Frequently Asked Questions

Anyone who needs to send or receive money quickly uses Western Union. These include people supporting friends or relatives abroad, travellers and business people who need to make fast, international remittances.

Western Union agent locations are independent businesses that provide money transfer services to their customers on behalf of Western Union.

Western Union agent locations offer the ability to send money worldwide using cash.

You’ll need to complete a “To Send Money” form and pay the agent the amount you want to send, plus fees, in cash.

To pick up the money, the receiver will complete a “To Receive Money” form at any Western Union agent location and provide proper identification. The agent then pays the transfer amount to the receiver.

Sending money with Western Union from an agent location doesn’t require credit cards, debit cards or bank accounts. But you will need to show a valid ID.

Depending on the country and the agent, where the receiver picks up the money, the acceptable IDs will vary. In general passports and national IDs are acceptable. A driver’s license might not be valid.

In some cases the receiver might also need to verify their current address, for example with a utility bill.

You can usually send any amount. However, for certain amounts and transfers, you may be subject to additional security and asked to provide additional information or documentation.

Generally, we will pay cash to your receiver. But, in some cases, payment may be made by cheque or a combination of cash and cheque.

Other restrictions may apply.

Any time after the money has been sent, you can check your transfer status online. All you need is the tracking number (MTCN), which is printed on your receipt, the receiver’s country and the amount (receive amount).

You can check your transfer status online. All you need is the tracking number (MTCN), which is printed on your receipt, the receiver’s country, and the amount (receive amount).

You can pick up your money at any agent location. You’ll need to complete a “To Receive Money” form with the following information:

• Name
• Address
• Amount expected
• Sender’s name
• Sender’s city and country

Acceptable ID documents are also required.

Some restrictions may apply.

Each Western Union agent location determines its own hours of operation. Some have extended hours and some even stay open 24 hours.

Find a nearby agent location.

Find a nearby agent location online or look for Western Union in your local telephone directory.