Bendigo Bank international transfer: Fees, rates and transfer time

Making international money transfers is part of everyday life for many people. If you work or live abroad or are a freelancer employed by a business based overseas, then you probably find that you need to make regular international transfers (often referred to as a telegraphic transfer) abroad.

In this handy guide to making an international transfer with Bendigo Bank, you'll learn what to watch out for and how to minimise the costs involved and avoid surprises — even if you’re only planning a one-off transfer.

💰 Wise provides you the real exchange rate and low transparent transfer fees shown upfront.

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Bendigo Bank international transfer fees

Before you start, it’s a good plan to understand the fees involved when making an international transfer with Bendigo Bank. However, don’t forget that there may be additional charges added by the recipient bank, or any intermediary banks who handle the transaction along the way.

To better understand the fees involved with sending money overseas with Bendigo bank, let's sample a test transfer for 1000 AUD sent to a friend's UK GBP account and paid from your AUD Bendigo bank account.

International Transfers Fees	Bendigo Bank¹	Wise*
Outgoing international transfer	A$30 for transfers processed online (50% discount for shareholders). Also, the recipient and/or intermediary bank(s) may also deduct fees.	5.14 AUD (See pricing here) — No SWIFT or intermediary bank fees, as recipient is paid from Wise's account in the UK.

*Fees as seen on 28 Dec 2021

It's clear to see how much you save right off the bat going with Wise, even before considering the potential intermediary bank fees and exchange rate margins. Let's take a look at those.

Bendigo Bank International transfer exchange rates

As well as any flat fees applied, you need to know the exchange rate that’ll be used for your transfer. Rates change constantly so the rate you see online on Bendigo Bank’s foreign exchange site might not be exactly the same as the one applied to your transaction, but if Bendigo Bank is processing the currency conversion they’ll let you know what exchange rate they use when you set the payment up.

Let's compare Bendigo Bank's exchange rate to Wise's

Provider	Exchange rates*
Bendigo Bank exchange rate for 1000 AUD to GBP	0.5095 = 509.50 GBP Received (minus any intermediary/recipient bank fees charged)³
Wise exchange rate for 1000 AUD to GBP	0.53896 = 536.19 GBP Received after deduction of 5.14 AUD Wise fee. No intermediary/recipient bank fees to bother about.

*Rate as seen on 28 Dec 2021

From the above table, Bendigo Bank's rate seem to vary quite a bit from the real rate Wise uses. The same that you can find on Google.

Combined with the unknown intermediary bank fees you may be charged for your transfer, the amount your recipient gets may be less than anticipated.

See for yourself if you can get a better deal with Wise.

How do you make an international bank transfer with Bendigo Bank?

As a Bendigo Bank customer, you can make international money transfers online via:²

• Bendigo e-banking. If you haven't, you'll need to call Bendigo Bank on 1300 236 344 to set this service up for you first.
• Alternatively, you can call into a branch if you'd rather talk to a member of staff about your transaction.

What do I need in order to make an international money transfer?

To make your international money transfer, you’ll need some details about where your money is headed. You can expect to be asked for the following:²

• Account name — name of the account you are sending the funds to.
• Account number — account number of the person/company you are sending money to. The SWIFT/BIC code for your recipient bank.
• Beneficiary’s address — the recipient’s street address only (not PO Box).
• Bank name — name of the recipient’s bank.
• Bank address — street address of the bank.

What do I need or what should I give to the sender in order to receive an international bank transfer?

You’ll need to give the sender the following to receive an international money transfer with Bendigo Bank:

• Your full name and address.
• Your Bendigo Bank account number.
• Bendigo Bank BSB number — 633000.
• Bendigo Bank SWIFT/BIC code — BENDAU3B

Unlike some European countries, Australian banks don’t use the IBAN system, so it’s especially important to give the correct SWIFT/BIC code and branch address.

You also need to agree with the sender, who’ll pay the charges associated with the transfer. Otherwise you might get less than you expected, because often the costs are removed from the cash transferred, meaning that you receive the transfer minus any fees.²

How long does an international bank transfer with Bendigo Bank take?

How long your transaction will take depends on where it’s headed to, and how long the recipient’s bank takes to process the transfer on their end. Bendigo Bank says their international transfer service usually takes between 2 and 7 days.

Is there any way to make a faster transfer for an extra fee?

The bank doesn’t offer a way to speed up payments. Ensure that all the recipient details are correct to avoid bounce backs or delays.

Additional international bank transfer service fees from Bendigo Bank

Bendigo Bank does levy fees if you want to change or cancel your transaction, but it’s important to understand that you might also end up liable for charges that aren't actually set by Bendigo Bank. That’s because international money transfers are usually processed using the SWIFT system, and there can be as many as 3 banks involved in the process.

These banks might add their own fees to the transaction on top of anything Bendigo Bank apply. Frustratingly, Bendigo Bank can’t say exactly what other fees could be added, before you place your transaction, as these are decided by other banks involved.

Telegraphic Transfer Services¹	Fees
Telegraphic Transfer Return Request	A$25
Amendment to the Transfer Instructions	A$25
Telegraphic Transfer Trace	A$25
Rejected Telegraphic Transfer	Fees deducted from the amount by recipient and/or intermediary bank(s)

Contact Bendigo Bank — More questions around your transfer?

If you have specific questions about your transfer, you can always use online banking, or talk to Bendigo Bank:

• Find your nearest branch to get help in person
• Give Bendigo Bank a call — Call 1300 236 344 (in Australia) or +61 3 5445 0666 from overseas

A cheap and transparent alternative: Wise

Although making an international money transfer with your bank might seem like the obvious way to move your cash, it's not necessarily the best deal on offer. A great alternative is to use a specialist service like Wise. Wise offer fast, secure international money transfers, using the real exchange rate and with only a small transparent transfer fee always shown upfront.

Open your Wise account in minutes 🚀

And because Wise uses smart technology connected with local bank accounts all over the world, that means you’ll skip the surprise international fees added by intermediary and recipient banks.

See for yourself. Use our pricing calculator below to have an idea of how much you get to save sending money overseas with Wise.

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Sources:

1. Bendigo Schedule of fees (page 17)
2. Bendigo international payments webpage
3. Bendigo currency exchange rate calculator
4. Bendigo contact us details
   Sources checked on 28 Dec 2021