Paying an Overseas Bank FAQs

A Fedwire (or ABA) code is a bank code used in the United States, which identifies financial institutions. Fedwire/ABA codes are always nine (9) digits in length.

To obtain one:

• Request the code from the payment recipient.
• Search the American Federal Reserve routing directory.

Please note that Suncorp Bank staff are not able to provide any details relating to Fedwire/ABA codes.

An intermediary bank needs to be used when you are sending any currency other than the local currency of the destination country.

For example, when sending Australian dollars to the United States, as Australian dollars is not the local currency, payment must be forwarded to an Australian intermediary bank before going to the destination country (US).

The intermediary bank cannot be the same as the beneficiary bank specified or Suncorp Bank. You may need to request intermediary bank details from your payment recipient via their bank.

Refer to our Telegraphic Transfers into Australia page or a list of intermediary banks for non-Australian dollar payments required by Suncorp Bank.

A SWIFT code or Bank Identifier Code (BIC) is the unique identification code of a particular bank and is a standard format code which is comprised of eight (8) or eleven (11) letters and/or numbers. For example, our SWIFT code is METWAU4B.

If you're looking for a SWIFT code for another bank, you can:

• conduct a search for your bank and include the word 'SWIFT' or ‘BIC’
• contact the payment recipient's bank who can provide the appropriate SWIFT code
• the SWIFT Online Directory.

The International Bank Account Number (IBAN) is a series of letters and numbers that uniquely identifies an account held at an overseas bank.

An IBAN is a mandatory requirement when sending payments to some countries. You can search for a country IBAN requirements and validity online.

All IBANs start with a two (letter) country code and contain between sixteen (16) and thirty-four (34) letters and numbers.

You will need to request the IBAN from the payment recipient. IBAN and SWIFT codes are often displayed on applicable payment recipient's bank statements.

Note: Suncorp Bank is unable to provide an IBAN.

You can find detailed information about how to send money from Internet Banking to a recipient outside of Australia on our International Money Transfer page.

Subject to your daily limit, the transaction limits for international money transfers are:

• Transfers up to AUD $20,000 can be sent at any time (except public holidays).
• Transactions up to AUD $50,000 can be completed during 8:00 am and 6:00pm AEST Monday to Friday (except public holidays).
• The maximum total value that can be transferred is AUD $100,000 within a 48-hour period per Customer ID.

Sort codes (or bank codes) are a unique identifier of the individual branch or bank office where a bank account is held. Sort codes are mandatory when sending a telegraphic transfer to countries such as the United Kingdom and South Africa.

You will need to request a sort code from the payment recipient. The payment recipient may need to ask their bank for the sort code.

Note: Suncorp Bank staff are not able to provide the sort code.

The currencies that are available in global payments are: AUD, CAD, CHF, CNY, DKK, EUR, FJD, GBP, HKD, INR, JPY, NOK, NZD, PGK, PHP, SEK, SGD, THB, USD, ZAR.

The foreign currencies available are subject to change without notice. Alternatively, you may choose to send the payment in Australian dollars, in which case the funds are converted to the local currency by the receiving bank.

To locate the current international money transfer exchange rates, please visit Suncorp Bank's Foreign Currency Rates page.

A Canadian bank code is a unique number that identifies Canadian banks for the purposes of payments.

A Canadian bank code should consist of either an eight (8) digit code, a three (3) digit institutional code plus a five (5) digit transit or branch code (i.e. 000-00000 or 00000-000).

No, Australian bank accounts do not have an IBAN – we use a BSB and account number.  

Suncorp Bank uses a SWIFT code. If you're sending money from overseas to a Suncorp Bank account, our SWIFT code is METWAU4B.

When processing a telegraphic transfer to an account held at a New Zealand Bank, the recipient account number must be provided in the International format.

This is either fifteen (15) or sixteen (16) digits consisting of the branch or bank code, account number and a two (2) or three (3)-digit suffix.

Telegraphic transfers performed on a weekend, or after approximately 3pm AEST time on a bank business day, and will be processed the following bank business day.

Fees and charges may be deducted from the transferred amount by the originating overseas bank, their correspondent bank and/or any other intermediary bank, resulting in receipt of a lesser amount than what was originally sent. Suncorp Bank does not charge a fee for receiving overseas payments.