Send Money To India
Transfer Options
Bank transfer- Debit card (UK only)
- BPAY (Australia only)
- Direct debit (U.S. only)
Features
0.4% margin for new customers referred by iCompareFX- Fee-free transfers
- Scheduled transfers
- Online and phone transfers
Best For
Pay no fees for personal transfers- Get competitive exchange rates
- Lets you schedule transfers with ease
Trading in some currencies possible only over the phone- Website access only in English
Transfer Options
- Bank Transfer
- BPAY (Australia)
Features
- Fee-free transfers
- Competitive exchanges rates
- Limit orders
- Multilingual website and customer service
Best For
- No fees for personal transfers
- Accepts payments in several currencies
- Target specific rates using limit orders
- No debit or credit card payments
- No scheduled transfers
Transfer Options
- Bank Transfer
- Debit / Credit card
- Google / Apply Pay
- POLi (Australia)
Features
- Bank account transfers and cash transfers
- Mobile airtime and mobile wallets top up
- Home delivery of transferred funds
- Multicurrency WorldRemit Wallet
- Multilingual website
Best For
- Transfers to cash pickup locations
- Transparent rates and fees
- Low minimum transfer amount
- No hedging tools
- No scheduled transfers
Transfer Options
- Bank Transfer
- Credit Card
- Debit Card
- Country specific alternatives
Features
- Transparent fee structure
- Send money to email addresses
- Multicurrency account with debit card
- Multilingual website & app
Best For
- User friendly mobile app
- Multi-currency account
- Travel debit card
- No scheduled transfers
- No dedicated account manager
Transfer Options
- Bank transfer
- Debit card
- Credit card
- Bank debit
Features
Best For
Jump to a section
How to send money to India
What You Will Need to Send Money to India
Details of your ID documents verifying your identity such as your driver's license or passport. You will need to provide your bank account or credit/debit card details depending on how you wish to pay for your transer. Your service provider will also need the recipient's bank account details.
Ways to Receive Money in India
When sending money to India, the recipient may receive the money transfer in different ways.
- Bank Account
- Cash Pick-Up
- Mobile Top-Up
- Bill Payment
Bank Account
Receiving money directly into an Indian bank account is usually the most cost-effective method. The turnaround time may vary depending on the payment method, the service provider you select, and the receiving bank. Some of the top banks in the country that allow their customers to receive money from overseas include State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, and HSBC Bank India.
What you need to send money to an Indian bank account.
You will need the recipient’s name, bank account number, bank name and IFSC or SWIFT code.
- There is no uniformity in Indian bank account numbers, and they may vary in length - from 9 to 18 digits.
- IFSC is an 11-digit alphanumeric code used to identify specific bank branches that carry out electronic monetary transactions. Example - HSBC0400002 is the IFSC for HSBC Bank's main branch in Mumbai.
- A SWIFT code is used when transferring money between banks, especially for international wire transfers. Example - SBININBB519 is the SWIFT code for State Bank of India, IIT Powai, Mumbai.
Cash Pick-Up
The first thing you need to know about receiving money through cash pick-up centers is that these transfers tend to incur higher fees when compared to bank account transfers.
If you wish to send cash to India and get the recipient to collect it in person, you may turn to companies such as Western Union, Ria, or MoneyGram. Given below are addresses of a few cash pick-up locations in India.
| Ria Cash Pick-Up Locations in India | |
Delhi: Pramod Communication, B 108, Ground Floor, Near Kalkaji Park, Off L-Block Road, Kalkaji, New Delhi | Skynet Computer Solutions K-84, Shop No 3, Krishna Park Extn, Tilak Nagar New Delhi |
Mumbai: M/S Sanghvi K.J. Jewellers, Shop No 3, Jitekar Bldg, Sir J.J Road, Mumbai | Supama Forex Private Limited, A 7, Bharat Nagar, Grant Road, Mumbai |
| Western Union Cash Pick-Up Locations in India | |
Delhi: S P Securities Ltd, M96, Middle Circle, Connaught Place, New Delhi | Indraprastha Head Post Office, Bahadurshah Zafar Marg, New Delhi |
Mumbai: Bharati Jewellers, Shop No 6, Sukumar Corner, Dawood Baug Lane, J P Road, Mumbai | Development Credit Bank Ltd, Mohamed Ali Road, M R A Marg, Opp Crawford Market, Mumbai |
What is required for cash pick-up in India
You will need the recipient’s name and a desired cash pick-up location. The recipient may collect the transferred money by presenting a reference number and an acceptable form of identification document.
Mobile Airtime Top-Up Options
Recipients in India can receive money from overseas in the form of airtime top-ups on their mobile phones. You may send money to prepaid phone numbers of all the mobile operators in India, which include Airtel, Vodafone Idea, Jio, MTNL, and BSNL.
Bill Payments
Companies such as WorldRemit offer bill payment options via international money transfers. This means you, as an expat, can pay your bills as well as your family’s bills in India.
Pay your gas, water, electricity, television, and other bills.
Gas
- Adani Gas Ltd.
- Indraprastha Gas Ltd. (IGL)
Electricity
- Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST)
- Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co Ltd (MSEDCL)
Television
- Tata Sky
- Airtel Digital TV
Other Bills
- Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)
- Delhi Development Authority (DDA)
What you need to pay a bill in India when you are outside of India
To pay a bill to India from outside of the country, you will need the name of the service provider and their account number. If you do not have the exact bill amount, you will need to estimate it.
FAQs
Best way to send money to India?
The best way to send money to India is directly to a recipient's bank account. This is typically the most cost-effective option. If the recipient does not have a bank account, or needs money in a hurry, you may consider sending it in the form of a cash transfer. However, this typically comes at an added cost. Read reviews of the best international money transfer companies that send money to Indian bank accounts include XE, WorldFirst and OFX.
Which is the best money transfer to India?
There are many money transfer companies that support India. The best one depends on your specific requirements such as desired transfer speed or acceptable payment methods. Whether you need to send money to a cash pick-up location or a bank account might affect your decision. This also applies if you wish to pay a bill in India from overseas.
World Remit might be your best bet for paying bills. Some of the leading companies that allow bank account transfers include OFX, XE and WorldFirst. These companies charge low margins on exchange rates, and come with transparent fees.
Cheapest way to send money to India?
The cheapest way to send money to India is directly to a recipient’s bank account. This includes money transfers from countries such as the UK, Canada, Australia and the USA. Other remittance services such as money orders and cash pick-up will cost more because funds pass through third parties. Be sure to send money using a money transfer company that regularly sends money to India. There will be less money transfer costs and you will benefit from the cost savings.
Companies such as XOOM and Remitly have higher INR exchange rate margins. They can be up to 2% of your transfer amount. It is best to choose a provider that has lower costs such as OFX, WorldFirst and XE
How much does it cost to send money to India?
Money transfer fees and INR exchange rate margins can affect the costs of sending money to India. This includes higher fees if cash pick-up is required. The exchange rate margin added by the money transfer company can be between 0.4% with OFX and up to 2% with companies such as Xoom and Remitly.
How much money can I send to India in a year?
There is no maximum limit on how much money you can send to India, though you have to consider tax implications in your home country as well as in India. According to Indian income tax rules, money transferred from overseas to India can be taxable. If you send more than 50,000 rupees to an individual who is not your blood relative, they may be subject to taxation.
Is Remitly safe to send money to India?
Yes, from a regulatory point of view. It is licensed in most US states. However, there have been very poor customer experiences written on Trustpilot. Customers have complained about transfers taking too long or struggling to get refunds on transfers cancelled by Remitly.
Can foreigners send money to India?
Yes. Foreigners can send money to India. It is as simple as choosing an international money transfer company that supports India as a destination country. Select the country you are sending from in the comparison table above. Choose the best remittance provider for your needs. Easy.
How much money can be sent through Western Union to India?
Western Union has varying money transfer limits. Mobile Money Transfers limit is $500 per day. Online FX International Payment limit is $10,000 per transaction. This limit can be lifted by contacting Western Union directly.
Convert USD to INR
Expect to receive between Rs8354.12 and Rs8404.75 when sending money from USD to INR at today's exchange rate.
Compare that to sending money overseas through retail banks. Expect to receive approximately Rs8016.58, not including additional banking fees. That is an average saving of Rs362.86.
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