Transfers abroad

To adjust a transaction, you can send money by wire transfer from your bank account to an account in a foreign bank. In the same way, you can receive a wire transfer emitted from an outside account into your bank account.

Abroad, in euro or in foreign currency transfers

A transfer abroad can happen currency (in foreign currency) and euro.

When you receive a transfer issued in foreign currency, the amount is converted to euros when it is brought to the credit of your account, it is certainly expressed in euro.

If you issue a transfer, it is your choice if you make it in euro or in the currency of the receiving country. Costs related to international transfers, outside the European economic area *, are usually borne by the transmitter. They include a commission, the amount is freely determined by the Bank, and foreign exchange.
The execution of the transfer time depends on each bank involved in this operation. There is no maximum time limit fixed by the regulation.

* The European economic area (EEA) includes the 28 States of the European Union (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, United Kingdom, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden) plus three States on four of the EFTA (European free trade association): the Iceland, the Norway and the Liechtenstein. The fourth State, the Switzerland, is not EEA member.

The SEPA credit transfer

The SEPA credit transfer is a transfer harmonized at European level, for transfers issued or received in euros, to account in one of the countries of the SEPA area, either the 28 countries of the Union European + the Iceland the Liechtenstein + the Norway the Switzerland Monaco (thus 33 countries).

This transfer, fully automated processing, require harmonized Bank coordinates: IBAN (international banking account number) for the account number and the BIC (bank identifier code) for the code of the Bank. There are all these coordinates on the RIB.

The less than 50,000 euros SEPA credit transfer costs the same price as the national internal transfer (that it will gradually replace) except to the Switzerland. It guarantees a payment within the period of one day business (from receipt of the order for payment by the Bank), new time limit applicable from January 1, 2012, against three days previously. This period is extended by a day for transfers on paper.

For transfers made between countries in the economic area European, but executed in the currency of one of these countries, other than the euro, the turnaround time is four-day maximum. And the transfer may be charged differently than the transfer internal. This is also the case where the transfer relates to an amount greater than EUR 50 000 or if the coordinates of the beneficiary (Iban and Bic) are incomplete.

The transfer of money abroad (Western Union or Money Gram)

If you need to transfer money to a child travelling in a foreign or do you send money in an emergency, you can use the services of Western Union or Money Gram. Just to have a piece of identity and a code on which the sender and recipient must agree.

These devices are very useful in the event of particular difficulties (loss or flight of your credit card during a stay abroad), as the networks of these companies are particularly extensive in the world. However these services are very expensive (10% of the amount transferred) and so it is better to use only in case of necessity.

Prefer bank transfer to Bank if you choose. Otherwise the international mandate may be a solution, but the time limit is longer: 4 to 10 days (if outside Europe) for a classical term, 48 hours for an express term (However the term international express is far from being present in all countries).

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Pay by cheque or cash abroad

Pay cash abroad

This solution is of course facilitated throughout the euro area.

In other countries, you can obtain money through your credit card (check in advance with your bank in order to have an estimate of the costs) or by changing your liquidity in euro from the local banks or foreign exchange agencies.

When you withdraw money in a foreign country using your credit card, the commission levied by your bank includes a lump sum and the rest varies proportionally to the amount collected. To avoid paying too much fixed commissions, attempt to remove large sums, while remaining vigilant. Some banks also have partnerships with banks abroad in which you withdraw money from your card without charge.

Most often the exchange agencies located in airports collect significant costs. Does therefore not too change is money if you're in a large city because you will certainly be able to find better rates then.

The foreign exchange transaction has a cost: changer typically take a commission and the exchange rate may vary in your disfavor from the day of purchase and the day of debiting your account.

For the most common currencies worldwide (US dollar, pound sterling, yen...), it is possible to get currency from before your departure from your bank. It is however take you in advance. It is the least expensive solution in general. For other currencies, you can request from the Bank of France.

Use travelers cheques abroad

Conventional cheques will be not useful overseas: little used, written in French, they will hardly ever be accepted.

On the other hand, it is possible to serve you from traveler’s cheques, provided that order them before leaving. This is checks in a pre-established amount issued in a particular currency, mostly in euros or dollars.

You pay the cost of issuance, but this means of payment is relatively safe and convenient since it is accepted everywhere in the world and guarantees a high security in case of theft or loss.

You can exchange at a bank in the country of destination for cash, or deal directly with some traders (e.g. hotels).

If the currency of the country where you are travelling is not available in traveler’s cheques, make sure that it will be possible to change euros on the spot. Otherwise you can get dollar traveler’s cheques and change them on the spot, but you will then pay twice a commission (for each change of currency).

Be careful to keep the receipt that is provided to you at the time of their purchase: it will allow you to oppose in the event of loss or theft, and especially to make you repay these values on site, quickly and free of charge.

Before leaving, sign each of your cheques only at the top and left. You will be asked for another signature, at the bottom left at the time of convert them into cash. This countersignature must be affixed before the bank employee to whom you ask the Exchange.

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The Bank, theDigital or electronic safe and insurance

A digital safe is a secure, accessible storage on the internet and to keep electronic documents in various formats. It is primarily intended for the conservation of paperwork such as invoices, contracts or salary.

According to service providers and the desired storage space, it is usually paid. The price may vary from one or two euros to 10 euros per month. But it may be free for small storage spaces (1 Giga byte).

It is proposed by banks, insurers or independent enterprises. The contract of opening is generally terminable at any time.

How does the digital safe?

Most digital safes work by downloading of previously scanned documents.

Some vendors offer to automatically collect certain documents(invoices, and even salary slips) to issuers (EDF...) and to classify them. It is sometimes also possible to set up an e-mail address dedicated to the reception of these document types and linked to the trunk for the automatic classification of these.

A sharing function exists sometimes allowing third parties authorized to have access to certain documents of the safe.

The recommendations of the CNIL on the safekeeping digital

In its recommendation published in the Official Gazette of October 09, 2013, the CNIL
was held to clarify its position regarding digital safes. She believes that so-called digital safe services must ensure the integrity, availability and confidentiality of stored data. It makes several recommendations on security measures to be implemented, including:

·         the service must be investigated before its implementation of a normal (and not simplified) declaration with CNIL services, mentioning the categories of data personal processed by the provider (identification of users and connection data);

·         a digital safe is storage space is restricted to its single user and persons that it mandates;

·         the content must be protected by technical measures making it unintelligible to third parties not authorized;

·         the service provider must not be technically able to access the contents of the trunk without the express consent of the user;

·         the user should be clearly informed of the type of space at his disposal and the terms of use;

·         the deletion of a digital Vault document must be immediately taken into account. Any backups do not need to be maintained more than a month.

·         sustainability of the storage must be ensured and savvy users sufficiently in advance of any closure of the service. A simple data recovery system must be put in place (so you can for example easily change provider).

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Services of Bank depending on the insurers

All banks offer their customers to access their accounts directly through the Internet. After having subscribed to the services of banks remotely, it is possible to consult and manage all its banking operations remotely.

Subscription to Bank remote services

On your bank's website, you are accessing a secure customer space to manage your online accounts. To get there, you must first purchase a subscription to distance bank service, free or paid according to banking institutions.

To connect, you have a login and a passcode provided by your bank.

Consult the balance of its bank account and manage its day-to-day operations

24 hours a day and 7 days a week, you see the balance of your bank account, the last operations recorded the debit and credit transactions on your credit card which will be soon charged.

You edit RIB ( identified banking identity ), order a checkbook... You perform ad hoc or permanent, transfers between your accounts or to an external recipient.

More often, you will benefit it from reduced fees, or even zero, by carrying out your banking directly via the Internet instead of going into agency or call your Advisor by telephone.

See his savings, investments and credits

With a subscription of Bank remotely, you see the balance of your current credits (staff, auto, renewable, real estate), the amounts placed on your savings booklets, on your life insurance or securities your portfolio...

Manage its loans and its financial products

Passing by your customer, you can directly unlock a portion of your revolving credit reserve or prepay your personal loan.

You can also manage your life insurance contracts (payments, arbitrations, repurchases...) and your contract of insurance, auto, health (Amendment of the insured risks, statement of claims...).

In addition, you can buy or sell securities on the stock exchange, with transaction fees generally discounted orders placed in agency or by telephone.

Tips to use the Bank online and distance

You want to access your bank's services without the constraint of the opening hours of your agency or remoteness of your place of residence or work. Use the services of Bank away from traditional banks or hold a bank account in a bank 100% online allows you to carry out your banking transactions at any time of the day or night.

And if you are sensitive to the argument of the cost of banking services and products, you can do some (few) savings by making your online operations, passing you bank branch and a traditional contact face to face with a banking Adviser.

Tips for using remote banking services and bank online safely

·      Protect your computer with a firewall, an anti-virus and anti-spyware. They are free or paid versions.

·    Enable the "private browsing" option of your browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome...) to surf the web without leaving traces. Go through the menu 'Tools', tab 'private browsing '.

·        Regularly change the code of access to online services.

·  If you connect in a public place (Internet Cafe) or with a mobile phone or a smartphone in the street, at the café or the restaurant, make sure you are safe from prying eyes.

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