International Payments

At John Lewis Money, we don’t charge an additional fixed transfer fee, but when a transaction has a foreign exchange conversion there is a markup applied.

This markup is variable as it depends on a few factors like market conditions and the transfer amount. The markup can help to cover the cost of the transaction. This means every transfer is different, so we’ll highlight exactly what you’re paying before you confirm the transfer. It’s always a good idea to compare exchange rates to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

Setting up an account at John Lewis Money is also completely free and there is no obligation to make a transfer.

Follow the steps below to send your first transfer or set up a new transfer with International Payments at John Lewis Money.

To get started

• Log in to your International Payments at John Lewis Money account (or register for an account if this your first time making a transfer)

• Click the blue 'Send money' button

The currency conversion step

• Choose the 'Destination country' to tell us which country you're sending money to

• Complete either the 'You send' or the 'Recipient gets' field:
  
  - 'You send' is how much you're sending in your home currency
  - 'Recipient gets' is the amount your recipient receives
  
  Need to pay a bill or send a specific amount in another currency? Complete the 'Recipient gets' field first.

Decide how you want to pay

• Time sensitive transfer? The fastest way to pay is by debit or credit card.

Choose your delivery option

• You can always send money to your recipient's bank account

Enter your recipient's details

• Pay an existing recipient or add someone new

Please note:

You'll only see recipients if their account is in the same currency as the currency you're sending. Learn more.

Let us know the reason for your transfer

• You can add a payment reference at this stage too

Pay for your transfer

• If you're paying by bank transfer, we'll send you a transfer confirmation email with our bank details in. You'll be able to make payment when this email hits your inbox.

Send your money

• Give your transfer one final check; let's get your money on its way!

Register for an account to send money - it takes about 5 minutes.

What information do I need to open an account?

You’ll need to provide the information below to open a money transfer account with International Payments at John Lewis Money:

1. Your country of residence
   - You can register for a International Payments at John Lewis Money account if you live in the UK or the European Economic Area (EEA)

2. Your email address

3. Your home address

4. Your mobile phone number

5. Your date of birth

6. Some information on your money transfer needs, including the currency you most commonly send and the amount you expect to send annually

Additional information

To keep your money safe, we'll sometimes ask you to provide the documents below:

• A bank account and an original electronic copy of a bank statement

• A piece of government-issued ID (a driver's license, passport, or an age of majority card)

• An electronic copy of a utility bill (i.e. an electricity bill)

Check the status of your transfer - or take an action to get it moving - in your online account.

Track your transfer in your online account

1. Open the Activity screen.

2. Click Details, Share or Resend to view your transfer or take an action.

With your transfer open you can:

• View the timeline for your transfer.

• Upload additional information, when required.

• Repeat a completed transfer.

Understanding the status of your transfer

Transfer statuses tell you what's happening with your transfer. Read more about what each status means below.

In progress

• We're working on delivering your transfer to your recipient. Check how long transfers normally take in this article. If we need more information from you before we can deliver your transfer, we'll email you. 

Waiting for funds

• If you're paying by bank transfer, you'll see this status until we receive your payment. You'll find our bank details in your contract note.

Change in progress

• We're making changes to your transfer. We'll action the change as soon as we can.

Pending cancellation

• We've received your cancellation request. Check back for confirmation that your transfer's been cancelled. 

Cancelled

• Your transfer's been cancelled. You might have asked us to cancel your transfer. We sometimes need to cancel transfers.

• If your transfer's been cancelled, we'll refund you. You can check our refund timeframes 

  here. 

Completed

• Your transfer's been delivered! Click on your transfer to see when we sent it or to repeat it.