Best Way to Send Funds to Australia Dec 2018

[AustinJapan]

Hi. I have used the Shinsei Service for what seems like years. Mostly for payng off my Aust Credit Card (which I have abused in Japan due to no Japanese Credit Card) Since the end of 2017, Shinsei have been sending me mails asking for my 'My Number' and Status of Tax Residence.

It creeps me a little, not that I have any wealth anywhere on this planet, but what little I do have, I have no intention of being a poster boy for the JTA.

Anyway, taking a modest amount - (under the 10,000 dollar Aussie dollar limit) - home and exchanging it over the counter seems crude, silly and not to mention very expensive. The banks' and currency exchange outlets in Australia - they are notorious rip-offs.

So what is the most sensible option for Aussies now, going into 2019?

[RetireJapan]

Hi AJ

Well, the good news is that sending money abroad to pay your credit card is not a taxable event, so you should be fine.

The bad news is that you need to use your My Number to send or receive money now. Australia also signed up to the OECD tax-information sharing treaty so Japan will have access to information about any accounts there anyway.

We recommend Transferwise for general ease of use.

[AustinJapan]

Transferwise?

I just saw TokyoCheapo and they concur. Transferwise is best.

I am sure the application process will be a delight as usual.

Oh..and btw, their page suggests i need a Japanese Debit or Credit Card. Does that sound right? Obstacle number one!

Thanks a lot.

[goodandbadjapan]

Transferwise is super easy and very good. I have used it many times and never had the slightest problem.I don't think you need a Japanese card - I just send directly from my Japanese account. You CAN pay by debit or credit card but you don't (or at least didn't) have to.

[RetireJapan]

Yeah, paying by card is faster and more expensive. Normally you set up the transfer, they tell you how much it is, then you send them the funds from your bank.

Opening an account was pretty painless when I did it

[AustinJapan]

THx. So you don’t have to pay by card?

What is wrong with me? (OK..please do t say it )

So I decide to use TransferWise and I am happy read that I don’t need a card according to RJ!

So far so good.

I choose the TransferWise Help page hoping to set up an account so I can do NOn-card ransfers.

First page comes up: Support Centre

https://transferwise.com/help/article/2 ... -transfers


So far so good.

I scroll past Sending to JPY down to Sending from JPY
Within this subsection I scroll down to ...
How to Send Money

Here the ONLY option says , “Local Bank Transfer” with hypertext next to it saying “Debit Card” with text in the adjacent column; Please see more information about paying by Debit Card here. Just to confirm I am on the wrong track I click the link anyway and it gives me three or four pages of useless information about using the card to make payments.

So where can I find out how to set up and account and pay WITHOUT using a card, which I do not even have?

Could you tell me how you set up your account - at least where to go. I do not want to go the card route.

[RetireJapan]

THx. So you don’t have to pay by card?

What is wrong with me? (OK..please do t say it )

So I decide to use TransferWise and I am happy read that I don’t need a card according to RJ!

So far so good.

I choose the TransferWise Help page hoping to set up an account so I can do NOn-card ransfers.

First page comes up: Support Centre

https://transferwise.com/help/article/2 ... -transfers


So far so good.

I scroll past Sending to JPY down to Sending from JPY
Within this subsection I scroll down to ...
How to Send Money

Here the ONLY option says , “Local Bank Transfer” with hypertext next to it saying “Debit Card” with text in the adjacent column; Please see more information about paying by Debit Card here. Just to confirm I am on the wrong track I click the link anyway and it gives me three or four pages of useless information about using the card to make payments.

So where can I find out how to set up and account and pay WITHOUT using a card, which I do not even have?

Could you tell me how you set up your account - at least where to go. I do not want to go the card route.

Er, you just need to open an account then choose the 'local bank transfer' option to complete the payment. It's all in English

[goodandbadjapan]

Yes, as RJ says - just open the account first by clicking, I think, 'Register'. Once that is done it is pretty simple and you just do a furikomi like you would any other time you do local bank transfers. They will give you the account details to which you send the money. then they do the rest.

[AustinJapan]

Here the ONLY option says , “Local Bank Transfer” with hypertext next to it saying “Debit Card” with text in the adjacent column; Please see more information about paying by Debit Card here.

Er, you just need to open an account then choose the 'local bank transfer' option to complete the payment. It's all in English

Yep, I see the Local Bank Transfer written in plain English and it cannot be opened - just plain text, no hyperlink. Next to it is the Debit card.

Google Search Term : "Transfer Wise Open Account", My selection* TransferWise Help> Support Centre> JPY transfers> How to Send Money > Local Transfers. (Only choice from here is click Debit Card. no other information)

OK...so I went down the wrong rabbit hole. It gets frustrating telling people how to boil an egg, I know....but kid you not, that is how it went down.

I'll try a knocking on a different door...(doors)
THanks

[AustinJapan]

Thx again...at least I have now made it to the verification process!!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!