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seklarwia

I need to send some money to somebody in the UK asap. Normally I'd just transfer from my UK account but my card reader seems to have suffered in the wonderful Japanese humidity and has died since the last time I used it. Getting a new one quickly is not an option.

I want to go into JP this afternoon as I've heard it can take upto 5 days for international transfers to clear. But that does mean I need to obtain all the required info from the receiver before then.

For any of you who has done a transfer to a UK bank account before: I have their AC no. and 6 digit sort code already, so what are the names of any other codes or info will I need from the receiving bank to do the transfer?

Mr_Monkey · Joined: 11 Mar 2009 Posts: 661 Location: Kyuuuuuushuuuuuuu

You'll need a SWIFT or IBANN code for the branch you wish to send the money to.

seklarwia · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 8:37 am Post subject:

Thanks a lot. I never made it today; was having fun with my deliquents after classes and missed the early train.

I have those but I just got a message from somebody saying that they needed some other bits of info. So I'm going to collect those things tonight. Perhaps it is just used to double check that the reciver is correct and isn't actually essential, but I'd rather have the info and not need it than have a wasted trip.

Inflames · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 486

Here's the link from JP Bank:
http://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/kojin/tukau/kaigai/sokin/kj_tk_kg_sk_uk.html

One important thing seems to be this:

cat mother · Joined: 22 Sep 2009 Posts: 62

Each bank has its own SWIFT code, it doesn't change from one branch to another. IBAN is nothing more but an account number written in a standard way.

You will need:
- SWIFT
- bank name (this is important, your Japanese bank may have a computerized list of bank names sorted according to their SWIFTs and if the bank name you give them differs from what's on the list, your Japanese bankers may even refuse to perform the transaction. So make sure you have the official business name of the bank you're sending money to)
- account number in the IBAN form (or account number + sorting number separately)
- branch number
- branch address
- name of the account holder
- address of the account holder

Bring your gaijin card with you, your passbook and your bank card (that last one - just in case).
Some banks may require you to fill out two sets of paperwork for one transfer - one set in English and one in Japanese, and the Japanese papers will need to be hanko'd, so bring your stamp as well.

seklarwia · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 3:05 pm Post subject:

Algo5 · Joined: 06 Feb 2008 Posts: 13 Location: London

Is this the best way to transfer money from Japan to the UK (in terms of getting the best rate/lowest fess)?

I've been told about these services:

www.golloyds.com (offered by Lloyds Bank)

and

www.remit.co.jp (SBI Remit, apparently they're affiliated with the Japan Post Group, which is where I have my bank account).

but I don't know if either of them are any good?

seklarwia · Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 12:00 pm Post subject:

In comparison to GoLloyds, doing a transfer from the PO is cheaper by about �10-�15.

But if you intend to be making transfer regularly, the additional cost of GoLloyds is probably worth it for the convenience of being able to do it via an ATM - only main POs can do internationally transfers, so unless you work eikaiwa hours it might be pretty annoying trying to make banking hours at your main PO (not to mention it took the best part of an hour simply to complete the transfer with all the sitting around and waiting whilst people fussed over the paperwork).

rich45 · Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 127

I think Seven Bank is the easiest. I opened an account with them recently and just completed my first transfer back home. The catch is somebody at the other end needs to collect the money and subsequently deposit it into your account, but my mother is more than willing to do that every couple of months.

They charged 1500 yen for a transfer of less than 50,000, and I believe 3000 yen for a transfer above 50,000. I just liked how easy it was to do at a 7/11 ATM with the instructions in English. Took me about 10 seconds to send the money.

seklarwia · Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 1:14 pm Post subject:

rich45 · Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 127

G Cthulhu · Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 2:58 pm Post subject:

rich45 · Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 127

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

GoLloyds is just as easy- more so if you have an account with English online banking, like Shinsei. I transfer the money to Lloyds from my living room and it ends up in my account in NZ the next day.

It's good to hear there's another option, but needing someone to transfer money at the other end would be a hassle for me.

G Cthulhu · Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2011 3:54 am Post subject: