Help with international transfers

Ballard

ERICS_MUM wrote: »

In theory you shouldn't need to supply the intermediary, that should be determined by Halifax. Their international payment system should contain a mass of routing details and combinations and as long as it knows the final beneficiary's banking details so their bank & branch can be identified, the payment system should 'build' the payment routing automatically.

In general this is true but I have come across occasions with small provincial US banks where they were neither on Swift nor The Bankers Almanac (which, among other things, gives payment information). If it's a USD payment then it should be straightforward but if not then there could be an issue. Probably not but there could be.

abisan777

Thank you so much for your help everyone!

I was aware there was no IBAN (the first time I went to the branch they sent me away to look for it, until I discovered the US doesn't use them). I was finally referred to a lady at Halifax who did know how to do the payment and she basically said what some of you have- the payment will go to the intermediary automatically, so those details were irrelevant. As far as cost goes, because I had been to the branch three times and sent away for a non-existent IBAN, she waived the fee, paid for my travel expenses for all the trips and gave me some more money in compensation. The exchange rate was better than at some of the in town travel agents for dollars.

Thanks again for the replies!