive in ZAR. Check whether intermediary or receiving-bank fees can still be deducted. For a fixed invoice, work backwards from the exact amount due and compare the total you would pay.
Ask for the date the beneficiary can use the funds. Confirm the funding deadline in your time zone and whether a weekend, local holiday or identity check changes the estimate. For a first payment, complete any checks before agreeing a delivery date with the recipient.
Keep the quoted rate, receipt, payment reference and expected arrival date. If the deadline passes, ask the sending provider to trace the transfer and give the recipient the reference for their bank. If any account detail is wrong, contact the provider immediately before sending further funds.
For an invoice payable in ZAR, ask for a quote that delivers the invoice total and shows the full debit in STD. Confirm how long the quote is valid and copy the invoice reference onto the payment.
Check the provider’s transfer limit and your bank’s funding limit separately. Ask which documents are needed for this payment, such as an invoice or proof of the source of funds. For new or amended supplier details, call the supplier on a number already in your records before authorising payment.
For rent, pensions or family support, decide which amount must stay fixed each month: the sum leaving your account or the sum received in ZAR. Ask when the rate is set for each payment, how to change the instruction and what happens if the funding date falls on a holiday.
Official sources First National Bank ↗ World Bank · Remittance Prices Worldwide ↗