Making payments overseas using SWIFT

Telegraphic transfers are electronic payments made between a UK account and an overseas account.  Nationwide uses the Society for Worldwide InterBank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) for payments made between the UK and other countries.

There is a fee for this service, please check the fees and charges for further details.

Processing times

The transaction will be processed on the working day that it is received by Nationwide.  If the form is received at the weekend, your request will be processed the next working day.

SWIFT payments within the EEA (European Economic Area) will usually take 3 working days to reach the destination bank, but payments outside the EEA may take longer. Payments to India can take up to 3 months and occasionally longer to reach the beneficiary account. Please follow this link for a list of EEA countries.

Requesting a SWIFT transfer in a branch

When requesting a SWIFT transfer at a branch, you need to ensure you have proof of identification with you. This should include your Nationwide account card or Passbook and one of the following: a valid passport or photo card driving licence (with the paper counterpart). There is no minimum or maximum payment amount when transferring using a SWIFT payment.

To find your nearest branch please follow this link to our branch finder.

Requesting a SWIFT transfer online

To be able to submit your SWIFT form online, you'll need to be registered for internet banking and have been issued with a Card Reader. Your Card Reader will be used to confirm your payment. If you haven't been issued with a Card Reader you will need to print your form and send it to us.

If you are abroad but do not have your Card Reader to hand, you can print the SWIFT transfer form by following this link to our SWIFT transfer form.  Please complete the form, print and sign it and then send the form to the address printed at the top of the form.

To access and submit/print the SWIFT transfer form online:

• Sign On to the Internet Bank
• click on the 'My Accounts' tab to access the 'My Accounts' screen
• from your 'Account List' click on the account you want to transfer funds from
• click 'Other Services' from the menu on the left hand side of the screen
• under the heading 'Financial Transactions', click on 'CHAPS or SWIFT Transfer'.

Customers without a Card Reader

• click on 'Currency to Overseas Bank (SWIFT)'. Then complete, print and sign your form before sending it to the address shown on the printed form*.

Customers with a Card Reader

• choose the 'type of payment to be sent' by clicking on the radio button, and click 'Continue'
• you will now be asked to use your Card Reader for authorisation. For help using your Card Reader please follow this link to our Card Reader solution finder
• once you have authorised your payment, continue to complete the on-screen form and instructions to submit your request*.

* There is no minimum or maximum payment amount when transferring using a CHAPS payment.

Receiving funds via SWIFT

If you're receiving payments from an overseas account please follow this link to our receiving overseas payments using SWIFT article.

SWIFT intermediary bank rates

Nationwide uses an agent bank to process Incoming SWIFT payments on our behalf. As part of this arrangement the agent bank provides Nationwide with exchange rates on a daily basis to enable us to process currency payments.

The exchange rate given to us by our agent bank is a commercial rate, which is set in the morning from the InterBank rate (national rate for financial institutions).  These rates are fixed rates for the day up to a certain value, depending on the currency being received.

If a currency being received is over the stated value then our agent bank will provide us with another rate.  This rate is obtained on the live market.  The exchange rate could be higher or lower than the fixed rate depending on where the market is, at the time we convert the currency.