For whatever reason you want to transfer money abroad in the pre-Christmas period, you can make international payments in‑e-finance in just a few clicks. And the money is already on its way to the recipient’s account. Our four examples show how it works:
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International payments: how they work for festive season surprises
Would you like to surprise your relatives or friends abroad with a sum of money or pay an invoice you received online for a gift you’ve ordered from abroad? This is quick and easy with an international payment.

Example 1: Last-minute Christmas money transfer to England
Rose has been living in Switzerland for two years and has to work over Christmas. A visit to her family in London over the festive season is sadly out of the question this year. She has been so busy at work that she has even neglected to get and send presents in time. But she still wants to surprise her family with some money that she will send via bank transfer to her parents’ family account. But time is short. It is already 22 December. How long does the transfer take?
Example 2: Sending an invoice amount to Germany for the festive wine
During their last autumn holiday, David and Milo travelled through Germany. On a stop in a wine-growing area in Württemberg, they discovered a small wine farm. They brought three cases of wine home with them. They loved the delicious flavour so much that they have since finished all the bottles. A few days ago, Milo ordered a new delivery as a surprise for the festive meal. Now the invoice has arrived too. How much are the fees for the international payment?
Example 3: Transferring the rent for the Christmas holiday apartment in Italy
For once, the Klein family will spend this Christmas holiday by the sea in Italy, instead of in the mountains. They’ve had a tip from a friend about a holiday apartment. The private Italian landlady has asked them to transfer the rent into her account in advance. But the Kleins have only the name and address of the landlady and the IBAN. So the Klein family isn’t sure whether these details are enough to transfer the money to the account at the Italian bank.
Example 4: Paying an invoice for a vintage gift from the USA
Vivienne’s boyfriend collects radios from the 1950s and loves American design. On the website of a vintage retailer in the USA, Vivienne has found a collector’s item that would be perfect for her loved one. According to the retailer, the perfect Christmas gift will be shipped as soon as the amount is paid in advance. How can Vivienne ensure that the agreed amount gets to the retailer?
How international payments work in e-finance
- Log in to your e-finance
- Under “Payments”, enter the international IBAN or account number for the recipient
- Enter the required details such as the address, amount and the urgency of the transfer (Option “urgent”)
- PostFinance automatically selects the optimal and least expensive option for you.