Bank Switch Service: What is it and how do I enable it?

Elise · Dec 4, 2018

Hey bunqers 🌈,

Have a Dutch, German, French, or Irish IBAN and want to make bunq your primary bank? You can easily do this with the fully mobile Bank Switch Service in the app 🙌

Bank Switch Service automatically redirects all your incoming payments and direct debits to your new bunq account. Simple and hassle-free!

How do I submit the Switch Service request?

All you have to do is request a switch to bunq and we’ll take care of the rest 💪

Tap on your Profile in the top left corner
Tap on ⚙️ Settings
Tap on Switch Service
Tap on Let’s start
Choose the Bank Account where you want to redirect the payments
Register your Switch Service through the page you’re redirected to
Done ✅

Note: Requesting the Dutch Switch Service is done entirely in the app.

Who can use the Bank Switch Service?

The Bank Switch Service is currently available for transferring accounts from banks in the Netherlands, Germany, Ireland, and France to bunq. It’s supported across all bunq plans - Free, Core, Pro, and Elite - and works for both Personal and Business accounts.

Processing the request

Once you complete all the steps, your request will be sent to the old bank and it will be processed automagically 🪄

Your Switch Service will become active 2 weeks after being requested.

What will happen next?

** 🇩🇪 German, 🇫🇷 French, and 🇮🇪 Irish users**

After submitting your application, you’ll receive an email with your login credentials to check the status of your request. You’ll also access a dashboard showing the payments you selected, which have been notified, and which need to be updated manually.

Once all payment partners have been notified, you’ll get a second email with documentation and a reminder to check the status of the partners.

🇳🇱 Dutch users

As a Dutch user, you can easily track the progress of your Bank Switch Service in the bunq app.

Tap on your Profile in the top left corner
Tap on ⚙️ Settings
Select “Switch Service”

Here’s how it works:

All payment partners and direct debits from your old bank account will be notified to switch to your bunq account.
When a company makes a new direct debit, we’ll automatically share your bunq IBAN with them. They’ll update their records, and all future payments will go to your bunq IBAN. Direct debits to the old account will no longer be processed.

For any further information, you can also check out our Terms & Conditions here.

Can I enable Switch Service on my Joint Account?

Currently, Switch Service for Joint Accounts is only available for Dutch residents. To enable it, follow the steps mentioned below:

Go to 🏠 Home
Tap on your Joint Bank Account
Go to ⚙️ Settings
Select Dutch Switch Service
Tap on Fully switch to bunq
Enter your old IBAN
Select a Bank Account to redirect payments
Confirm Switch with your Security Code

How do I cancel the Switch Service?

The Switch Service cannot be cancelled directly through the app. If you need to cancel it after it has been accepted, please contact us via our Support Center, and we’ll help you with the cancellation.

Why can my Switch Service request get rejected?

These issues may come from your old bank, so it’s best to make the necessary changes or contact them directly, then resubmit your request:

The old account is not under your name - We can only process Switches if both accounts (old and new) are in the same person’s name. Therefore, we had to cancel your request.
The trade name linked to your old account is different from the trade name linked to your bunq account - Ensure the trade name on both your bunq and old Bank Accounts match exactly. If they do, contact your old bank to confirm how to avoid rejection when resubmitting.
The desired start date is incorrect. The old account may be involved in an active Switch on that date - This means your old account is still in an active Switch process, either not completed by the requested start date or too recently finished.
The bank account (IBAN) is already registered with the Switch Service -This could be due to your account’s inactivity or because there’s no account registered under your name.
Your old account is not a checking account - Verify that your old account is a checking account.
The old account is of a different account type - Your old bank can only process switches between personal accounts or business accounts. Make sure both accounts (old and new) are held by the same person. If you're opening a Joint Account at bunq, you can request the Switch again if you’re a Dutch user.
The old account is closed - Please check that your old account is still open.
The KvK number linked to your old account is different from the KvK number linked to your bunq account - Both accounts in the Switch Service must belong to the same company.

For other reasons, please contact us through our Support Center.

How can I send money to my old IBAN with an active switch service?

You can transfer money to the old account by sending it from the new account that's active in the Switch Service, as only from that IBAN it won't be forwarded.