Any time after sending, you can check your transfer status online. All you need is your name and the tracking number (MTCN) printed on your receipt.
You can check your transfer status online. All you need is the sender’s name and the tracking number (MTCN) printed on the sender’s receipt.
You can pick up your money at any agent location. You’ll need to complete a “To Receive Money” form and include the following information:
Acceptable ID documents also are required.
Some restrictions may apply.
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.
When you send money internationally, your receiver generally will be paid in local currency. The exact amount will be calculated based on the exchange rate applicable at the time of shipment. However, for transfers to certain countries, the exact amount will be calculated based on the exchange rate applicable at the time of receipt.
Here are a few ways you can send money online using Western Union:
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.
If you send money to a bank account, your money is generally available within 1 or 2 days, depending on your receiver’s country. Learn more about sending money to a bank account.
You can send up to 1.000 EUR per transaction or within a 3-day period from Luxembourg before we need to verify your identity. After your identity is verified, you can send up to 5.000 EUR per transaction.
Find a nearby agent location online or look for Western Union in your local telephone directory.
If your receiver lives in a country where we offer this service, you can send money to their mobile phone. Make sure your receiver has activated a mobile wallet with one of our partner mobile phone operators in their country.
This service is available for certain countries. Usually, money is deposited into the receiver’s bank account within 1 or 2 working days. Money may be deposited on the same day or in up to 3 working 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 money to a bank account.
You can send money online to a Western Union location for a cash pickup, directly into 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:
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 a matter of minutes. Make sure your receiver has activated a mobile wallet with one of our partner mobile operators in their country.
If you send money to a bank account, your money is generally available within 1 or 2 days, depending on your receiver’s country. Learn more about sending money to a bank account.
Pay for your money transfer in the following ways.
a) 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.
b) Bank transfer from your account to Western Union
Enter your transfer details on wu.com and log in to your online banking to pay for your transaction.
1. Select bank transfer option
2. Review and confirm your transfer. Your receipt with your transaction 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. Once Western Union receives your payment, a confirmation email will be sent to your email address.
This service is available for certain countries. Usually, money is deposited into the receiver’s bank account within 1 or 2 working days. Money may be deposited on the same day or in up to 3 working 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 even send money to their mobile phone—so they can get their money quicker and easier than ever. Make sure your receiver has activated a mobile wallet with one of our partner mobile operators in their country.
You can send up to 1.000 EUR per transaction or within a 3-day period from Luxembourg before we need to verify your identity. After your identity is verified, you can send up to 5.000 EUR per transaction.
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.
Even 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 whether your transfer was approved. If we need more information before we can complete it, you’ll be asked to call us. 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 transactions.
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 unsuccessful due to several reasons:
a) By your bank
Your bank may decline your payment due to:
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.
b) By Western Union
Western Union may decline your payment for the following reasons:
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.
Strong Customer Authentication (SCA), as mandated by the EU’s Revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2), requires payment service providers to authenticate digital payments.
SCA, also known as 3D Secure, is a multi-factor authentication that adds an extra layer of security to digital payments to reduce fraud. It asks you to authenticate your payment using PIN, password, or biometrics.
At Western Union, to meet the SCA requirements, we use multi-factor authentication to secure your online transfers.
Western Union uses Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) to secure online payments. To successfully authenticate your payment, please be sure of the following:
Please note that you can also pay for your money transfers using alternative methods. We’ll show your payment options when you start an online transfer.
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:
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 online or look for Western Union in your local telephone directory.
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.
| •Abhyudaya Cooperative Bank Limited | •Janata Sahakari Bank Limited | •Airtel Payments Bank Limited | •Jana Small Finance Bank Limited |
| •Andhra Bank | •Karnataka Bank Limited | •The Andhra Pradesh State Cooperative Bank Limited | •Kalupur Commercial Cooperative Bank |
| •Andhra Pragathi Grameena Bank | •Kalyan Janata Sahakari Bank | •Andhra Pradesh Grameena Vikas Bank | •Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited |
| •Apna Sahakari Bank Limited | •Kerala Gramin Bank | •Bassein Catholic Cooperative Bank Limited | •The Karanataka State Cooperative Apex Bank Limited |
| •Bank Of Baroda | •Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank | •Bandhan Bank Limited | •Laxmi Vilas Bank |
| •Dena Bank | •Bank Of Maharashtra | •Bank Of India | •Maharashtra Gramin Bank |
| •Central Bank Of India | •Mahanagar Cooperative Bank | •City Union Bank Limited | •The Mehsana Urban Cooperative Bank |
| •Canara Bank | •Oriental Bank of Commerce | •Corporation Bank | •G P Parsik Bank |
| •The Cosmos Co Operative Bank Limited | •Pragathi Krishna Gramin Bank | •Catholic Syrian Bank Limited | •Punjab And Sind Bank |
| •Development Bank of Singapore | •Punjab National Bank | •DCB Bank Limited | •Paytm Payments Bank Ltd |
| •Deustche Bank | •Ratnakar Bank Limited | •Deutsche Bank (Bij Alle Sepa-Transacties) | •Rajkot Nagrik Sahakari Bank Limited |
| •Dhanalakshmi Bank | •State Bank of India | •Equitas Small Finance Bank Limited | •Standard Chartered Bank |
| •Federal Bank | •South Indian Bank | •Fino Payments Bank | •The Surath Peoples Cooperative Bank Limited |
| •Fincare Small Finance Bank Ltd | •Saraswat Cooperative Bank Limited | •The Gujarat State Cooperative Bank Limited | •Suryoday Small Finance Bank Limited |
| •Hasti Coop Bank Ltd | •The Shamrao Vithal Cooperative Bank | •HSBC Bank | •Syndicate Bank |
| •IDBI Bank | •The Thane Bharat Sahakari Bank Limited | •ICICI Bank Limited | •TJSB Sahakari Bank Limited |
| •IDFC Bank Limited | •Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Limited | •Indian Bank | •The Tamil Nadu State Apex Cooperative Bank |
| •Indusind Bank | •Union Bank Of India | •Indian Overseas Bank | •UCO Bank |
| •India Post Payment Bank | •Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited | •Jammu And Kashmir Bank Limited | •Axis Bank |
| •Jio Payments Bank Limited | •The Varachha Cooperative Bank Limited | •Janakalyan Sahakari Bank Limited | •Vijaya Bank |
| •Karur Vysya Bank | •The Vishweshwar Sahakari Bank Limited | •Vasai Vikas Sahakari Bank Limited | •Yes Bank |
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.
The Direct to Bank Account money transfer service offers senders an easy and convenient way to send funds directly to a receivers’ bank account.
The bank information required to send a Direct to Bank Account money transfer varies by country. In generally you will need to know:
Your Receiver’s bank name. Your Receiver’s Bank Code and bank account number. The amount and currency you wish to send. You can refer to the Direct to Bank Account – Country Information section to see specifically what details are required for each country.
This service is available for certain countries. Usually, money is deposited into the receiver’s bank account within 1 or 2 working days. Money may be deposited on the same day or in up to 3 working days, depending on when and where it’s sent.
After you sent the 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.
A bank code is a series of numbers used to identify banks around the world. The bank code can be 3-23 digits, depending on the country and the type of code.
A bank code may be known as:
For some countries, you also may need an international bank account number (IBAN) in addition to the bank code.
You should obtain the bank code and IBAN (if applicable) from your receiver.
Learn more about sending money to a bank account.
An IBAN is used in some countries to identify a customer’s bank account. The IBAN is an alphabetical country code followed by 2 digits and then as many 35 characters for the bank account.
You should obtain the IBAN from your receiver.
Learn more about sending money to a bank account.
Payouts will only be made in the local currency. Senders should ensure their receiver’s bank account is a local currency account to avoid potential service delays or additional charges from the receiver’s bank.
Generally, it will take 1 or 2 bank working days. The length of time varies based on where and when the money is sent.
Learn more about sending money to a bank account.
You can use the transfer status service to track the status of any money transfer. All you need is the tracking number (MTCN) and the sender’s name.
A BIC is a worldwide code for bank identification. The BIC is the same as the SWIFT code and is either 8 or 11 digits.
If your receiver lives in a country where we offer this service, you can send money to their mobile phone. Make sure your receiver has activated a mobile wallet with one of our partner mobile phone operators in their country.
A mobile wallet is an electronic account that’s linked to a person’s mobile phone. Money can be electronically deposited and used in the same way as cash. Mobile wallets are used to pay for goods, public transportation and utilities, as well as for paying bills and withdrawing cash.
Mobile money transfers can only be sent to mobile phones that belong to mobile phone operators that work with Western Union.
No, the sender doesn’t need to have a mobile phone to send a mobile money transfer. However, if the sender does have a mobile phone and chooses to provide their number, they’ll get a text message to confirm that the money has been delivered or to alert them of any issues.
Exchange rates for mobile money transfers will be calculated, applied and displayed when the money is sent, unless otherwise specified by local regulations.
Funds are sent based on the mobile number provided. To be sure that your money is transferred to the intended receiver, you must be sure to provide the correct mobile phone number.
Senders need to provide identification to send money to a mobile wallet. Transactions comply with the regulations of the sender’s country and with those for cross-border remittances. Mobile phone operators secure their customers’ mobile wallets with a PIN and other security methods. Please check with your service provider for more information.
If your mobile phone is lost or stolen, contact your mobile operator and they will freeze or suspend your mobile wallet account for your protection.
Mobile money transfers are paid in the local currency of the receiver’s country.
Receivers will get a text message from their mobile service provider to confirm that the money has been delivered or to alert them of any issues.
Which countries can receive money sent online by mobile phone?
Western Union agent locations are independent businesses that provide money transfer services to their customers on behalf of Western Union.
Each Western Union agent location determines its own hours of operation. Some have extended hours or even stay open 24 hours.
Find a nearby agent location online or look for Western Union in your local telephone directory.
No, it’s free to register.You can register here. It only takes a minute.
Registering to receive transfers in Colombia
The Government of Colombia will require you to register if you receive a transfer in Colombia that exceeds its cash and frequency limits.
If you know you need to register, you can call Western Union’s Colombian partner, Giros y Finanzas, at any of the numbers below.
You can also wait for Giros y Finanzas to call you. They will try to contact you up to 3 times in the 15 days after we send the money. If Giros y Finanzas cannot reach you after 3 tries, we will cancel the transfer and refund the sender.
Giros y Finanzas contact numbers in Colombia (country code +57):
Giros y Finanzas contact numbers outside Colombia:
Giros y Finanzas office hours of operation, Colombia Time (COT) (UTC -5):
Giros y Finanzas may ask you to provide the following:
Receiving money in Argentina
If you receive a money transfer in Argentina, you need to complete a one-time registration within 90 days of getting it.
Also, if you receive 2 additional transfers within that 90-day period (a total of 3 transfers), you will need to register before you can pick up the third transfer.
To get you registered, we will contact you within 24 hours of the transfer at the number provided by your sender. You will be asked to provide additional identifying information on an online form used for registering transfers.
1. If you’re the receiver, you may need to complete a one-time registration before you can get the money.
2. If you need to register, you will be contacted within 24 hours by us at the number provided by your sender.
3. To register and confirm your identity, you will need:
4. If the receiver cannot be contacted within 3 days, we will not be able to finish your transfer, and the sender will be issued a refund. If the receiver cannot be contacted within 3 days, we will not be able to complete the transfer, and the sender will be issued a refund.
5. You can also call Customer Care at 4008190488 or 02168664622 to provide your identity information.
To receive the money, you must register with our agent GraceKennedy. You can register online through the registration portal or visit a GraceKennedy Western Union Agent location in Jamaica.
To register in person at an agent location, you will need to provide the following information:
To register online, you will also need to provide the following information along with the above requested information:
Note: If you are registering at an agent location, these documents will be scanned into the registration system and returned to you.
GraceKennedy will complete the verification within 2 business days to make sure the receiver owns the given bank account. If there are any issues with your registration, you will receive an SMS, email, or phone call from the agent to address and correct it.
Please note that if your registration is not complete, the transfer may be canceled within 7 days.
You’ll need to verify your identity to send 1,000 EUR or more. After your identity has been verified, you can send up to 5,000 EUR per transfer.
You can verify your identity in any of the following ways:
During an online transfer
To verify your identity during an online transfer, please do the following:
You may also need to upload a picture of your credit or debit card as a Proof of funds.
Identity verification may take 30 minutes or more. If we need additional information, we’ll contact you via email.
1 If you’ve sent money at a Western Union agent location, please use the same government-issued ID you used at the location. It helps in faster verification.
Note: Before you upload a government-issued ID, please make sure of the following:
Through video chat
To verify your identity via video chat, follow the steps below:
Identity verification via video chat may take up to 4 hours. If we need additional information, we’ll contact you via email.
Note: Before you start the video verification, please make sure of the following:
You can provide any of the following documents to verify your identity:
As a Western Union Money TransferSM user, we value your business and take pride in delivering your funds to the intended recipient in a fast, convenient and reliable manner. However, there are individuals throughout the world who will attempt to use any system to receive payments in connection with fraudulent sales or solicitations.
Make sure you know who you are sending money to. If you are purchasing goods or services and paying through the Western Union network, it is your responsibility to verify the reputation and legitimacy of the seller. Western Union is not responsible for the non-receipt or quality of any goods or services.
Discontinue a call if a caller instructs you on how to respond to questions asked by Western Union.
Security is everyone’s responsibility. Stay informed. Keep abreast of consumer fraud trends.
Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Be wary if you are required to pay a fee before receiving a loan.
Beware of sweepstakes, prize or lottery company representatives who tell you to transfer money to them in order to claim a prize you’ve won. There are many companies running fraudulent contests that ask you to transfer them money but give you nothing in return.
Beware of unsolicited letters or emails from Nigerian or other foreign government officials requesting assistance in the transfer of excess funds from a foreign country into your bank account.
Beware of telephone calls from the police claiming that someone you know has been in an accident or been arrested and is requesting money.
Beware of unsolicited letters or emails offering an unrealistic price for expensive or rare merchandise.
Make sure you know who you are sending money to. If you are purchasing goods or services and paying through the Western Union network, it is your responsibility to verify the reputation and legitimacy of the seller. Western Union is not responsible for the non-receipt or quality of any goods or services.
If you receive an email from a company representing itself as Western Union and you are not sure it was sent by westernunion.com or westernunion.ie, do not click on any links in the email. This may be a “phishing” attempt to fraudulently acquire sensitive information from you. Instead, immediately contact your local authorities.
Western Union will never send you an email asking for your user ID, password or credit card details.
Western Union does not offer an escrow service or any type of “purchase protection” policy. Western Union’s business is to transfer funds from a sender to a receiver. We warn and recommend people using our services to not send money to people they don’t know. It is the sender’s responsibility to know the party to which the funds are being sent. Using a fictitious name or changing the Receiver’s name after the money transfer has been sent is not a guaranteed means of securing funds. If a receiver presents proper identification with the same name as on the money transfer, payment will be made.
Be wary of third party “pickup” or “holding” services unless they are a reputable, licensed escrow service. Western Union is not an escrow service, should not be used as an escrow service, and is currently not affiliated with any escrow services.
For online auctions, examine seller feedback carefully and know the warning signs associated with fraudulent auction sales. Most online auction sites have safety guidelines or FAQs that can help you identify potentially fraudulent sales. Be wary if the seller is using a free email address or insists on accepting only one form of payment. Report any suspicious activity and file non-delivery of goods complaints with the auction site through which you purchased the item.
Remember that Western Union never acts as a guarantor of an auction buyer or seller’s performance.
Contact your government’s Office of Consumer Affairs if you are uncertain or suspicious of a telephone, mail or email solicitation.
If you feel you have been the victim of fraud, you can contact your local police or contact us on spoof@westernunion.com.
Western Union employs a variety of techniques, including SSL technology, to keep your personal information safe.
Additionally, the following tips can help keep your password secure:
You can further protect your passwords by making sure that your virus-scanning software is kept up to date, and by running anti-spyware programs. These programs can help protect you from viruses or other malware that could compromise your identity even though your computer may seem to be working fine.
If you use Microsoft Windows, make sure your Windows updates are enabled to help keep your operating system protected. You can learn more about Microsoft Windows updates at https://www.microsoft.com.
Use extra caution when entering your password on a computer that does not belong to you. Viruses, spyware or your browser’s settings might be used to compromise your account by recording your username and password.
In Microsoft Internet Explorer, you can view the security (SSL) certificate by following these steps:
In Mozilla Firefox, you can view the security (SSL) certificate by following these steps:
My WU is a free loyalty program from Western Union. You can register on westernunion.com or our mobile app.
Learn more about My WU program.
Earning reward points is currently disabled in the program. If you are a My WU member, we will notify you about our new rewards program.
On our website and app:
The discount will be automatically applied to your next transfer fee.
Via the My WU portal:
The discount will be applied automatically to your next transfer fee.
You can use your My WU points till they expire as per My WU terms and conditions.
Earning reward points is currently disabled in the program. If you are a My WU member, we will notify you about our new rewards program.
Yes, you can continue to redeem your My WU points until their expiry.
To protect our customers, we review every money transfer to make sure it’s safe. For a variety of reasons, we may ask you to provide us with more information before we can allow you to continue using our services.
We need additional information to understand why you use Western Union and the relationship between you and the person or entities you’re transacting with. The more information you provide, the quicker we’ll be able to complete your request.
To have access to our services again, follow the steps below:
a. Valid government-issued photo ID is needed to verify your identity.
b. Source of funds is needed to make sure that the money transfers are not related to illegal acts and correspond to the nature of your activity.
c. Purpose of money transfer or intended use of money is needed to understand the basis for making the payment and the type of relations between the sender and the payee.
d. Third party activity (sending or receiving money on behalf of individual or business) information is needed to understand the purpose and nature of your relationship with Western Union.
After we’ve received your completed questionnaire and required documentation, we’ll email you a response within 3 business days.
In case we have additional questions, we may contact you via the email address provided in the questionnaire.
We’re committed to the security of your personal information. We use organizational, technical and administrative safeguards that comply with applicable government laws and regulations to secure your personal information. We also restrict access to the personal information that we process to only our employees, agents and representatives that have a business need to know it. For more information, read our Terms and Conditions and Online Privacy Statement.
If you still need support, visit our Contact us page for information on how you can get in touch.
1 Please note that you need to be a legal resident of the EU, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom to be eligible for these rights.