Moving your current account abroad (EU or EEA)
What to do if you’re thinking about moving your current account abroad.
How we can help
If you're moving abroad to a country in the EU or EEA we can help by:
- Giving you a list of all the regular payments that go in and out of your account, such as your salary, direct debits and standing orders.
- Sending any money left in your account to your new bank account with an EU or EEA bank.
- Closing your Nationwide current account, if you wish.
You can do this online in the Internet Bank or in your local branch.
Note:
If you're a FlexPlus account holder, you can only make an insurance claim if you live in the UK. You'll still be charged the monthly fee if you keep the account open.
Once you've moved, you can close your FlexPlus account but you won't be able to change your account or borrow more from us. If you want to change the type of current account you have, please do this before you move.
In the Internet Bank
Getting your payments list
When you view your account transactions in the Internet Bank, you can use the filters to select date ranges and the types of payments you want to see.
1. Select your current account within the View accounts tab.
2. Select the dates you want to include for your list. In branch, we'd give you a list for the last 13 months.
3.Use the filter to narrow down your list.
4. Choose Direct Debits and Regular payments (this includes your Standing Orders) under All money paid out.
5. Select search to filter your list.
If you want to include your salary in the list, select Bank credits. This will include all payments credited to your account from another bank account, but your salary will be in there too.
Printing your list
There's an option to print your list at the top of the screen.
Moving your money
You can transfer any money you have left in your account to another account in the UK, to your account abroad, or you can choose to have it sent to you as a cheque (in pounds sterling).
If you want to send your money to your account abroad you’ll need to use either SWIFT or SEPA.
By SWIFT payment
The war in Ukraine:
If you wish to help those in need, we want to make it easier. We’re temporarily suspending our £20 payment charge for making SWIFT payments to Ukraine.
- Send payments in pounds or any currency (except Euros to a SEPA country).
- Free from a FlexOne or FlexStudent account or £20 from our other accounts. With a FlexBasic account it’s free to send pounds sterling to an EU or EEA country.
- If your payment is made in an EEA currency, it will take 1 working day to reach countries in the EU or EEA. If your payment isn’t in an EEA currency, for example US dollars, it will arrive within 4 working days.
- We’ll apply our standard outbound exchange rate for any currency other than pounds. We'll tell you what that is before we send the transfer. If you send your money in pounds, then the receiving bank will apply their exchange rate for the local currency.
By SEPA
- Send Euros to SEPA countries only.
- No transaction fee from all of our current accounts.
- Usually takes 1 working day.
- Our standard outbound exchange rate will apply. We’ll tell you what that is before we send the transfer.
By cheque
If you’d rather have a cheque sent to you, you can choose this as an option at the start of the account closure form. Be sure we have the right address and contact information for you first.
Closing your account
You can close your Nationwide current account, including joint accounts, using the Internet Bank or by visiting us in branch.
There are a few things to consider before you can do this, however, such as any overdraft or charges owing.
In branch
If you’re moving abroad to a country in the EU or EEA, we can do these things for you in branch.
Before you come to branch:
- Your bank account in an EU or EEA country must already be open and in the same name as your Nationwide account. If it’s a joint account and so is your Nationwide account then both names need to match on both accounts. Unfortunately, we can't transfer a joint Nationwide account to a sole account abroad as part of this process. You'd need to remove your joint account holder first.
- Make sure any linked savings accounts are closed. You can do this in the Internet Bank by going to Manage, then My accounts and selecting Close an Account.
- Your account needs to be in credit with no pending transactions or cheques to clear soon.
Bring with you:
Photo ID such as a driving licence or passport.
Proof of your EU or EEA account such as a statement (dated within the last 3 months) or account opening confirmation letter.
Your debit card for your EU or EEA account (we only need this if your statement or letter doesn't include the IBAN for your EU or EEA account).
Your debit card, card reader and chequebook for your Nationwide account (if you have them).
If your Nationwide account is a joint account, only one of you needs to come into branch, but please make sure you both agree.
We will:
- Check your contact details are up to date.
- Ask you to sign a form, agreeing to the transfer process.
- Give you a list of regular payments into and out of your account over the last 13 months.
- Send your money to your new EU or EEA account and let you know if any charges apply.
- Close your account the next working day.