How to send money overseas

Make your international money transfer safe and seamless with Westpac Online Banking or the Westpac App.

FX rates and fees Send money overseas

Before you send money overseas

Get set up online

To send money overseas you must hold an eligible Westpac transaction account1. 

Depending on which country you’re sending the money to, you will need:

  • Payee details: account holder name and account number or an International Bank Account Number (IBAN).
     
  • Full payee address: including country/country code, state, province, postcode where applicable.
     
  • Payee's bank codes:  Such as BIC/SWIFT code - find out more about  typical bank codes by country
     

Not sure how to find these? Our FAQs will help.

 

Check our foreign exchange rates and fees

Foreign exchange rates

Use our currency converter for an indicative foreign exchange rate on your international money transfer. By converting your AUD to foreign currency, you will have certainty on the amount of foreign currency sent from your Westpac account to your recipient. 

How much does it cost to send money overseas?

There are two transfer fees you need to know about:
 

1. Westpac's transfer fees
 

Transfer using  Fee (AUD)
Westpac Online Banking or the Westpac App (sent in a foreign currency) $0
Westpac Online Banking or the Westpac App (sent in Australian dollars) $20
Transfer made in a branch (sent in either Australian dollars or foreign currency) $32 
2. Transfer fees deducted by any other banks involved in the money transfer in any currency.
 

To get an indicative foreign exchange rate and estimate the fees, use our currency converter. 

FX rates and fees

Ready to send money now? 

 
  1. Sign in and go to Payments > Make a payment > International in Westpac Online Banking or Payments > Send Overseas in the Westpac App

  2. Select the Country to Send to

  3. Select the From account

  4. Change the Date and Frequency to schedule for a Future date (you can only schedule payments for a future date in Westpac Online Banking)

  5. Check the payment currency and enter Amount

  6. Review the currency, conversion rate, amounts and fees 
     
  7. Choose who to pay (or set up a new payee)

  8. Enter a Description and depending on where you are sending payment to, you may also be asked to select a reason for the payment

  9. Review your transfer details and currency carefully and select Confirm to submit your payment.
     
Still need help?

Use the step by step guide  to transferring funds using the Westpac App or Online Banking.
For detailed support try our frequently asked questions.

How long will it take for the money to arrive?

Once the transfer has been submitted, funds are transferred electronically from your Westpac account into the designated overseas account usually within 1-3 business days.

 

If your International Payment hasn’t been received by the beneficiary after 5 business days, and you wish to follow up, please call Westpac International Payments and Services team on 1800 632 308 Opt 2, or email cenquiry@westpac.com.au, please include:

 

  • Email subject – missing payment number#####
  • A copy of the original payment
  • Detail the last time you checked with your beneficiary

 

Ensure your contact details are correct within Online Banking.

Frequently asked questions

What currencies can I send overseas?
Popular currencies

British Pounds - GBP
US Dollars - USD

Euros - EUR
New Zealand Dollars - NZD
All other acceptable currencies
Australian Dollars - AUD Papua New Guinean Kina - PGK
Brunei Darussalem - BND
 Polish Zloty - PLN (Online only)

Canadian Dollars - CAD Samoan Tala - WST

Chinese Yuan# - CNY Singaporean Dollars - SGD
Czech Koruna - CZK (Online only) Solomon Island Dollars - SBD
Fijian Dollars - FJD South African Rand - ZAR
Filipino Peso* - PHP Swedish Kroner - SEK
Hong Kong Dollars - HKD Swiss Francs - CHF
Hungarian Forint - HUF (Online only) Thai Baht* - THB
Indian Rupees - INR Tongan Pa'anga - TOP
Israeli New Shekel - ILS (Online only) Turkish lira - TRY (Online only)
Japanese Yen - JPY United Arab Emirates Dirham - AED
Norwegian Krone - NOK Vanuatu Vatu - VUV
Pakistani Rupees* - PKR    
#Restrictions on sending Chinese Yuan (CNY/RMB) to China
Only business banking profiles are permitted to send CNY when initiating a payment to a registered business in China. Personal customers attempting to send funds to China will be prompted to select from other available currencies.

You will generally need below details:

  • Payee details: bank name, account holder name and account number or an International Bank Account Number (IBAN).
  • Full payee address: including country, state, province, postcode where applicable.
  • Payee's bank codes: Such as BIC/SWIFT code or country specific codes.  

 

Note: details will vary depending on which country you are sending money to. To avoid your international payment being rejected, or additional foreign currency conversions, please check with the payee the currency of the foreign account you are sending money to.

 

SWIFT/BIC code, also known as Bank Identifier Code (BIC) is an 8-11 alphanumeric code used to identify a bank. You can contact the receiving bank/recipient for the details or use the ‘look up bank’ function in Westpac Online Banking when adding a new payee.

 

IBAN is an international bank account number. This is an alphanumeric code of 15 to 34 characters. IBAN should be provided for all payments to the EU/EEA, UK and some non-European countries including most states of the Middle East, e.g. UAE, as well as North Africa and the Caribbean region.

 

Your beneficiary can provide the IBAN for your transfer or if paying to your own account, your offshore bank can provide these details. Please note that the beneficiary’s account number and full address are required to initiate any international money transfer.

 

Countries that have specific codes:

  • USA: ABA routing number also known as Routing Transfer Number (RTN) is a 9-digit code. Used for USA only.
  • India: IFSC is an Indian Financial System Code which is an alphanumeric 11-digit code.
  • UK and Ireland: Sort codes are used in the United Kingdom and in the Republic of Ireland and are comparable to the BSB we use in Australia. It is a 6-digit number, divided into 3 pairs, for example: 12-34-56.
The following payment limits apply to international payments:

 

  1. Personal/Sole Trader Customers (including Shared Access) 
    • A Security Device is required for international payments of any value.
    • The maximum cumulative value of international transfers personal customers can make is AUD$2,000,000 equivalent per day.
    • In addition, User Daily Payment limits will apply (find out more here). Note that the User Daily Payment Limit is shared between all users in a personal network.
  2. Business Customers 
    • A Security Device is required for international payments with a cumulative value above AUD$5,000 equivalent per day.
    • The maximum value of international transfers business customers can make is AUD$2,000,000 equivalent per transaction.
    • In addition, User Daily Payment Limit and Business Daily Payment limits will apply (find out more).

 

Fixed FX Limits

Limits apply when using a Fixed FX rate:

 
Westpac aims to provide value for money FX rates when you send an international money transfer online. Please refer to the currency converter to obtain an indicative rate based on the amount you intend on sending.

If you have an ongoing transfer need, you can contact Financial Markets on 1800 221 815 Opt 1 for rate options. 


See all FAQs

Not a Westpac customer?

It’ll take just minutes to open

Open now

For queries on existing international money transfers

1800 632 308

8am-6pm, Mon - Fri  (Sydney time)


From overseas
+61 2 9155 7751

For queries on FX call

1800 221 815

8am-6pm, Mon - Fri  (Sydney time)


From overseas
+61 2 8253 4530

Things you should know

Westpac Online Banking Terms and Conditions

This information has been prepared by Westpac Banking Corporation ABN 33 007 457 141 AFSL 233714 ("Westpac"). The exchange rates provided are applicable to foreign exchange products described on this website. The exchange rates are indicative only as at the time and date shown, are subject to market movements and therefore change continuously. They may also vary depending on the type of the transaction involved, and may be different for transactions over a certain amount. They should not be relied upon as an accurate representation of any final pricing. You should contact Westpac for up-to-date pricing prior to dealing.
 

International money transfers

1. To send and receive an international money transfer you must hold an eligible Westpac transaction account. Fees and charges may apply on a Westpac transaction account.

 

Transfers to selected countries are only available for amounts AUD $1,000 and above, or the foreign currency equivalent value. The countries currently subject to this restriction are Cambodia, Ghana, Indonesia, Laos, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. This condition is subject to change at any time at Westpac’s discretion.

*International transfers made in Thai Baht (THB), Filipino Peso (PHP) and Pakistani Rupee (PKR) to any eligible country are only available for amounts of AUD $1,000 in value and above.

*This is subject to change at any time at Westpac’s discretion.

Correspondent bank fees and notes on the currency conversion
If you transact with Westpac, you will not be charged a Correspondent Bank Fee for your international transfers in over 10 currencies. These include USD, NZD, EUR, GBP and INR.

 

Based on the currency of the transfer and the country/region the transfer is being sent to, additional fees may be deducted by another overseas bank or the transfer recipient’s bank. Overseas banks may impose fees and charges or convert the currency of the payment. Westpac might not have any control over the fees, charges or foreign currency conversions imposed by these institutions. Any overseas financial institution handling charges will by default be borne by he recipient of the international money transfer and deducted from the payment amount, unless otherwise organised. It is possible that the overseas bank could convert the currency of the payment at an unfavourable exchange rate. You should inform the beneficiary that, if this occurs, they should consider rejecting the payment immediately so the payment can be unwound at the prevailing exchange rate. 

 

If you do not want the currency to be converted, please insert the words “Do Not Convert” in the description details free text box when you are making an international money transfer and we will on-forward this instruction. Westpac does not guarantee that this approach will be effective and takes no responsibility if an intermediary bank converts the funds.