International Payment Services

Need to transfer your money overseas?

It's convenient and simple with Halifax International Payment Services. Your money could arrive anywhere in the world in just 1-2 bank working days^.

International Payments are the most reliable and secure way to transfer money from your UK account to another account anywhere in the world in a wide range of currencies.

International Payments can be arranged via the branch and telephone banking or through our new Online service. (You must be registered for telephone and online banking).

The service provides:

  • A secure and professional service
  • Competitive rates – live rates that are updated continuously
  • Global currency coverage – rates for currencies around the world
  • No paper forms, no fuss – details are processed immediately
  • BIC & IBAN checking facility to minimise errors that could cause delays
  • Regular transfers made easy – details are saved so repeat payments are even easier

Send any amount to any destination and pay £19.50* via branch or telephone banking and just £9.50 via online banking. Please note that other banks involved in the transaction may apply their own charges.

You'll need the following information for the destination account:

  • Euro payments: The BIC and IBAN are required for Euro transfers to an EU /EEA country*
  • Rest of the world:  Beneficiary Name and Bank details.

^The transfer is usually in the beneficiary's country within 1-2 bank working days via the correspondent bank, however, credit to the beneficiary's bank is subject to local banking practices and time zone differences.

Sending money abroad by post - Foreign Drafts

Foreign Drafts are an easy way of sending money abroad by post and they cost £6-£15. They are available in all major currencies and are drawn on a bank in the destination country where you can pay them into bank accounts just like a local cheque. Foreign drafts will be sent to the customer's registered account address.

Receiving money from abroad

Transfers to your Halifax account can be received in foreign currency or sterling. Payments received in foreign currency are converted into sterling and credited to your account. To ensure your funds are received as quickly as possible you must instruct the overseas bank to send funds via SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) quoting the following details:

  • Euro payments: Your BIC and IBAN are required for Euro transfers to an EU/EEA country*.
  • Rest of the world: Beneficiary Name and Bank details.

You can find the BIC and IBAN numbers on the top right hand corner of your bank account statement or alternatively, call 0870 850 0856.

Banco Halifax Hispania

If you're already in Spain or spending a lot of time there, then Banco Halifax Hispania can help . You'll benefit from a current account which allows free Electronic Funds Transfers between Halifax bank accounts and Banco Halifax Hispania bank accounts. The free transfer service only applies to transfers from your own Halifax account to your own Banco Halifax Hispania. 

To find out more call our UK Customer Services Team on 0845 600 3603 or visit our Banco Halifax Hispania  website.

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Next Steps

If you're registered for Telephone Banking, you can call:· 

  • 08457 20 30 40 in the UK 
  • +44 (0)1133 80 95 74 from outside the UK

Call into your nearest branch and they will be happy to give you any information on our International Payment Services, including exchange rates and fees.

sign into online banking If you're registered for online banking and have a Halifax current account:

Sign in and from 'My Accounts', select the current account you would like to transfer money from. On the next screen select 'International payments' from the left-hand menu and follow the on-screen instructions.

If you're not registered for online banking :

Register today

The total cost of the transfer depends on the currency and the amount involved.  Please ask for further information.

*** All exchange rates provided by the Halifax will be applicable to the type of transaction. Payments made and received on your behalf will be converted using the prevailing rate at the time of the transaction. For an indication of our current exchange rates, please call Telephone Banking on 08457 20 30 40 or ask at your local branch.

Calls to 0845 numbers from BT landlines in the UK will cost a maximum of 2p per minute plus a 7p connection fee.  Calls from BT landlines and calls to 0870 numbers from BT landlines in the UK will cost a maximum of 7p per minute plus a 7p connection fee. The price of calls from outside the UK and from other telephone companies will vary.  The call price we have quoted was correct in December 2008.

If we are unable to process an incoming payment due to incorrect or incomplete details we will return the payment to the sending bank, less our fee of £20. The person sending the payment must take care to quote the correct numbers, otherwise the payment could be delayed, returned or be paid into the wrong account.  We will not be responsible for any loss that results.

*EU: European Union. EEA: European Economic Area.

EU/EEA countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,  Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.

Additionally, the following countries have also adopted the use of IBAN and it is strongly recommended to quote IBAN and BIC when sending payment to these countries: Andorra, Bosnia, Croatia, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Macedonia, Monaco, Romania, San Marino, Serbia and Montenegro, Tunisia, Turkey.

All information correct at December 2008.

Halifax is a division of Bank of Scotland plc. Registered in Scotland No. SC327000. Registered Office: The Mound, Edinburgh EH1 1YZ.

Banco Halifax Hispania S.A. advertisement is brought to you by Halifax. The UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme does not apply to deposits made with Banco Halifax Hispania.  Banco Halifax Hispania S.A. bank accounts are held in Spain and subject to Spanish law and Spanish banking rules. Subject to status. An annual or maintenance fee may apply.  Minimum opening deposit 600 euro.