How to fund your international transfer

3 minutes read

For most British and Irish expats in France, sending money between the UK and France is something you do regularly. Whether you're covering your French mortgage, topping up your account for day-to-day costs, or making a one-off larger payment, you want the process to be quick, simple and reliable.

With the Britline International Payments Service, it is. But it helps to understand the options available for funding your transfers so you can choose the approach that works best for your situation. Here's what you need to know about your payment options and how the process works.

Why you shouldn't just use your regular bank card abroad

If you've ever tried to pay for something in France using your UK bank card, you'll be familiar with the foreign transaction fees that can quietly add up. Many UK banks charge between 1% and 3% on overseas purchases, on top of an exchange rate that's rarely in your favour.

This is why using a dedicated international transfer service rather than your everyday card for direct foreign purchases makes such good financial sense. By routing your transfer through the Britline International Payments Service, you benefit from competitive exchange rates and transparent costs, rather than the opaque fees often buried in bank card transactions.

Your options for funding a Britline transfer

When you make a transfer through the Britline International Payments Service, you have flexibility in how you fund it. The most common methods include:

• Bank transfer: the most straightforward option for most customers. You send funds directly from your UK bank account to fund the transfer. This method is reliable and widely used (particularly for larger amounts).
• Debit card payment: if you need to move quickly, using your debit card to fund a transfer can be the fastest option. Card payments are processed rapidly, which means your transfer can get underway sooner.
• Regular direct debit: for customers making predictable, recurring transfers - such as monthly mortgage payments or regular pension top-ups - a regular transfer arrangement funded by direct debit is often the most convenient choice. It's fully automated, meaning you don't need to log in and initiate each transfer manually.

How to make a transfer online

The Britline International Payments Service is available online 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Here's how the process works:

1. Sign in to your Britline International Payments account (or set one up. It's free and quick to open).
2. Enter your transfer details: select the currencies, enter the amount and check the live exchange rate and your quote.
3. Add your recipient's details: provide the account you're sending to, or select from saved recipients if you've transferred to them before.
4. Choose how you'd like to fund the transfer: select your preferred payment method.
5. Confirm and send: review the details and confirm your transfer.

Once confirmed, you'll be able to track your transfer and know exactly when the funds will arrive.

For larger or more complex transfers, speak to our team

For straightforward, day-to-day transfers, our online platform makes the process quick and entirely self-service. But if you're making a larger transfer - for a property purchase, for example - or if you'd like to explore options like forward contracts to lock in a rate, our team of currency specialists is on hand to help.

We understand that every customer's situation is different. Some of our customers prefer to manage everything online; others value the reassurance of speaking to a real person. Either way, we're here for you.

The Britline International Payments Service is available online 24/7, with competitive rates, flexible payment options and a team of experts ready to help when you need it. Get started with the Britline International Payments Service, or get in touch if you'd like to talk through your options.

CA Britline - the bank that speaks your language

Our friendly and bicultural team of English-speaking advisors have been helping our customers with all their banking needs in France since 1999. Most of the team have lived both in the UK and France, so they can understand what life is like both sides of the Channel.

Feel reassured that you will always have access to real people who understand you and speak your language: contact our friendly team of English-speaking advisors who will help you set up your bank account including access to BIPS.

We look forward to hearing from you! 

First published: 15th June 2026
Image used is provided by Adobe Stock