An easy, quick way to send and receive money worldwide
An international money transfer is a safe, secure way to send money to a bank account in another country or region. With HSBC you can do it securely via the app or online, at any time and in local currency. Plus, we only use up-to-date exchange rates during market hours.
To send money abroad, you can:
- Use a Global Money Account in the app
- Make an international payment in online banking or the app
- Contact us or visit a branch
You can also receive money into your UK accounts via international payments (except the Global Money account, which can only receive sterling payments). Fees may apply.
International payments in online and mobile banking
Make international payments 24/7 in onlinebanking to 150+ destinations. Fees may apply if using this option.
Send up to £50,000 (or currency equivalent) online, and up to £10,000 (or currency equivalent) by phone (Premier customers have a higher phone limit1)
Make payments in local currency with real-time rates (in market hours), so you know how much you're sending or receiving
Pay no HSBC fees for international bank transfers to another HSBC account or euro payments in the European Economic Area (EEA)2
If you're sending money in any currency outside the EEA, or to somewhere in the EEA in a currency other than euros, pay a £5 HSBC fee. This fee does not apply if you use a Global Money account.
Receive moneyinto your UK accounts via an international transfer
Track your payment through online and mobile banking
Global Money Account
Make international payments via the HSBC UK Mobile Banking app with a Global Money Account with no HSBC fees.
Send up to£50,000per day (or currency equivalent) in 50+ currencies to 200+ countries
See the estimated arrival time when you send a payment
Send without HSBC or intermediary bank fees
Buy online from international retailers
Add your contactless debit card to your digital wallet
Store 18 currencies in your Global Money account
Track your payment within the app
You'll need an eligible HSBC UK current account and the mobile banking app to apply.
Sending and receiving money outside the UK
How do international payments work?
What details do you need to transfer money internationally?
To send money online, over the phone or in a branch, you'll need:
- The amount you're sending– you can pay in sterling or in the local currency
- The name on the account you're sending the money to - you'll need to include the exact name in the payment instruction to avoid your payment being delayed or rejected
- The bank code (SWIFT or BIC) of the bank you’re sending money to
- The IBAN or account number of the person or business you’re sending money to – this has the information we need to send a payment overseas
- The address of the person or business you’re sending money to
- The address of the bank you’re sending money to
- A reason for the payment - this helps us avoid delays
- A payment reference
It's important that you check all the details, such as name and account number, are correct before making a payment. If anything is incorrect, it may result in your payment being returned. You might receive a lower amount back because of deductions made for charges or exchange rates, for example.
How to send money outside the UK
Send money with no HSBC fees with Global Money
- Log on to the HSBC UK Mobile Banking app
- If you already have a Global Money Account, select 'Pay or transfer' and then 'Send money internationally' from the Global Money menu
- Enter the payment details and follow the on-screen instructions
- Review and confirm your payment
If you don't have a Global Money Account, you'll need to open one first. To do this, log on to the HSBC app and select the 'Global Money' option in the menu below your account list and follow the instructions to open the account.
Send moneythrough Online Banking
- Log on to online banking
- Add your friends and family as payees if you haven't already
- Select 'Pay and Transfer', then choose the account you want to make the payment from
- Enter the payment details and follow the on-screen instructions
- If you're sending money outside the UK for the first time, authorise the transaction using your Secure Key
- Review and confirm your payment - once complete, you'll be able to make international payments to the same payee via the app
If you haven't set up online banking yet,register nowto make an international payment.
Send money using a Mobile Banking PIN
- Log on to online banking.
- On your app, select "Generate security code" and "Transaction security code".
- Enter the last 4 digits of the payee's account number or IBAN followed by the full payment amountunconverted, ignoring any letters or special characters and the decimal point. For example, if you're sending £3000.15 and the IBAN code is UK64HSBC4005A678, enter 5678300015.
- Generate your 6-digit transaction code using fingerprint or face ID, or your Mobile Banking PIN.
- Select 'Continue' in online banking to complete your payment.
Send money using a Physical Secure Key
- Press and hold the green button to turn your Secure Key on, then enter your PIN
- When 'HSBC' displays, press the yellow button
- Enter the last 4 digits of the payee's account number or IBAN followed by the full payment amount unconverted, ignoring any letters or special characters and the decimal point
- Press the yellow button to generate your 6-digit transaction code
- Log on to online banking and enter the code, then select 'Continue' to complete your payment
Make a payment in branch
When making an international payment in one of our branches, please bring the following with you:
- Photographic identification
- Beneficiary details
- Payment details
Find a branch
If you're sending money to the EEA2 in euros or sterling, it should reach the account the next working day.
Sometimes, it may take longer if we need to make extra security checks to validate payments. For example, if you’re sending money to secure a property or for investment.
Payments outside the EEAcan take up to 4 working days. They may take longer, depending on the destination and if the payment falls on a bank holiday.
What you need to receive money from outside the UK
You can receive money in sterling or another currency (with the exception of Global Money Account, which can only currently receive sterling payments). If the money is in a different currency to the one your account is held in, we'll convert it using the most up-to-date exchange rate before crediting it to your account.
To help make sure you receive money as quickly as possible, the bank sending the payment to you will need your:
- Personal details
- Swift Code or BIC
- IBAN or account number
Finding your IBAN and BIC
Your International Bank Account Number (IBAN) and Bank Identifier Code (BIC) are your account number and sort code written in a standard format that can be used worldwide. They help us to process your international payments automatically.
Your IBAN and BIC are on your paper statements, but you can find them when you log on to online banking or mobile banking, then:
Mobile banking:
- From the Accounts screen, select the account you want to view the IBAN and BIC for
- Select 'View more' and then 'View statements'. You can then select any recent statement, where you IBAN and BIC will be
Online banking:
- From the Accounts screen, select the account you want to view the IBAN and BIC for
- Underneath the sort code and account number, select 'Show more detail' - your IBAN and BIC will be shown
Global Money:
- Select your Global Money Account
- Select 'Great British Pounds'
- Select 'View More'
- Select 'View account' details
- Select 'Outside the UK' to view your IBAN or BIC in the app
If you have an HSBC Currency Account, you can find your IBAN and BIC by logging on to online banking and selecting 'Details’ from your Currency Account transactions.
How much does it cost to transfer money internationally?
Cost of sending money outside the UK
It's free to send money anytime if you are using a Global Money Account.
If you are making payments from a non-Global Money account, it's no extra cost to send money from HSBC to HSBC and to another bank if it's in euros and within the EEA. Otherwise, it's £5 to any other bank if you send money online. This applies to recurring and future-dated payments, too.
| Payment type | Online | Mobile app | Branch | Phone | Post |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From HSBC Global Money Account | N/A | £0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| HSBC to HSBC | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £17 |
| Euros within the EEA | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £17 |
| Euros outside the EEA or any other currency in or outside the UK | £5 | £5 | £5 | £5 | £17 |
| Payment type | From HSBC Global Money Account |
|---|---|
Online | N/A |
| Mobile app | £0 |
Branch | N/A |
Phone | N/A |
Post | N/A |
| Payment type | HSBC to HSBC |
Online | £0 |
| Mobile app | £0 |
Branch | £0 |
Phone | £0 |
Post | £17 |
| Payment type | Euros within the EEA |
Online | £0 |
| Mobile app | £0 |
Branch | £0 |
Phone | £0 |
Post | £17 |
| Payment type | Euros outside the EEA or any other currency in or outside the UK |
Online | £5 |
| Mobile app | £5 |
Branch | £5 |
Phone | £5 |
Post | £17 |
Payments within the EEA
If you’re paying someone in the EEA2, you'll be charged the fees shown above and any intermediary and agency bank charges. You can't pay charges for the other person.
From 1 January 2021, the bank you're sending the money to may apply higher charges than it did before the UK left the EU. HSBC UK charges haven't changed.
We recommend checking what charges the other bank applies. These charges may be taken from the amount you’ve sent.
Payments outside the EEA
For payments outside the EEA, you can either:
- Pay all the fees.You'll pay the charges in the table above and any intermediary, agency and beneficiary bank charges, which can be applied later
- Share the fees.The charge in the table above will apply – together with any intermediary and agency bank share charges, which can be applied at a later date
If you choose the beneficiary to pay all the fees, no charges will apply.
The above charges will be deducted from the payment before we add them to the beneficiary’s account where applicable.
If we send money to or receive money from places outside the EEA, we may use an intermediary bank. They and the receiving bank may also impose charges, which could include payments sent through, or to, another HSBC bank.
Cost of receiving money from outside the UK
First, check which charging option the person sending you money has chosen. They can choose to:
- Pay all the fees
- Share the fees with you, which means you'll pay the charge(s) in the table below
- Ask you to pay all fees - you'll pay the charges in the table below and any intermediary and agency bank charges
You can receive money in sterling or another currency (with the exception of Global Money account, which can only currently receive sterling payments). If the money is in a different currency to the one your account is held in, we'll convert it using the most up-to-date exchange rate before crediting it to your account.
| Payment type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Euros from the EEA | £0 |
| Less than £100 in another currency,or euros from outside the EEA | £5 |
| More than £100 in another currency, or euros from outside the EEA | £5 |
| Payment type | Euros from the EEA |
|---|---|
| Fee | £0 |
| Payment type | Less than £100 in another currency,or euros from outside the EEA |
| Fee | £5 |
| Payment type | More than £100 in another currency, or euros from outside the EEA |
| Fee | £5 |
| Amount | Fee |
|---|---|
| Less than £100 | £5 |
£100 or more | £5 |
| Amount | Less than £100 |
|---|---|
| Fee | £5 |
| Amount | £100 or more |
| Fee | £5 |
If we can, we'll take away the charges from the payment before we credit them to your account. Any charges will show in your statement.
You'll always share fees for payments you receive in euros from an EEA country or region via SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area). You'll only pay HSBC’s receiving fee, and the sender will pay all of the other charges
Can I track my international payment?
Yes, you can track international payments using the HSBC Mobile Banking app or online banking.
In the app:
- Go to 'Pay & Transfer'
- Select 'international payment tracker'
In internet banking:
- Go to the 'Move money' tab at the top of the screen
- Select 'international payment tracker'
International payments
What is the difference between International Payments, Global Transfers and Global Money?
International Payments are payments made to accounts outside of the UK.Global Transfers are currency transfers made between your globally linked HSBC accounts. Global Money is an account with a debit card that enables you to make international payments in the required currency without fees.
Can an international payment be rejected?
Sometimes international payments are rejected, and this could happen due to:
- The payment instruction having an invalid account number
- The receiving account might be closed
- The payment may not pass the receiving bank’s own checks and controls and have to be returned
This list is not exhaustive.
If the payment is returned to us or it can’t be completed, we’ll return the amount to your account using the HSBC exchange rate at that time. This means the amount we return may be more or less than the original amount.
What is an intermediary bank?
An intermediary bank helps transfer funds to the payee bank when there’s no direct relationship between HSBC UK and the payee bank.
How to set up and cancel recurring or future payments
To set up or cancel future-dated or recurring payments in online banking, select'Standing orders and future payments'. Then select the account the payment is coming from to view details.
You can request to cancel any time up to 23:59 (UK time) on the daybeforethe payment is due to be made.
Currently Global Money only allows for immediate payments to be made.
We can't cancel a payment if you've asked us to make it immediately.
Make international payments online
Global Money Account
Log on to the mobile app to open aGlobal Money Account and start sending money abroad.
If you already have a Global Money Account, log on to the app,select 'Pay or transfer' and then 'Send money internationally' from the Global Money menu.
If you do not currently have theHSBC Mobile Banking app, you can find information on how to download it using the link below:
-
Don't have the app? Download now
To apply for a Global Money account you will need to have an active HSBC UK current account (excluding Basic Bank Account, Amanah, Appointee and MyAccount), a valid email address that is held on our records and have the mobile app (Global Money is only available in theHSBC Mobile Banking app).
International Payments through Online Banking
If you don't wish to use Global Money, you can also send money abroad through online banking. Fees may apply.To make an international payment you will need to hold any account with HSBC (except a standalone ISA account) and be registered for online banking.
Log on to online banking
Not registered yet?
Register now to start sending and receiving money worldwide.
-
Register for online banking
Have you considered a Global Money account?
Spend and send money around the world in multiple currencies, with no HSBC fees. Eligibilitycriteria apply. Non-HSBC fees may apply.
Find out more Find out more about HSBC Global Money account
Frequently asked questions
How much money can I send outside the UK?
You can send up to £50,000 online, or the equivalent in the other currency.
What is an international money transfer?
An international money transfer is a safe, secure way to send money to a bank account in other country or region.
How long does an international money transfer take?
An international money transfer can take a few days, depending on the currency and destination.
Payments in euros or pounds sterling in the EEA should reach the account the next working day.
Payments outside the EEA can take up to 4 working days or longer.
How do I track an international money transfer?
You can track an international money transfer using online banking or with the app.
You might also be interested in
If you are sending money outside of the UK, there are a few things to consider.
Send, store and receive up to 14 foreign currencies easily with our multi-currency holding account.
Move money between your HSBC accounts around the world securelyand fee-free.
Additional information
1.Premier customers have a phone limit of £10 million.
2.Countries within the EEA include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden.
HSBC Personal Banking Terms and Conditions and Charges (PDF, 1.4MB)
