how to order travel money natwest app

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Travel account

Spend your holiday euros like a local.

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Pay in euros with your debit card

How does it work? Travel account links euros to your existing debit card so that you can separate your holiday pot, and spend without the usual non-sterling transaction fees. Some ATMs may charge you an additional fee.

F ree to set up with no monthly fee for a Travel account (monthly fees do apply to some of our current accounts which can be linked to a Travel account).

Available to existing sole account holders of eligible current accounts  who are registered for mobile banking and are  ​UK residents over 18. Limited to one Travel account per customer. Mastercard debit card holders only. If you hold a Visa debit card on any of your accounts, you won't be able to open a Travel account for now.

Spend like a local in euros, fee-free on purchases.  Track your euro spend in the app to help you separate your holiday pot. Select to pay in euros when abroad to spend your euros.

We won't charge you a fee for the first €200 in cash you withdraw from ATMs  every 30 days.

Top up in app, 24/7.  Exchange your euros between your linked current account and the Travel account. 

Easy set up.  Open and use a Travel account in the mobile app within minutes.

You can hold up to €10,000 in a Travel account, and spend up to €10,000 a day. Any euro spending over this amount will be debited in pounds from your linked current account and will be subject to any applicable non-sterling transaction fees.

Is a Travel account right for me?

Travel account links euros to your existing current account debit card, so you can spend euros without non-sterling fees , when making purchases abroad or purchasing something in euros online. Take out €200 cash from an ATM abroad without usual non-sterling transaction fees every 30 days. 

Top up euros at a live exchange rate, separate these from your daily spending, track your euro spend in the app. Exchange your euros back to pounds at any time for free.

Remember to select to pay in euros, not pounds, and have enough euros topped up for the transaction - otherwise the transaction will charge your linked current account in pounds, and fees may apply.

Pay euros with your debit card

When given the option, select to pay in euros, not pounds, at a card terminal.

Chip & pin or contactless both work.

If you run out of euros, we will take the full amount from your linked current account instead, fees may apply.

Take out euro cash abroad

Take out up to €200 cash from an ATM abroad without usual non-sterling transaction fees, every 30 days.

Further withdrawals will be taken from the linked current account, and we will apply the usual non-sterling transaction fee.

Remember to select euros, not pounds, at the ATM to secure fee-free cash. 

Some ATMs abroad may charge additional fees.

Online shopping in euros

Buying something online in euros? Enjoy the fee-free euro spend by using your euros with your linked debit card.

Some merchants may charge additional transaction fees online, and may refund euros to your Travel account.

Important Documents

NatWest Bank Privacy Notice is available here.

The money in your Travel account is protected as part of the FSCS scheme. 

• FSCS Information Sheet (PDF, 101 KB)
• What You Need to Know (PDF, 63 KB)

Let's get started

• Open up your mobile app and look for the Travel account tile in the Apply section ( help! I can't see the Travel account option )
• Step through the set up and link your Travel account to your existing eligible current account
• Top up your Travel account with euros from the linked current account - you get a live exchange rate in the app 24/7

Already enjoy fee-free on purchases abroad with a packaged account?

If you have a Reward Silver, Reward Platinum, Premier Reward Black or Black Account, you already enjoy fee-free debit card spending when you’re abroad, while ATM cash withdrawals carry a 2.75% fee.

If you would prefer the peace of mind of purchasing euros in your app ahead of your trip, at the provided exchange rate at the time, then Travel account could still be a good option for you. 

With a Travel account you could also benefit from fee-free ATM cash withdrawals of up to €200 every 30 days. Further withdrawals will be charged to the linked current account, and a 2.75% fee will apply.

Monthly account fees and eligibility criteria apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can open a travel account.

You are eligible for a Travel account if you are over 18, live in the UK, already have an eligible current bank account with us, and are registered for mobile banking.

Eligible accounts include Select, Reward, Premier Select, Black, Student and Graduate.

Not eligible for Foundation, Adapt or Revolve. Other eligibility exclusions may apply.

Not eligible for business accounts.

You can have one Travel account at a time. If you want to link your Travel account to a different current account, you will need to close the Travel account in the app and open a new one, linked to the desired current account.

At the moment only sole account holders can link a Travel account to their sole owned current account.  Joint accounts or other party holders are not eligible. If you wish to add another party to your linked current account, your Travel account will need to be closed first.

How much can I spend with a Travel account?

The Travel account is for your holiday spend, so there is a limit to the amount of euros you can hold and spend on it for your safety.

You can hold up to €10,000 in a Travel account, and spend up to €10,000 a day. Further spend will be charged from your linked current account, subject to our debit card limits, and the usual fees may apply.

You can take out up to €200 cash from an ATM abroad without any usual non-sterling transaction fees, every 30 days. Further euro cash withdrawals in the 30 day period will come from your linked current account, and the usual fees may apply.

What happens if I run out of euros in my Travel account?

There is no overdraft on the Travel account, so if you don't have enough euros in your Travel account to cover a transaction, the full amount of the transaction will be paid from your linked current account and the usual fees may apply.

As long as you have enough euros to pay for a transaction, and you select to pay for it in euros (sometimes also shown as "pay in local currency"), then we won't charge you the usual non-sterling transaction fee.

What exchange rate is used for the Travel account?

When topping up your Travel account with euros, or exchanging euros back to pounds, you will be presented with the current rate we have available. You can proceed to secure the rate, or come back later.

If you wish to know the exchange rate of a particular transfer, you can find this in the details section of the transaction in your mobile app.

Can I send money internationally with a Travel account?

No, you can top up your euros in the app by exchanging pounds from your linked current account, and you can spend the euros using your existing linked debit card.

No other payments or transfers can be made in or out of the Travel account.

For more information on how to send money abroad, visit the  Sending money abroad  page.

Which countries use the euro?

The following countries use euro as their local currency: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.

The euro is also used in non-EU member countries, including Andorra, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino, Vatican City, Kosovo.

There are other countries in the process of adopting the euro, including Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Sweden.

Need more information?

You can visit our support pages for more information:

• What is a Travel account?
• What are the requirements to open or close a Travel account?
• How to guidelines for Travel account
• How to spend with a Travel account?
• More support with the Travel account

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Sending money abroad

Online banking available to customers aged 11+ with a NatWest International account. App available to customers aged 11+ with compatible iOS and Android devices and a Channel Islands, Isle of Man, UK or international mobile number in  specific countries .

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What you'll need to send an international payment

When making an international payment, make sure you have the beneficiary’s:

• Name and address
• Bank name and address
• Bank Identifier Code (SWIFT BIC)
• International Bank Account Number (IBAN) *

* A National Clearing Code (NCC), also known as a Routing Code, is required for payments without an IBAN. If you enter a NCC, you will require the recipient’s bank account number.

How do I send money abroad?

Making an international payment using the mobile app or online banking is just as secure as it is to make one in branch. You can make a payment to a new or an existing payee, quickly and easily, in the comfort of your home.  Criteria apply.

Make a payment using our mobile app

To send an international payment using our mobile app, you'll need to make the first payment using online banking. After this payment is made, you will be able to send funds to the international payee using the mobile app.

What you'll need

• The latest version of the NatWest International app
• A personal current or savings bank account
• The first payment must be made in online banking

Your step-by-step guide

• Log in to the mobile app
• Select the account that you want to make the payment from
• Select 'Payments'
• Choose 'International payment'
• Select 'Make on international payment'
• Select 'Choose who to pay or pay someone new'
• Under 'Your payees', choose an existing payee
• Key the amount in either foreign currency or GBP
• Choose the payment date and advise the fees you want to pay
• Add a statement reference (optional)
• Check the payment details and select 'Initiate payment'

Make a payment using online banking

To create an international payee, make the initial payment to the recipient and the payee details will be available for future payments.

To approve an initial payment to a recipient you will require:

and either:

• your card and card reader or;
• our mobile app if you've registered for biometric approval

Log in to  www.onlinebanking.natwestinternational.com , select 'Payments & transfers' from the main menu and then the 'International payments' tab.

1. Choose the account to send the money from and then either 'Pay someone new' or 'Pay one of your saved payees'

• If you select 'Pay one of your saved payees': choose a recipient's name from the list and then the payee's currency
• If you select 'Pay someone new': select the country that you are sending money to from the list and the payee's currency
• Enter the amount that you would like to send, choose which charges you wish to pay and select 'Get exchange rate and charges' and review the quote
• If you accept the quote, press 'Next'

2.   Complete the payee’s details:

• Payee's name
• Payee's address
• Account details

Under 'Account details' select the relevant option: IBAN & BIC, Account number & BIC or Account number & NCC

If the destination country uses International Bank Account Numbers (IBAN), please select 'IBAN & BIC'. For other countries or if you don't know the IBAN number, please select 'Account number & BIC' or 'Account number & NCC'.

IBAN:  International Bank Account Number (IBAN) Banks use an IBAN to identify accounts for international payments made in Europe as well as some other countries. 

Bank Identifier Code (BIC):  A BIC is also known as a SWIFT Code or Business Identifier Code or Bank International Code and they mean the same thing. It's a globally recognised code that specifies which bank we need to send the money to. The code has either 8 or 11 characters.

National Clearing Code (NCC): An NCC is needed for making a payment to an account that doesn't have an IBAN. They are also known as Routing Codes or Bank State Branch (BSB) codes for some countries (e.g. South Africa, Australia and New Zealand). If you have a SWIFT/BIC or IBAN code then you don't need an NCC. If you select 'Account number & NCC' you also need to enter the payee's bank name and address.

If you are paying an existing payee these details will be pre-populated.

Complete the Additional details:

• Reference for your statement
• Message to payee
• If you are making a payment to Bahrain or United Arab Emirates, you will require to advise a Purpose of payment code.

Select 'Next'

3. Check the details:

• Review the payment details
• Acknowledge you have read and accept the terms & conditions
• Complete the security check to advise the reason for the payment, confirm that you wish to continue and press 'Make payment'

If this is the first payment made to this recipient, you'll be asked to approve the payment using your card reader or using our mobile app if you have registered for biometric approval.

Learn more about online banking

Complete a form and return it to your branch

We’ve created an interactive payment request form to help customers who prefer to send us payment instructions by post or by visiting a branch. For customers using mobile devices or tablets, standard versions of our payment forms are available to download.

More information on payment forms

If you’ve registered to send faxes and have a signal number card, you can also send us your completed form by fax.

Our international payment fees

When sending money abroad, you'll pay different amounts depending on the method used to make the payment and where you're sending it to.

Digital Payments (excluding cards)

Payment type, maximum amount, payment fee, manual payments (excluding cards), what does an iban look like.

To make international payments you'll require the recipient's International Bank Account Number (IBAN). IBANs are used to identify accounts for international payments made in Europe as well as some other countries. 

IBANs can vary from country to country. They are unique because the alphanumeric code is connected to only one account. The IBAN includes all the information needed for a successful transfer: the country code, check digits, bank code, branch code and account number.

IBANs will have up to 34 alphanumeric characters, consisting of a:

• two-letter country code (for example, IE for Ireland)
• two-digit control number, used to catch errors
• maximum of 30 alphanumeric characters that identify the bank and the account number

You can use an IBAN and BIC to make currency payments within the UK however, if you're making sterling payments in the UK, you should use a sort code and account number.