International money transfer limits with Australia banks. An overview
Check out our overview of the international transfer limits you get with the top Australia banks.
There are lots of reasons you might need a reliable way to transfer money overseas. Maybe you want to send some money to friends and family back home, or you need to make a mortgage payment while you travel abroad - either way, you’ll want to find a service which is reliable, fairly priced, and simple to use.
Hai Ha Money Transfer have been established in Australia for over 20 years, with 6 offices, and 21 agent locations throughout the country. Originally, money transfer services were offered to Vietnam only, with services to Cambodia, and then the rest of the world coming later¹.
If you’re looking for a money transfer provider which is fast and reliable, you’ll naturally want to do some research. If you find that Hai Ha Money Transfer doesn’t suit your needs, it could be worth looking at an alternative provider such as Wise, for international payments which are always made at the best available exchange rate, and with just a low flat fee.
A quick comparison between [provider] and Wise. Read on after that for the full information.
Service | Hai Ha Money Transfer | Wise |
---|---|---|
Fees (for a bank transfer of 1,000 AUD to VND) | AU$17 + possible additional bank fees from intermediary and receiving bank | AU$10.42 (From AUD to VND the fee is: 0.75% of the AUD amount + AU$3) |
Exchange rate | The transfer rate + mark up | The mid-market exchange rate |
Supported currencies | Supported currencies include: AUD, USD, EUR, CAD, CHF, FJD, GBP, HKD, INR, JPY, NZD, PHP, SGD, THB, and VND | Transfers to 48 currenciesTransfers from 22 currenciesMore information on the supported currencies FAQ page |
Banks and money transfer providers often give you a bad exchange rate to make extra profits.
Wise is different. Its smart new technology skips hefty international transfer fees by connecting local bank accounts all around the world. Which means you can save up to 8x by using Wise rather than your bank when you send your money abroad.
Check out how to make your first transfer with Wise. And give it a try.
Oh, and while you’re at it, check out Wise’s borderless multi-currency account. Where you can manage and send dozens of currencies all from the same account.
Now, back to what you came here to read.
Here’s all you need to know to help you decide if using Hai Ha Money Transfer for your international payment is right for you.
The cost to make an international transfer with Hai Ha depends on how much money you’re sending, and where it’s headed. The fee structures are quite complicated, so it's important to check the detail of the costs added to your transfer before you confirm it.
Here’s an outline of what you can expect to pay:
Country | Pickup fees | Delivery fees | Bank transfer fees |
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Vietnam² |
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India³ |
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Philippines⁴ |
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Cambodia⁵ |
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US and rest of the world⁶ |
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Hai Ha can arrange money transfers in a number of currencies, including AUD, USD, EUR, CAD, CHF, FJD, GBP, HKD, INR, JPY, NZD, PHP, SGD, THB, and VND⁶. However, not all currencies can be sent to all countries, so it's important to check the details for your own transfer.
If Hai Ha don’t cover the currency you're looking to send, then check out the broad range of currencies offered for transfer through Wise.
Hai Ha list 3 different exchange rates on their website: a buy rate, a sell rate and a transfer rate. This can seem confusing, so it’s important to understand which rate will apply in your particular circumstance. It’s also worth noting thatexchange rates move up and down all the time, and so the website small prints states that you should confirm the rate applicable at the time you’re placing a transaction, with the agent. In their terms and conditions Hai Ha Money Transfers also state that they make a small profit on the currency exchange⁷.
Once you’ve confirmed the rate that Hai Ha would use to process your transaction, it’s worth comparing this to the mid-market rate. The mid-market rate is the only real exchange rate, and the one that banks use when they’re selling currencies on big international markets. Many international transfer services, and money exchange providers will tell you that it’s impossible to get the mid-market rate, as a regular customer sending a small amount of money overseas. Instead, most services add a markup, or spread, to the exchange rate, and keep the difference as their profit.
It’s good to know that it’s actually possible to send your money abroad using the mid-market exchange rate, if you know where to look. Wise always make international payments using the mid-market exchange rate, and only upfront, transparent fees. This could mean you keep more of your money for yourself, and pay less overall in charges.
Transfers to Vietnam and Cambodia could take between 3 hours and a day, with transfers everywhere else in the world taking a day or two to process. If you’re sending your money for delivery or pickup, it may arrive sooner⁸.
It’s worth knowing that money sent from one bank account to another in a different country, is often processed via the SWIFT network. This is the global network of banks which works together to facilitate international payments. Because of the way the network functions, your transfer could be handled by up to 3 intermediary banks before it reaches its final destination. This can mean the process takes a day or two to complete, and it can also mean you’re exposed to unexpected fees, as each bank involved in the transaction is able to add their own costs to the payment as it passes through the system. This is why Hai Ha specify that local banks may add their own fees to some transactions, and can result in your recipient getting less than you expect⁷.
If you want to avoid the SWIFT network when making an international bank transfer, then it could be time to find an alternative option. Because Wise use a smart new approach to making international transfers, payments don’t go through the SWIFT system, and there are no hidden fees to worry about.
Hai Ha Money Transfer offers several different payment routes, including bank transfers using the swift system, and sending money to be collected in person by the recipient at an agent location abroad. In some countries you can also have the cash delivered directly to the recipient for ease.
There are different options available depending on what currency you intend to send, and to which country. These include:
In most cases the recipient won’t need an account with Hai Ha to get their money. However, for payments involving collection or delivery, they’ll need to provide some personal information and ID documents to be able to collect. Check out the full details before you confirm your transaction.
There are minimum amounts of $10 transfers for most currencies, but no upper limit to the amount you can transfer.
You can use Hai Ha Money Transfer either by visiting an office or agent location in Australia, or by setting up an account and using the service online. To set up an account for online use, you’ll need to provide personal details and identification documents, and have your account approved before you’re able to make any transactions¹⁰.
You can contact Hai Ha through a number of routes if you want to ask about a transfer or get any further information¹¹:
It’s pretty common these days to need to send money abroad, so it’s good to know that there are options out there to suit every different customer’s needs. If you’re sending or receiving money from abroad often, you might benefit from a Wise multi-currency borderless account.
This new account type lets you hold your cash in any of dozens of different currencies, all in the same account. You can switch between currencies when you need to, using the real exchange rate, and for just a small fee. You can also generate local bank details to receive fee-free payments from regions such as the UK, US, Australia and the euro area. And there are debit cards coming in the future as well.
Once you’ve found the right money transfer service for you, you can relax, knowing your money will arrive safely - and that you’re getting the best available deal.
Sources:
1.https://hhmt.com.au/aboutus/ (September 15, 2018)
2.http://hhmt.com.au/transfer-money/vietnam/ (September 15, 2018)
3.https://hhmt.com.au/transfer-money/india/ (September 15, 2018)
4.https://hhmt.com.au/transfer-money/philippines/ (September 15, 2018)
5.https://hhmt.com.au/transfer-money/cambodia/ (September 15, 2018)
6.https://hhmt.com.au/transfer-money/international/ (September 15, 2018)
7.http://hhmt.com.au/aboutus/terms-conditions/ (September 15, 2018)
8.https://hhmt.com.au/aboutus/faqs/ (September 15, 2018)
9.https://hhmt.com.au/transfer-money/swift-powered-by-hai-ha-money-transfer/ (September 15, 2018)
10.https://hhmt.com.au/transfer-money/remote-customers/ (September 15, 2018)
11.https://hhmt.com.au/contact-us/ (September 15, 2018)
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Check out our overview of the international transfer limits you get with the top Australia banks.
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