Closing NatWest International account from abroad: everything you need to know

NatWest International®¹ offers GBP and multi-currency account products to customers living in a broad selection of countries. Perhaps you opened a NatWest International account when you lived in the UK, but have now moved back to the US and no longer need it.

In this case you’ll be looking for information about how to close a NatWest International account online from abroad. This guide covers all you need to know.

Can you close a NatWest International account from the US?

Yes. You can close a NatWest International account²:

This gives you several ways you can close your NatWest International account - even if you’re living in the US and don’t have easy access to a local NatWest branch.

It’s helpful to note that NatWest International does offer account services to people who live in a broad range of countries.

This may mean that you’re still eligible to maintain your account even if you opened it when living abroad and have now moved to another country, or back to the US.

Not all NatWest International services are available in all countries - so you would need to check your eligibility if you’re interested in keeping hold of your account.

Plus, keeping your account open might mean paying ongoing fees - which won’t be worthwhile if you’re not planning on using the account much in future. If the time is right to close your account, this guide walks you through how to go about it.

Can you close a NatWest International account online?

You can close a NatWest International personal account online. If you have a business account this is not usually an option, and you’ll need to get in touch with the bank to talk through what to do next.

It’s worth noting that closing your account online requires you to have access to the NatWest International online or mobile banking system.

This means you’ll need either the app - and the phone you registered with - or a NatWest International card reader, which is used to verify your identity when transacting on the online banking system.

If you no longer have the phone you signed up with, or if you’ve lost the card reader, you might need to choose a different option to close down your NatWest International account.

Closing your NatWest International account from abroad: step by step

While you can close your NatWest International account from abroad by writing into the bank and asking for the account to be deleted, this is a pretty slow and cumbersome option.

Using the online or mobile banking system is far easier if you still have access to it. Here’s how to close your NatWest International account online from abroad, step by step:

Log into your online banking

You can close a NatWest International personal account online or in the NatWest app. If you’re using the app you’ll need to still have access to the phone number you signed up to the system with, to receive a one time passcode.

If you no longer have this phone because you moved house, you can still use the online banking system, but this will mean having a card reader to verify your ID instead. If you no longer have either the card reader or access to the app, you’ll need to close your account by mail instead.

Transfer out any remaining funds

You can not close your NatWest International account if there are funds still remaining in it - or if there are any associated debts, charges or overdrafts.

If you have debts, you’ll need to transfer money into the account to get back to a zero balance. And if you have a balance in the account you’ll need to withdraw it before you can proceed.

It’s important to note that the NatWest International digital payment limits still apply when withdrawing your remaining balance. If you’re sending money from your account you’ll usually be limited by the maximum payment amounts you’ve set in the online banking system, which are normally no higher than 20,000 GBP per day³.

If you have more than this to transfer out, you’ll need to make several payments over a series of days - your only other option is normally to visit a branch in person, which isn’t practical if you’ve relocated.

Complete the online form

Onceyour account has a zero balance you can request closure. You’ll be prompted to log into online or mobile banking to complete this process, once you’ve run through a few quick questions to verify that you’re eligible for online account closure.

Follow the on screen instructions to enter your personal and account details to get your account closure underway.

Read the terms and conditions and submit your request

You’ll need to read through a few important points before you confirm your request. One point to note is that NatWest International will donate any interest which accrues from your account balance from the point you request its closure, to the actual closure date, to charity. Assuming you’re OK with this, confirm your details and you’re done.

Wait for approval

The process now hands over to NatWest International as your request will be checked and assessed, before being approved.

If the team needs any further information or documents they’ll let you know. You’ll also be notified in writing once your account is successfully closed - usually about a week or so later.

What’s the best way to send money internationally?

Banks are certainly one option for sending money internationally, as are services like PayPal. But the problem with banks is they can often be slow, expensive and inconvenient. Luckily, there’s a better alternative out there.

You can send money worldwide with Wise for low fees and the mid-market exchange rate. It’s easy and quick to set up a payment online, and you’re guaranteed secure transfers even when sending large sums.

Wise is a money service business (MSB) regulated by 12 international financial authorities, and uses sophisticated security features to keep you and your money safe.

Open a Wise account, and you can send, spend and convert between 40+ currencies whenever you need to. You can even receive money from all over the world using your own local account details.

As if all that wasn’t enough, there’s a Wise debit card too. For a one-time fee of just $9, you can spend in over 150 countries in the local currency. Your USD is automatically converted at the mid-market rate, for just a small conversion fee*.

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How much does it cost to close a NatWest International account?

There’s no fee to close a NatWest International account. However, if you have any outstanding debts on the account you’ll need to transfer money in to get your account to a zero balance before you can close it.

How long does closing a NatWest International account take?

Once you’ve requested closure of your NatWest International account, the bank aims to close the account in 5 working days. However, during busy periods this might take longer. You’ll be notified when the process is all finished and your account with the bank is closed.

Tips and challenges for closing your NatWest International account

As long as you can still access the NatWest International online or mobile banking system, you should not have any problem with closing your account. Here are a few final tips to help make the process as easy as possible:

It should be pretty straightforward to close your NatWest International from abroad as long as you have access to your online or mobile banking information. If you don't have this any more, you can still close your account by mail - slower, but still an effective and practical option. Use this guide to get you started, and to make sure the experience runs smoothly.

Sources:

1. NatWest International
2. NatWest International - close account
3. NatWest International - payment limits
4. NatWest International contact