Large international transfer: why your bank blocks it (and how to avoid it)

This situation is common, and it is almost never personal. It stems from very specific legal requirements. Understanding them allows you to prepare your file before the transfer rather than suffering the consequences afterwards.

Why a bank blocks a large international transfer

Banks and all payment institutions are subject to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) regulations, established by the Monetary and Financial Code. They must know their customers, monitor their transactions throughout the duration of the relationship, and understand the origin of funds.

In practical terms, a transaction triggers a check when it falls outside your usual habits. The most common alerts include:

• An unusual amount compared to your income or account history.

• A destination or origin country deemed sensitive by the bank.

• A new beneficiary, especially if it is an account in another person's name.

• A transaction whose logic is unclear: a large deposit immediately followed by a transfer abroad, for example.

As long as the bank cannot justify the transaction, the law allows it not to execute it. It can also make a report to Tracfin, without having the right to inform you. That is why exchanges sometimes seem vague: the bank is not allowed to explain everything.

Supporting documents to prepare depending on your situation

The central question is always the same: where does the money come from, and what is the purpose of this transfer? Here are the documents that answer this in the most common cases.

• Sale of property: the deed of sale or the notary's certificate specifying the price.

• Inheritance: the certificate of inheritance or deed of notoriety, the inheritance tax declaration, the notary's statement.

• Property purchase abroad: the preliminary sales agreement or reservation contract, the developer's payment schedule, details of the notary's account or escrow account.

• Accumulated savings: statements from the accounts where the funds originate, covering several months.

• Gift: the deed of gift or the declaration of a manual gift.

• Income earned abroad: employment contracts, payslips, tax assessments.

A clear file, with a brief note explaining the transaction in chronological order, almost always speeds up processing.

Concrete example: €280,000 for a flat in Lisbon

Claire sold her studio flat in Lyon and wants to buy in Lisbon. She initiates the transfer of the purchase price from her bank, the day before signing. The transfer is suspended: the amount is much higher than her usual activity, the beneficiary is unknown, and it is going to a foreign country.

It takes four days for the bank to receive the deed of sale for the studio flat and the Portuguese preliminary contract. The completion date is postponed. If Claire had sent these two documents a week before, the transfer would have gone through without an issue.

The delay is not the only cost. On such an amount, the exchange margin applied by a traditional bank on a foreign currency transfer is often between 3% and 4%. Here the transaction is in euros, but for a purchase in Dubai, Switzerland, or Morocco, this margin would represent several thousand euros.

How to avoid delays: best practices

• Notify before sending: alert your bank to the transaction one to two weeks in advance, along with supporting documentation.

• Request a written list of the required documents to avoid back-and-forth communication.

• Transfer from an account in your name to an identified account (notary, escrow, developer), never to an unknown intermediary.

• Keep the logic straightforward: avoid multiplying transit accounts and split transfers, which raise more red flags than a single, well-documented transfer.

• Anticipate processing times: factor in a buffer of several days before any completion deadline.

Bank or international payment specialist: who does it better?

Checks exist everywhere: any regulated institution must verify the source of funds. The difference lies in how they conduct them. In a bank branch, a large international transfer remains a rare operation, handled by a central department you cannot contact. With a specialist, this is daily business: documents are requested as soon as the file is opened, and the transaction is prepared before the deadline.

This is the approach taken by OSolto. Before your transfer, a dedicated expert, backed by more than 10 years of experience in international payments, reviews the necessary documents with you and prepares the transaction. You gain access to over 140 currencies at competitive rates that are much closer to market conditions than those offered by a traditional bank, and you can lock in a rate in advance if the payment occurs later.

OSolto is registered with ORIAS under number 26004337 and operates through authorised payment institutions. Your funds are held in segregated accounts, kept separate from the own funds of these institutions.

Key takeaways

A blocked large transfer is not a punishment: it is a verification required by law. Prepare your supporting documents before the transaction, notify your contact, and allow extra time. Do you have a significant transfer coming up? Speak to an OSolto expert to prepare it seamlessly, with no obligation.

Frequently asked questions

Does my bank have the right to block my transfer?

Yes. If it cannot verify the origin of the funds or the purpose of the transaction, AML/CFT regulations allow it not to execute the transfer until the required information is provided.

How long can a block last?

From a few hours to several days, depending on how quickly supporting documents are provided and the workload of the compliance team. Providing a complete file from the outset significantly reduces this delay.

From what amount is a transfer checked?

There is no single threshold. Checks depend primarily on how unusual the transaction is relative to your profile and account history.

Why doesn't the bank explain the exact reason to me?

The law prohibits it from disclosing the existence of any potential report to Tracfin. However, it can tell you precisely which documents it requires: ask for this in writing.