CONFIRMED IRREVOCABLE LC VERSUS UUCONFIRMED LC

Confirmed Irrevocable Letter of Credit
An irrevocable letter of credit (L/C) opened by an issuing bank whose authenticity has been confirmed by the advising bank and where the advising bank has added its confirmation to the credit is known as confirmed irrevocable letter of credit. The words "we confirm the credit and hereby undertake ..." or "we add our confirmation to this credit and hereby undertake ..." normally are included in the L/C. An exporter whose method of payment is a confirmed irrevocable L/C is assured of payment even if the importer or the issuing bank defaults. The confirmed irrevocable L/C is particularly important from buyers in a country which is economically or politically unstable.

In a confirmed letter of credit, the exporter or the importer pays an extra charge called the confirmation fee, which may vary from bank to bank within a country. The fee usually is added to the exporter's account. The exporter may indicate in the sales contract that the confirmation fee and other charges outside the seller's country are on the buyer's account.

Unconfirmed Irrevocable Letter of Credit
An irrevocable letter of credit (L/C) opened by an issuing bank in which the advising bank does not add its confirmation to the credit is known as an unconfirmed irrevocable letter of credit. The promise to pay comes from the issuing bank only, unlike in a confirmed irrevocable L/C where both the issuing bank and the advising bank promise to pay the beneficiary.