VisaJourney.com > rant and rave

Angelica

Mar 15 2006, 02:38 PM

All I want to do is set up a transfer of money from my bank in the UK to my bank or a bank in the US...all I get is directed somewhere else and eventually end up where I started

I don't know what is worse....not having money or having money I can't get my sticky mitts on

Why oh why did I believe my branch when they told me it would be easy to set up once I got out here...and another thing...The inland revenue...bless their demonic little hearts sent me a cheque...a rebate, in English pounds of couse and my bank here says it will take 90 days to clear !! They suggested I send it home and have a friend pay it into my account in the uk !!! Ha !! Scuppered again....

.......oh yeh just remembered...after several lengthy e mails from me fully explaining the situation...ie I'm living in the US and wont be back in the UK for the foreseeable future..they suggested I pop into my local branch !! DOH !!l

Mand

Mar 15 2006, 02:47 PM

You should set up PayPal between these 2 accounts, that way you can transfer money as you please and it only takes 1 working week I think.
And about the 90 days for the cheque to clear, we had that happen here too...but hey! It's money in the bank (literally) and you'll be sooo glad when you get it.

gimygirl

Mar 15 2006, 02:53 PM

have you spoken to a representative at your UK branch? i'm surprised that they cannot set up a wire transfer for a fee.

good luck working it all out!

Angelica

Mar 15 2006, 02:58 PM

Do apypal handle large sums of cash ? My house sale is going through also at the moment and of course the money from it will be going into my UK account ......I'm getting really fed up with all this

QUOTE(gimygirl @ Mar 15 2006, 02:53 PM)

have you spoken to a representative at your UK branch? i'm surprised that they cannot set up a wire transfer for a fee.

good luck working it all out!

you cannot get a "live person " to speak to at my branch...probably just as well I'd probably swear like a sailor !!

As for wire transfers...I have asked and drew a blank...no can do...

gimygirl

Mar 15 2006, 02:59 PM

i, personally, wouldn't transfer large sums a cash through paypal. i would do a wire transfer OR add a co-signer to your UK account (if you can do that while in the US). you can then have the co-signer withdraw the funds and send to you via western union.

another thought ... do you have a check/debit bank card for your account in the UK? can you obtain one? then you can withdraw funds here.

Angelica

Mar 15 2006, 03:01 PM

QUOTE(gimygirl @ Mar 15 2006, 02:59 PM)

i, personally, wouldn't transfer large sums a cash through paypal. i would do a wire transfer OR add a co-signer to your UK account (if you can do that while in the US). you can then have the co-signer withdraw the funds and send to you via western union.

another thought ... do you have a check/debit bank card for your account in the UK? can you obtain one? then you can withdraw funds here.

That's an idea ....I could get one couldn't I ?

Mand

Mar 15 2006, 03:01 PM

I really don't know about large amounts of money, sorry.

Angelica

Mar 15 2006, 03:04 PM

QUOTE(Mand @ Mar 15 2006, 03:01 PM)

I really don't know about large amounts of money, sorry.

S'ok....neither does my bank !!

perfect

Mar 15 2006, 03:11 PM

Is it rude to ask which UK bank?

I transferred a large amount when I moved by wire transfer using my bank which was Nat West which cost me something like 35GBP (it's on a sliding scale depending on how much you want to transfer)

I also did a couple of smaller ones from UK to US using a company I found on the Internet who did it for 15GBP and I was very impressed with their service.

Any mainstream UK bank should be able to do a wire transfer - it's standard banking practice for large amounts of money.

Otherwise, have you signed up for Internet banking. Is is possible to do a bank to bank transfer on your internet account?

Angelica

Mar 15 2006, 03:46 PM

QUOTE(perfect @ Mar 15 2006, 03:11 PM)

Is it rude to ask which UK bank?

I transferred a large amount when I moved by wire transfer using my bank which was Nat West which cost me something like 35GBP (it's on a sliding scale depending on how much you want to transfer)

I also did a couple of smaller ones from UK to US using a company I found on the Internet who did it for 15GBP and I was very impressed with their service.

Any mainstream UK bank should be able to do a wire transfer - it's standard banking practice for large amounts of money.

Otherwise, have you signed up for Internet banking. Is is possible to do a bank to bank transfer on your internet account?

Not rude at all !! Barclays bank..they told me they didn't do wire transfers....I tried contacting their international section which surprisingly had nothing for the US !! Funny that, especially when I know there must be bods on here with Barclays who have done just that...I think it's the fact that I'm not in the UK that's throwing them...I've been told more than once to go to my local branch !! I've had on going hassle with their internet banking too, I currently can't access my account ...yet again and they are sending me another log in code number ..the last one took over a month to get here...For some reason...and whoever runs the universe only knows why ..they sent it to my old UK address even though my records had been changed to my US address... I'm fed up I can tell you...

mawilson

Mar 15 2006, 10:00 PM

You can ask your UK bank to send you a cheque in US dollars drawn on your account.
Lloyds and Barclays will do it for a small fee (£14 or thereabouts.)

Jaylen Brit

Mar 16 2006, 04:51 AM

For anyone who hasn't LEFT the UK yet - whats the BEST way to start setting all this up?
I bank with both NatWest and Halifax, tho Im considering just keeping the Halifax one - not sure yet, and I will need A bank (either or both) because I intend keeping my credit card.
My 'plan' was to set up internet banking so I could get and pay the bill more easily, and also so I wouldn't have to wait for the bill to be sent to my new US addy and the fact that delays in receiving it might cause interest to accrue.
I'm also going to have funds from a house sale going into an account, and I want to be able to have some of it in the US (and leave some in the UK to take advantage of intersest rates and exchange rates, plus I will be going back to the UK hopefully for visits and it'll be a boon to have money available THERE I can draw on)
Any tips from you 'been there done that' folks?

Widge

Mar 16 2006, 08:33 AM

QUOTE(Jaylen Brit @ Mar 16 2006, 04:51 AM)

For anyone who hasn't LEFT the UK yet - whats the BEST way to start setting all this up?
I bank with both NatWest and Halifax, tho Im considering just keeping the Halifax one - not sure yet, and I will need A bank (either or both) because I intend keeping my credit card.
My 'plan' was to set up internet banking so I could get and pay the bill more easily, and also so I wouldn't have to wait for the bill to be sent to my new US addy and the fact that delays in receiving it might cause interest to accrue.
I'm also going to have funds from a house sale going into an account, and I want to be able to have some of it in the US (and leave some in the UK to take advantage of intersest rates and exchange rates, plus I will be going back to the UK hopefully for visits and it'll be a boon to have money available THERE I can draw on)
Any tips from you 'been there done that' folks?

If you have a Halifax account set up online banking. I have been using this for years and since being in the US have had no problems paying a loan, credit card online and even sending cheques via post. I havent used it since I moved here but when i was a frequent visitor here i was impressed with the exchange rate drawing cash from holes in the wall here.

If at all possible do NOT give up an English Address on the account, I did and this means I can no longer set up a Paypal account on this account as it doesnt have a UK address (cant set up paypal account in UK with US address)

Keigwyn

Mar 16 2006, 08:45 AM

I have been looking at Citibank. In the UK you can set up a joint Sterling-Dollar account which (it implies) you can use in the USA. I am still in the UK for a while so I have not fully looked into this. You do have to have a minimum in the account though and the transfer from one currency to another looks favorable.
I think if you just use an ATM in the USA it is fine. Not sure if you want a full UK-USA bank account though.

Other experiences please...I think there are a lot of us interested in this one!

britbird

Mar 16 2006, 09:57 AM

The information you've been given is very much incorrect. They do international payments - which are effectively the same thing. You may have asked for a wire transfer and confused the uneducated customer service person you got (easily done, they don't tend to be the sharpest knives in the block). I know because when I studied in the US for a while my Dad would send me money from his Barclays account on a regular basis. http://www.personal.barclays.co.uk/BRC1/js...menu=3892#seven

voila, all the information is on their website.

How do I send money abroad?
You could use our International Payments Service. This service provides a flexible means of sending funds overseas and has been specially designed to meet your needs in terms of cost and speed. Payments are sent using an electronic bank-to-bank transfer, which is suitable for both urgent and less time critical payments and enables the secure transfer of funds from the UK to overseas beneficiaries.

* Payments from sterling or currency accounts or against forward contracts.
* Payments in any freely traded currency, to virtually any destination (dependent upon Service Level chosen).
* A flexible, reliable, secure and competitive service.

We have two levels of service. The one you choose will depend on how much you want to send and how quickly the payment is needed:

Standard service
For non-urgent payments to virtually any destination world-wide

* No maximum value
* Payments dispatched at the very latest on the working day following receipt of instructions by the bank.

Priority service
For urgent payments to virtually any destination world-wide.

* No maximum value
* Same day dispatch of payments for instructions received by the bank before 2pm
* Payments dispatched with earliest possible Value Date.

Jaylen Brit

Mar 16 2006, 10:03 AM

Widge thanks a lot for that

I will have to tell barclaycard Im moving tho, and I dont want to get in trouble with Halifax for giving my moms addy (in UK)
I know its ok for me to keep a bank account in UK and Im a non taxpayer anyways so theres no problem as far as taxes go - I just want to avoid doing anything illegal, or anything that will cause me problems at a later date

Angelica

Mar 16 2006, 12:42 PM

QUOTE(britbird @ Mar 16 2006, 09:57 AM)

The information you've been given is very much incorrect. They do international payments - which are effectively the same thing. You may have asked for a wire transfer and confused the uneducated customer service person you got (easily done, they don't tend to be the sharpest knives in the block). I know because when I studied in the US for a while my Dad would send me money from his Barclays account on a regular basis. http://www.personal.barclays.co.uk/BRC1/js...menu=3892#seven

voila, all the information is on their website.

How do I send money abroad?
You could use our International Payments Service. This service provides a flexible means of sending funds overseas and has been specially designed to meet your needs in terms of cost and speed. Payments are sent using an electronic bank-to-bank transfer, which is suitable for both urgent and less time critical payments and enables the secure transfer of funds from the UK to overseas beneficiaries.

* Payments from sterling or currency accounts or against forward contracts.
* Payments in any freely traded currency, to virtually any destination (dependent upon Service Level chosen).

I think I love you

I think today may well be a day of maximum achievment !! I'll cancel my bulk order of valium * A flexible, reliable, secure and competitive service.

We have two levels of service. The one you choose will depend on how much you want to send and how quickly the payment is needed:

Standard service
For non-urgent payments to virtually any destination world-wide

* No maximum value
* Payments dispatched at the very latest on the working day following receipt of instructions by the bank.

Priority service
For urgent payments to virtually any destination world-wide.

* No maximum value
* Same day dispatch of payments for instructions received by the bank before 2pm
* Payments dispatched with earliest possible Value Date.

annelizabeth

Mar 16 2006, 01:59 PM

I bank with alliance and leicester /girobank in the uk (I have my mum's address logged with them) and use their internet banking services. I have done loads of electronic transfers directly to my US account with Fifth Third Bank. I have transferred large amounts (to buy a house) and smaller sums too. The fees are always the same, so the more you transfer the better. It generally takes 3-5 banking days and I just make one telephone call to organise it.

When I did the huge transfer, they gave me a much better exchange rate than normal. The last smaller one I did (two weeks ago) came out at about 5 cents below the general rate showing in XE.com and other sites.

Yes you can withdraw cash with your debit card, or even use your UK credit card to buy things in the US - but don't forget that most banks either make a small charge for international transactions OR they use a lower exchange rate.

Euro

Mar 16 2006, 02:00 PM

I got my bank to transfer my cash from UK to USA, my banks are HSBC in the UK & bank one in the USA, it was pretty straight forward and cos about $12!!

annelizabeth

Mar 16 2006, 03:31 PM

I forgot to add that you get charged both ends. I think it was 25 pounds UK and $15 US end

Angelica

Mar 16 2006, 03:45 PM

thanks for all the ideas guys

it's much appreciated. At least when my husband comes home tonight and asks what sort of day I had I wont burst into tears....

Kim