International banker's draft
Jun 1st 2006, 10:42 am
#1
Utter Newbie
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2006
Location: London, UK
Posts: 88
International banker's draft
3 weeks today I will be in CA. Eek!
Anyway, now that's out of the way, I just wondered if anyone has experience of using an international banker's draft to bring funds to the US?
Some time between now and leaving, I am likely to end up with some money from an inheritance (probably about 30k pounds). I am otherwise pretty much broke (try being a PhD student for 3 years...), so I am going to need that money from arrival in order to be able to do practical things like rent somewhere to live.
I *did* have a Bank of America account, but the *****s closed it as inactive without contacting me. I can't reopen it from outside the US, so I can't do a bank transfer from here. However, once in the US, I still can't do a bank transfer, because Barclays insist on having me turn up with ID at a branch in order to do so. There is theoretically a way to do it via the customer service centre, but that involves writing to them and sounded like a huge pile of hassle. It would almost certainly also be far too slow. My branch advised that I take an international banker's draft, drawn in US dollars, since the amount (probably about $50k) is beyond the limit for an international money order ($15k). Have any of you done this? Any problems?
(PS: I passed my PhD viva last week! Woohoo!)
Anyway, now that's out of the way, I just wondered if anyone has experience of using an international banker's draft to bring funds to the US?
Some time between now and leaving, I am likely to end up with some money from an inheritance (probably about 30k pounds). I am otherwise pretty much broke (try being a PhD student for 3 years...), so I am going to need that money from arrival in order to be able to do practical things like rent somewhere to live.
I *did* have a Bank of America account, but the *****s closed it as inactive without contacting me. I can't reopen it from outside the US, so I can't do a bank transfer from here. However, once in the US, I still can't do a bank transfer, because Barclays insist on having me turn up with ID at a branch in order to do so. There is theoretically a way to do it via the customer service centre, but that involves writing to them and sounded like a huge pile of hassle. It would almost certainly also be far too slow. My branch advised that I take an international banker's draft, drawn in US dollars, since the amount (probably about $50k) is beyond the limit for an international money order ($15k). Have any of you done this? Any problems?
(PS: I passed my PhD viva last week! Woohoo!)
Jun 1st 2006, 1:45 pm
#2
Homebody
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: HOME
Posts: 23,179
Re: International banker's draft
Originally Posted by st326
3 weeks today I will be in CA. Eek!
Anyway, now that's out of the way, I just wondered if anyone has experience of using an international banker's draft to bring funds to the US?
Some time between now and leaving, I am likely to end up with some money from an inheritance (probably about 30k pounds). I am otherwise pretty much broke (try being a PhD student for 3 years...), so I am going to need that money from arrival in order to be able to do practical things like rent somewhere to live.
I *did* have a Bank of America account, but the *****s closed it as inactive without contacting me. I can't reopen it from outside the US, so I can't do a bank transfer from here. However, once in the US, I still can't do a bank transfer, because Barclays insist on having me turn up with ID at a branch in order to do so. There is theoretically a way to do it via the customer service centre, but that involves writing to them and sounded like a huge pile of hassle. It would almost certainly also be far too slow. My branch advised that I take an international banker's draft, drawn in US dollars, since the amount (probably about $50k) is beyond the limit for an international money order ($15k). Have any of you done this? Any problems?
(PS: I passed my PhD viva last week! Woohoo!)
Anyway, now that's out of the way, I just wondered if anyone has experience of using an international banker's draft to bring funds to the US?
Some time between now and leaving, I am likely to end up with some money from an inheritance (probably about 30k pounds). I am otherwise pretty much broke (try being a PhD student for 3 years...), so I am going to need that money from arrival in order to be able to do practical things like rent somewhere to live.
I *did* have a Bank of America account, but the *****s closed it as inactive without contacting me. I can't reopen it from outside the US, so I can't do a bank transfer from here. However, once in the US, I still can't do a bank transfer, because Barclays insist on having me turn up with ID at a branch in order to do so. There is theoretically a way to do it via the customer service centre, but that involves writing to them and sounded like a huge pile of hassle. It would almost certainly also be far too slow. My branch advised that I take an international banker's draft, drawn in US dollars, since the amount (probably about $50k) is beyond the limit for an international money order ($15k). Have any of you done this? Any problems?
(PS: I passed my PhD viva last week! Woohoo!)
I would suggest using XE. Do a search - lots of people here have used them.
Jun 1st 2006, 3:29 pm
#3
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 68,280
Re: International banker's draft
Should be no problem ...
you arrive in the US ...open a bank account
phone the international depart of you UK bank
tell them to wire funds to your US bank account giving them
account number and route code( sort code)
should arrive in a few days ..
you arrive in the US ...open a bank account
phone the international depart of you UK bank
tell them to wire funds to your US bank account giving them
account number and route code( sort code)
should arrive in a few days ..
Jun 1st 2006, 3:33 pm
#4
Septicity
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 23,762
Re: International banker's draft
Barclays branches in the UK can write a US check in dollars drawn on their office in NYC -- just ask at your branch. Will take a few extra days to clear when you pay in at BoA so make sure you bring some cash to pay in, too, to tide you over the first week or two. Maybe $5k or so in cash and the rest as a cheque?
Also, don't forget to declare all the money (cash and cheques) on the customs form -- they won't tax you or anything on it but you MUST declare it.
Barclays and BoA work well together -- they're part of the Global Alliance. Hence, you can use your Connect card in a BoA ATM and there are less charges than usual.
Also, don't forget to declare all the money (cash and cheques) on the customs form -- they won't tax you or anything on it but you MUST declare it.
Barclays and BoA work well together -- they're part of the Global Alliance. Hence, you can use your Connect card in a BoA ATM and there are less charges than usual.
Jun 1st 2006, 4:39 pm
#5
Account Closed
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 8,266
Re: International banker's draft
Originally Posted by fatbrit
Barclays branches in the UK can write a US check in dollars drawn on their office in NYC -- just ask at your branch. Will take a few extra days to clear when you pay in at BoA so make sure you bring some cash to pay in, too, to tide you over the first week or two. Maybe $5k or so in cash and the rest as a cheque?
.
.
Congrats on your PhD!
Jun 1st 2006, 4:52 pm
#6
Septicity
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 23,762
Re: International banker's draft
Originally Posted by TouristTrap
That highlighted part is VERY important,
Jun 1st 2006, 5:03 pm
#7
Account Closed
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 8,266
Re: International banker's draft
Originally Posted by fatbrit
Agree! Could take yonks and cost a fortune in fees if it were drawn against a UK office.
I took it back, sent it up to the branch office in NYC, and had the money in my account within 3 days.
Jun 1st 2006, 9:44 pm
#8
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: International banker's draft
No help other than suggest XE again...but congrats on the VIVA, always a fun pain in the nuts no matter what eh
Jun 1st 2006, 10:26 pm
#9
Lapine Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Austin, Texas in my own little world
Posts: 21,691
Re: International banker's draft
Originally Posted by st326
(PS: I passed my PhD viva last week! Woohoo!)
Jun 2nd 2006, 1:29 am
#10
Pain in the Butt
Joined: Mar 2006
Location: Newark, DE
Posts: 286
Re: International banker's draft
Originally Posted by Ray
Should be no problem ...
you arrive in the US ...open a bank account
phone the international depart of you UK bank
tell them to wire funds to your US bank account giving them
account number and route code( sort code)
should arrive in a few days ..
you arrive in the US ...open a bank account
phone the international depart of you UK bank
tell them to wire funds to your US bank account giving them
account number and route code( sort code)
should arrive in a few days ..
Jun 2nd 2006, 1:33 am
#11
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,017
Re: International banker's draft
Originally Posted by snowbunny
Wondering how cutina is doing? CUTINA?
Jun 2nd 2006, 2:26 am
#12
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 875
Re: International banker's draft
When we brought money over from the UK we just waited until we got here to open an account with WF, then immediately called First Direct and got them to do a wire transfer. I think First Direct are the best bank to have when you are international, as they don't try the bollocks of insisting you front up to a branch for any reason.
Jun 2nd 2006, 3:25 am
#13
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 68,280
Re: International banker's draft
Originally Posted by Vicky88
When we brought money over from the UK we just waited until we got here to open an account with WF, then immediately called First Direct and got them to do a wire transfer. I think First Direct are the best bank to have when you are international, as they don't try the bollocks of insisting you front up to a branch for any reason.
When I call them from the US ..they always tell me to hang up and they will call be back ..and they do ...
Jun 2nd 2006, 3:26 am
#14
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 68,280
Re: International banker's draft
Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
Sure she was around the other day.
Jun 2nd 2006, 3:57 am
#15
Homebody
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: HOME
Posts: 23,179
Re: International banker's draft
Originally Posted by Ray
Was she at my requiem mass.....
Yep. It was her who sang the Dies Irae
