Frequently Asked Questions

About UPI

Unified Payment Interface (UPI) is a payment method that allows you to instantly transfer money to a bank account in India.

Understanding UPI ID

UPI ID is a virtual payment address (VPA) that uniquely identifies one person. A UPI ID format is like an email ID: with the sign “@” in the middle. For example, your receiver’s UPI ID could be “receiver’s_name@bank_name” or “phone_number@bank_name.”

When sending with a UPI ID, you only need to have your receiver’s UPI ID. You do not need to ask receivers for their account number, account type, bank name, or IFSC code.

To receive the payment, the receiver needs to have their UPI ID linked to the bank enabled for international UPI remittance. Please see below the list of banks that support international UPI.

Current list of banks that support international UPI transfer

Below are the banks currently supported. More banks will be made available soon.

Send limits using UPI

Currently, you can send up to 200,000 INR per transfer.

Steps to send money using a UPI through Western Union

Western Union is the first money transfer service company to use a UPI transfer internationally.

1. Log in to your Western Union profile.
2. Choose India as your receiving country (you will need to know your receiver’s mailing address).
3. Choose to send using a bank pay out and use any payment method.
4. Choose UPI ID under the bank information section. You’ll be able to browse all the banks enabled for international UPI transfer.
5. Choose to send your transfer, and you’re all set. Generally, your transfer should be completed in minutes.

You can send money online to a Western Union location for cash pickup, directly to your receiver’s bank account, or to your receiver’s mobile phone. After you’ve chosen your destination country, you’ll see the types of services available.

Learn more about how to send money online.

Here are a few ways you can send money online using Western Union:

• Money in minutes:

If your money is needed within minutes, you can send online using your credit or debit card. Receivers can pick up cash at Western Union locations worldwide, depending on the hours of operation at that location.

If your receiver lives in a country where we offer mobile money transfer, you can send money to their mobile phone in minutes. Make sure your receiver has activated a mobile wallet with one of our partner mobile operators in their country.

• Money available in up to 2 days:

If you send money to a bank account, your money is generally available in up 2 days, depending on your receiver’s country. Learn more about sending money to a bank account.

Please be informed that the delivery time specified on the send money page varies according to the corridor, payment method, and payout method selected. It only estimates the time to deliver the money when the funds are received. It excludes the payment processing time.

Pay for your money transfer in the following ways:

1. Card
   You can pay using your debit or credit card.Supported cards are: Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, and Visa Electron. Please contact your bank to ensure your card is enrolled for secure authentication.
2. Bank transfer on westernunion.com
   You can pay for your money transfer using your online bank account. After you have entered your transfer details, you will be redirected to your online banking via Klarna, Trustly, or iDeal depending on your country.
3. Bank transfer from your account to Western Union
   Enter your transfer details on westernunion.com and log in to your online banking to pay for your transfer.
   1. Select bank transfer option.
   2. Review and confirm your transfer. Your receipt with your transfer information, reference number, and Western Union bank details will be shown to you and sent to your email address.
   3. Log in to your bank website / mobile app. Use the beneficiary information on the receipt page and make the payment via bank transfer. (Please ensure the information you provide matches the information on your Western Union receipt.)
   4. After Western Union receives your payment, a confirmation email will be sent to your email address.

After you’ve chosen your destination country, you’ll see the types of services available to you.

For more details about online payments, please call Western Union Customer Care at 0808 234 9168 for UK residents only and +32-(0)2 639 7103 or you may send us a message via Chat by clicking in this “Chat link“

This service is available for certain countries. Usually, money is deposited into the receiver’s bank account in 1 or 2 business days. Money may be deposited the same day or in as many as 3 business days, depending on when and where it’s sent.

After you send money, ask your receiver to contact their bank or check their bank statement to verify the deposit.

Learn more about sending to a bank account.

If your receiver lives in a country where we offer this service, you can send money to their mobile phone—so they can get their money even more quickly and easily. Make sure your receiver has activated a mobile wallet with one of our partner mobile operators in their country.

To send more than 800 GBP from The United Kingdom, you’ll need to verify your identity online. Once verified, you can send up to 4000 GBP every 3 days with your credit card and 50,000 GBP through your bank.

Please note: Only UK residents can send bank transfers with Western Union.

*The total send amount may vary from country to country.

Some card issuers may charge additional fees for using our services. Please contact your card issuer for more information.

Verified by Visa^® and MasterCard SecureCode^® help prevent unauthorised online use of cards. These services use personal passwords or identity information and are available for most cards from participating financial institutions.

Once your card is activated, your card number will be recognised whenever it’s used at participating online stores. A window will automatically appear, and your card issuer will ask for your password. You’ll enter your password to verify your identity and complete your purchase.

If you haven’t activated Verified by Visa^® or MasterCard SecureCode^®, your card can still be used on our site.

Your online receipt will show after your transfer is approved. If we need more information before we can complete it, we’ll let you know. When the transfer is complete, you’ll get an email with your tracking number (MTCN).

Western Union uses the latest technology to ensure convenient and reliable online money transfers. We have upgraded our security standards to protect you from fraud when you pay online using a credit or debit card. This enhanced layer of security, aligned with the latest EU regulations and changes to security systems, helps card issuing banks to better identify and verify customers, allowing for convenient, smooth, and reliable online transfers.

According to EU regulations, you have the right to easy, secure payments with no extra cost when you pay with a card issued in the EU¹. You also have the right to a basic payment account if you are a legally residing in Europe. Learn more.

Your debit or credit card payment may be declined due to several reasons:

1. By your bank
   Your bank may decline your payment due to:
   • Insufficient funds in your bank account.
   • Unusually large payment exceeding your bank limits.
   • Your card may not be enrolled for secure authentication.

   If your bank declines a payment while making a Western Union money transfer, you need to contact your bank or log in to your online banking to resolve the issue.

2. By Western Union
   Western Union may decline your payment for the following reasons:
   • Exceeding the transfer limit set for the country you are sending money from.
   • To protect you from fraud or consumer scam.

You can make up to 5 transfers to the same receiver on Alipay wallet within a 30-day period starting from the date of the first transfer. If it’s urgent, you can always choose a different payout method such as bank account or cash.

You’ll need to set up your Google Pay account to complete your transfers.

To set up your account, simply follow these steps:

1. Download Google Pay on your android device.
2. Select Get Started.
3. Choose your preferred payment method.
4. Enter and verify your card¹

¹ You can add up to 5 valid Mastercard or Visa debit, or credit cards.

You can make faster payments using your Google Pay.

Note: First, you’ll need to set up your account.

Then to use Google Pay for your transfer, follow these steps:

1. Select Google Pay as your payment method.
2. Add your receiver’s details.
3. Click on Pay with GPay on the review page.
4. Choose a card linked with Google Pay.
5. Continue to make the payment.

Note: Currently, this feature is only available on android devices and website.