How to Download an eTIMS Invoice PDF

Step-by-Step

1. 1. Open the invoice history

   Sign in to eCitizen, the eTIMS online portal, or your connected invoicing application and open the list of sales invoices or receipts.

2. 2. Find the correct transaction

   Search by invoice number, receipt number, customer, or date. Compare the amount and buyer before opening it.

3. 3. Confirm the KRA result

   Make sure the invoice is accepted or submitted successfully and contains the returned eTIMS reference information. Do not present a pending or failed draft as a final tax invoice.

4. 4. Open the receipt or invoice number

   KRA's 2026 portal guide shows Sales Receipt under Transaction Management. Select the relevant Receipt number, then use Receipt in the information window. eCitizen shows Download on the generated invoice screen.

5. 5. Download the PDF

   Use the channel's download control and save the file with a clear invoice number or buyer reference. Avoid editing the accepted tax details after download.

6. 6. Verify and share

   Check the PDF against the transaction and scan its QR code or use KRA's invoice checker. Then send the unchanged file or a secure receipt link to the buyer.

Where to Download the Invoice

Retrieve an Older Invoice or One from Another Solution

Start with the seller's correct taxpayer account. KRA says the online taxpayer portal provides access to invoices generated through solutions including Client, VSCU, OSCU and eCitizen. This is another place to look if the original application is unavailable; you do not need to create a replacement sale merely to obtain a copy.

In Sales Receipt, widen the sale-date filter to include the original transaction and search by its invoice number where known. Compare the buyer, date and amount before selecting a receipt number: different solutions keep separate invoice-number sequences, so a short local invoice number alone may not identify the sale.

Portal access to the invoice does not guarantee that it reproduces the issuing provider's custom PDF layout or restores that provider's local records. If the expected document is absent, retain the original invoice reference and ask KRA or the issuing provider to reconcile it. Corrections remain tied to the solution that issued the original invoice.

If You Are the Buyer and Need the Supplier's PDF

Ask the supplier to resend the completed invoice PDF or their intended receipt link. Give them the sale date, amount and invoice reference you have so they can locate the right transaction. Ask for a correction through their invoicing solution if the buyer details are wrong.

Use the KRA invoice checker to compare a supplied invoice's returned details. A verification result should not be treated as a replacement for the supplier's document or as permission to access their taxpayer account. You do not need the supplier's password or OTP to ask for your invoice.

What the PDF Should Contain

• ✓The seller's registered business identity and KRA PIN.
• ✓The invoice date, invoice or receipt number, and transaction details.
• ✓The buyer name and KRA PIN where applicable.
• ✓Each item or service, quantity, unit price, discount, and line total.
• ✓Tax treatment, taxable amount, tax amount, subtotal, and final total.
• ✓The eTIMS control-unit or receipt details returned for the accepted transaction.
• ✓A QR code or verification route that corresponds to the invoice.

Free PDF Template vs Real eTIMS Invoice

A blank invoice template can help with layout, but it cannot transmit the sale to KRA or create the returned control-unit details. A polished Word, Excel, or PDF document is not automatically an eTIMS invoice.

Generate the final transaction through an activated KRA channel or connected eTIMS application. Download the resulting receipt rather than adding a decorative QR code to a normal template.

Invoice, Receipt and Pro Forma Are Different

Can You Share the PDF on WhatsApp?

Yes. A completed invoice can be delivered as an unchanged PDF or through a secure receipt link. WhatsApp is a delivery method; it does not create or validate the tax invoice.

Use the buyer's correct number, avoid exposing invoices in public groups, and keep the accepted record in your business system. Email may be preferable when the buyer needs a formal accounts-payable trail.

Why the Download Button May Be Missing

1. Invoice is still a draft

   Complete and submit the invoice before expecting final KRA receipt details.

2. Submission is pending or failed

   Check status and the underlying error. Do not repeatedly create new copies without confirming whether KRA accepted the original.

3. Wrong taxpayer or solution

   Confirm that you are viewing the business profile and eTIMS channel that generated the invoice.

4. Browser download was blocked

   Allow the official page to download the file, check the browser downloads list, or try the channel's print/save action.

Missing QR Code or Blank PDF

1. Invoice has no QR code

   Confirm the transaction was accepted and the issuing solution received the required receipt data. Do not paste an unrelated QR image onto the PDF.

2. PDF opens as a blank page

   Download it again from the accepted invoice, try the browser's downloads list, and open it in a current PDF viewer. Keep the original file unchanged.

3. PDF generation fails in Risiti

   Keep the accepted invoice record and retry the download. The PDF is generated from the stored transaction and returned receipt details; it should not be recreated by typing data into a separate template.

4. Old invoice is missing

   Check the taxpayer account and date filters. Search the original application and the taxpayer portal, compare the buyer and amount, and check whether the transaction was later credited.

Where Mobile Downloads Go

On Android, browser downloads commonly appear in the Files or My Files app under Downloads. On iPhone or iPad, Safari downloads commonly appear in the Files app under iCloud Drive or On My iPhone, depending on the browser setting.

If the file opened in a preview instead of saving, use the browser or device share control and choose Save to Files. Rename the file with the invoice number without changing the PDF contents.

Printing and Secure Storage

• ✓Print from the unchanged final PDF and check that the QR code remains sharp enough to scan.
• ✓Store the accepted invoice under a consistent invoice number, customer and date convention.
• ✓Keep payment evidence and any linked credit note or replacement with the invoice.
• ✓Restrict access to invoices containing buyer PINs, phone numbers or other personal information.
• ✓Back up business records; a WhatsApp chat alone is not a durable filing system.

What If the PDF Is Wrong?

Do not edit the accepted PDF to change the buyer, items, tax, or total. Use the same solution that raised the original invoice to create a full or partial credit note, then issue a corrected invoice where necessary.

Keep the original, credit note, and replacement together. That preserves the audit trail and prevents the buyer from relying on a document that differs from KRA's record.