Short answer
Yes. Top-ups on APIVAI can be invoiced with a Chinese VAT invoice (fapiao): an electronic VAT general invoice (普票) or a VAT special invoice (专票). There is no extra charge and the invoice is issued within 3 working days of the request. Tick the paid top-ups you need in the dashboard's Invoices tab, fill in the invoice details once and send one request; the invoice appears in the dashboard for download and is emailed to you. Only invoices are provided: payment by company bank transfer and purchase contracts are not available at the moment.
This guide is published by APIVAI, a pay-as-you-go gateway for Claude and GPT models.
Why an invoice matters
Anthropic and OpenAI bill API usage by international bank card and do not issue Chinese VAT invoices, so teams that pay for Claude or GPT with a personal card often have nothing their finance department will accept. Typical cases:
- University research groups reimbursing API costs from a project budget.
- Companies booking AI API spend as a business expense; VAT taxpayers that need a special invoice for input tax.
- Freelancers and small studios who invoice their own clients and need the matching cost document.
Which invoices are available
| Invoice | Who it is for | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| VAT general invoice (electronic) 增值税普通发票 | Individuals and organisations; the usual choice for reimbursement | Invoice title (name); for an organisation, its taxpayer ID |
| VAT special invoice 增值税专用发票 | Organisations, usually general VAT taxpayers deducting input tax | Name, taxpayer ID, address and phone, bank and account number |
The invoice item defaults to 技术服务费 (technical service fee) and can be changed in the form.
How to request one
- Pay for top-ups as usual (Alipay, WeChat Pay or crypto; see paying without a credit card).
- In the dashboard, open Invoices. Your paid top-ups are listed; tick the ones to include. Several top-ups can go on one invoice.
- Choose individual or organisation, and general or special invoice, then fill in the title, taxpayer ID and, for a special invoice, address, phone, bank and account. The details are saved for next time.
- Enter the email address that should receive the invoice and submit.
- The invoice is issued within 3 working days. You can download it from the same tab, and it is emailed to you.
A top-up can be on one invoice only. If a request is declined (for example because of a wrong taxpayer ID), you are told why and the top-ups become available again.
Cost and timing
- No extra charge. The invoice covers the amount you paid; there is no tax surcharge on top.
- Within 3 working days of the request.
- Alipay and WeChat Pay top-ups are listed at the yuan amount paid.
What is not available yet
Being clear about this saves a wasted payment:
- No company bank transfer (对公转账). Payment is by Alipay, WeChat Pay or crypto; the invoice can still carry your organisation's name.
- No purchase contract or stamped payment certificate. Only the invoice itself is provided.
If your institution requires payment from its own bank account or a signed contract before purchase, check that first.
FAQ
Can I get an invoice in my university's or company's name if I paid with my personal Alipay?
Yes. The invoice title is whatever you enter: choose organisation, give its name and taxpayer ID. Whether your finance office accepts a personal payment with an organisation invoice is its own rule, so check with them.
Do you add tax or a fee for invoicing?
No. There is no extra charge for invoices.
How long does it take?
Within 3 working days of the request. The invoice is then downloadable in the dashboard and emailed to you.
Can several top-ups go on one invoice?
Yes. Tick all of them in the Invoices tab and send one request. Each top-up can only be invoiced once.
Can I pay by company bank transfer or get a contract?
Not at the moment. Only invoices are provided; payment is by Alipay, WeChat Pay or crypto.