Help · Money transfers
Sending money from the US to Spain with Wise.
Why Wise instead of a bank wire
The real cost of a $1,000 transfer.
The number on the receipt is only half the story — most banks bury an additional 2–4% in the exchange rate they hand you. Wise uses the actual mid-market rate (the rate banks use with each other) and shows the fee on top.
Figures are typical ranges for a $1,000 USD→EUR transfer in 2026. Actual fees depend on amount, funding method and your bank. Always check the live quote in the Wise app before confirming.
Fee-free first transfer
Sign up through our link and your first transfer is on the house.
Wise pays a small referral credit when you sign up through this link. The credit applies to your first transfer fee — typically saving you $6–10. We don't charge you anything; it comes out of Wise's acquisition budget.
Before you start
What you need on hand.
- A US bank account or debit card to fund the transfer
- A US photo ID for the one-time verification (driver's license, military ID or passport)
- Your landlord's full legal name as it appears on the lease
- The Spanish IBAN of the receiving account (24 characters, starts with ES)
- The bank's BIC/SWIFT code — Wise asks for it for some banks but not all
- A copy of the rental contract handy in case Wise asks for proof of purpose (rare, but it speeds things up)
Step-by-step
How a Wise transfer actually goes.
- 01
Open a Wise account
Sign up at wise.com or in the app with an email address. Verify with a US photo ID (driver's license, military ID or passport). The verification step takes a few minutes; very occasionally Wise asks for a second document.
- 02
Start a transfer
Tap "Send money", choose USD as the source currency and EUR as the destination. Enter the amount. Wise shows you the real mid-market exchange rate, the fee, and the exact EUR amount your landlord will receive — before you commit.
- 03
Enter your landlord's bank details
Choose "Bank transfer" as the recipient method. Enter the recipient name exactly as it appears on the contract, the Spanish IBAN (24 characters, starting with ES), and the BIC/SWIFT if Wise asks. Triple-check the IBAN — see the breakdown below.
- 04
Pay for the transfer
Pick how you fund it: ACH from a US bank account is the cheapest and takes 1–2 business days. A wire transfer is faster but costs more. A debit or credit card is instant but has the highest fee. For monthly rent, ACH is almost always the right call.
- 05
Confirm and track
Review the summary, confirm, and Wise sends you status updates by email and push. You'll see when your money has been received, when the conversion happens, and when EUR lands in the Spanish account.
Spanish IBAN format
What each part of the IBAN means.
A Spanish IBAN is always 24 characters and follows the same structure. Knowing what each block is for makes it much easier to spot a typo before you send money.
Example: ES91 2100 0418 4502 0005 1332— that's a CaixaBank account in Madrid (bank code 2100). Banks usually print the IBAN with spaces every 4 characters for readability; Wise accepts it either way.
Worth knowing
A few things that trip families up.
Your first transfer takes longer
Wise often holds first-time transfers for an extra security review — expect up to 3 business days the first time. After that, ACH transfers consistently settle in 1–2 days.
Verify the IBAN, then verify again
A single wrong digit can send money to the wrong account and the bank may not be able to recover it. Copy-paste from your lease or from us — don't type it manually.
Fees are shown up front
Wise shows the exact fee and the exact EUR amount before you confirm. There is no hidden exchange-rate markup. If a bank quote is cheaper on paper, check the rate they're using — it's usually 2–4% worse than the real one.
Business days only
Wise does not process bank transfers on weekends or US/EU bank holidays. Schedule rent at least 3 business days before the 1st of the month to be safe.
Alternatives
Other services worth knowing about.
Wise is what we see most NAVSTA Rota families use, but it's not the only option. If you already have one of these set up, the fees are broadly comparable and you don't need to switch.
Wise support
If something goes wrong.
- Help centre — wise.com/help
- In-app chat is the fastest way to reach a real person.
- For urgent issues (transfer not arriving), use the phone number in the app — Wise routes you to the US or UK team depending on your account.
This guide is provided by Offbase as general help for families moving to NAVSTA Rota. It is not financial advice. Always refer to Wise's official site for current fees, limits and terms. The sign-up link is a referral link — Wise may credit our account when you complete your first transfer, at no cost to you.