How long does it take to receive a wire transfer

There are numerous options for sending money, such as checks, mobile apps, and electronic transfers, for different types of needs. When speed and simplicity are top priorities for a money transfer, wire transfers may be a good option.

How long does it take to receive a wire transfer
A wire transfer is a method of transmitting money electronically between people or businesses in which no physical money is exchanged. The sender is the one who provides all the instructions for the transfer, which may include the recipient’s name, bank, account number, amount, and sometimes a pickup location. The wire transfer can be facilitated by a bank (sometimes referred to as a “bank wire”) or by a nonbank money transfer provider.

When would I use a wire transfer?

Wire transfers are common for both domestic use in the U.S. and international use. They are popular for international transfers because they are easy to exchange to a foreign currency, if needed.

They are also a good option if:

  • You need to complete a transfer urgently. Most domestic transfers are processed on the same day, and international transfers are typically completed within a few days (depends on country).
  • You need to move large amounts of money. Though limits vary based on the money transfer provider, they tend to be high. For this reason, wire transfers are often used to pay invoices, to send funds among family, or for real estate transactions.

Where can I send a wire transfer?

Though you can send wire transfers to both domestic and international recipients, fees vary according to provider, destination, and the dollar amount transferred.

The information you need to supply varies depending on whether you are using a bank provider or a nonbank provider:

  • When sending a domestic bank wire, you will need to provide the recipient’s name, address, bank account number, and ABA number (routing number).
  • When sending an international bank wire, you will need to provide the recipient’s name, address, banks SWIFT BIC, and bank account number, plus the International Payments System Routing Code, for certain countries (you will be prompted for this).
  • For a transfer made via a nonbank provider, a bank account number may not be necessary, but the provider will need the recipient’s name and the pickup location.

These methods are similar in terms of security.

What else should I know about wire transfers?

  • Take care to determine that a wire transfer is valid and appropriate as wires are final and cannot be canceled once the transfer is initiated.
  • Familiarize yourself with the fees that apply to your wire transfer before initiating a transaction as the amounts vary depending on the provider, destination, mode of sending money, and amount of money being transferred. If you are sending a wire in foreign currency, you should also pay attention to the amount of the exchange rate as the amount of the exchange rate can vary among providers.

When you practice due diligence with regards to security, wire transfers can be an easy, convenient way to transmit money. Learn more about wire transfers.

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Wire Transfers FAQs

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What is a wire transfer?

A wire transfer is an electronic payment service for transferring funds by wire, for example through SWIFT, the Federal Reserve Wire Network or the Clearing House Interbank Payments System.

What should I do if I receive an error message that discusses exact fees from other banks?

For Remittance Transfers, we're now required by law to inform you of the exact fees you will incur for international wires, including fees from other banks. For some requests, we won't have the exact fees from other banks and therefore will not be able to process it. If your request was in US dollars, you may try again in foreign currency –– this may help us determine the exact fees incurred for this transaction and enable us to send the wire request successfully.

How do I assert an error with my Remittance Transfer?

Contact us at 877.337.8357 (or 302.781.6374 from outside of the U.S.).

You can also write to us at:
Bank of America, N.A.
PO Box 25118
Tampa, FL 33622-5118

For international wires initiated by a consumer primarily for personal, family or household purposes, you must contact us within 180 days of the date we indicated to you that funds would be made available to the recipient. Please have the following information handy:

  • Your name and address (or telephone number)

  • The problem with the transfer, and why you believe it's an error

  • The name of the person receiving the funds, and if you know it, his or her telephone number or address

  • The dollar amount of the transfer

  • The confirmation code (provided from the Transfer Receipt)

We'll determine whether an error occurred within 90 days after you contact us and we'll correct any error promptly. We'll tell you the results within 3 business days after completing our investigation. If we decide that there was no error, we'll send you a written explanation. You may ask for copies of any documents we used in our investigation.

Please note that in the event you provide an incorrect account number or institutional identifying number, and we are not able to recover the funds, you may lose the amount of the payment order.

How do I cancel a Remittance Transfer?

International wire transfers initiated by a consumer primarily for personal, family or household purposes may be cancelled within 30 minutes of confirmation for a full refund, including any fees. We'll refund your money within 3 business days of your request to cancel a transfer as long as the funds have not already been picked up or deposited into the recipient's account.

If you initiated the international wire transfer through Online Banking, the best way to cancel is to Log in to Online Banking; select the Transfer tab and then select Send money to someone using their account number at another bank from the dropdown menu. You can also call us at 877.337.8357. From outside of the U.S., call us collect at 302.781.6374.

If you initiated the international wire transfer at a banking center, you can get the transfer canceled by going to the nearest banking center or by calling us at 877.337.8357 (or 302.781.6374 from outside the U.S.).

Can someone wire funds to my account at Bank of America?

Yes, someone with your account information can wire funds directly to your Bank of America account. You will need to provide your account number and wire transfer routing number. For incoming international wires, you will also need to provide the appropriate SWIFT Code.

Bank of America's SWIFT code BOFAUS3N should be used for incoming wires in U.S. dollars.

Bank of America's SWIFT code BOFAUS6S should be used for incoming wires in foreign currency.

If you do not know or are unsure of the type of currency being received please use BOFAUS3N.

To find your account number and wire transfer routing number, Log in to Online Banking, select your desired account and then select the Information & Services tab.

Are there fees and limits for domestic and international wire transfers?

Fees and limits may apply, depending on your account type and the type of wire. You will be able to review any fees and limits before completing your wire transfer in Online Banking. Latest transfer limits are also available in our Online Banking service agreement. For Remittance Transfers, we're required by law to inform you of the exact fees you will incur for international wires, including fees from other banks. For some requests, we won't have the exact fees from other banks and therefore will not be able to process it. If your request was in US dollars, you may try again in foreign currency –– this may help us determine the exact fees incurred for this transaction and enable us to send the wire request successfully.

What is a SWIFT Code?

The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) Code is a unique identification code that may be required by some banks, broker-dealers and investment managers for the completion of international wire transfers.

Which Bank of America SWIFT Code should I provide?

Bank of America’s SWIFT code BOFAUS3N should be used for incoming wires in U.S. dollars.

Bank of America’s SWIFT code BOFAUS6S should be used for incoming wires in foreign currency.

If you do not know or are unsure of the type of currency being received please use BOFAUS3N.

Someone sending an incoming international wire to you may also ask for Bank of America’s address. The address to provide is as follows:

BOFAUS3N (for incoming wires in US dollars or unknown currency)
Bank of America, NA
222 Broadway
New York, New York 10038

BOFAUS6S (for incoming payments in foreign currency)
Bank of America, NA
555 California St
San Francisco, CA 94104

What is an IBAN number?

The International Bank Account Number (IBAN) is the international standard for identifying international bank accounts across national borders.

The IBAN is comprised of a maximum of 27 alphanumeric characters within Europe and a maximum of 34 outside of Europe (German IBAN: 22 characters). At present, the United States does not participate in IBAN. Therefore, Bank of America does not have an IBAN number.

When sending wire transfers to countries that have IBAN numbers, we recommend including those numbers in your wire transfer documentation. According to the European Directive, only the account-keeping bank may calculate the IBAN / check digits. To obtain the IBAN numbers of another bank, please visit that banks website or contact them directly to obtain that information.

How soon can an international recipient receive the funds from a wire transfer?

If you are transferring funds to an international account, your account will be debited the same day and Bank of America will send the payment out immediately. The beneficiary's bank will generally receive the funds 1 to 2 days later. The funds will usually be credited to the beneficiary within 2 days. However, there are a number of factors which could delay the credit to the beneficiary. These include, but are not limited to: local bank holidays, delays by an intermediary bank or other local conditions. Note, too, that some countries have been designated as slow-to-pay layer countries. Transfers made to or from a slow-to-pay country may experience delays in crediting the beneficiary's account.

List of Slow-to-Pay Countries

  • Afghanistan
  • Algeria
  • Angola
  • Bangladesh
  • Benin
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Botswana
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cameroon
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Congo
  • Congo, The Democratic Republic of
  • Cuba
  • Djibouti
  • Egypt
  • Ethiopia
  • Gabon
  • Gambia, The
  • Ghana
  • Guinea
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Iran
  • Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Iraq
  • Kenya
  • Korea, Democratic People's Republic of (North Korea)
  • Korea, Republic of (South Korea)
  • Kosovo
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Mali
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Myanmar
  • Namibia
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • North Korea
  • Pakistan
  • Philippines
  • Russia
  • Russian Federation
  • Rwanda
  • Senegal
  • Sierra Leone
  • Somalia
  • South Korea
  • Sri Lanka
  • Sudan
  • Swaziland
  • Syria
  • Syrian Arab Republic
  • Tanzania
  • Tanzania, United Republic of
  • The Gambia
  • Tunisia
  • Uganda
  • Viet Nam
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

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How long does it take for a wire transfer to hit an account?

Transfers typically happen quickly. Generally, domestic bank wires are completed in three days, at most. If transfers occur between accounts at the same financial institution, they can take less than 24 hours. Wire transfers via a non-bank money transfer service may happen within minutes.

Are wire transfer funds available immediately?

If you are sending money from your bank to an account at the same institution, it is normally completed within 24 hours, sometimes, even instantly. A worst-case scenario would be around three days if sending to retailers or businesses. Sometimes, wire transfers can take longer.

What time of day do wire transfers post?

5:00 p.m. ET for same-business-day (wire) transfer. Funds will be received by the recipient's bank on the same business day.

How long does it take to receive a money wire?

Tips. It usually takes around 24 hours for money you receive from a wire transfer to show up in your bank account. However, factors such as the bank's policies and the time when the sender initiates the transfer can affect the deposit time.