Send Money To Colombia
Whether you’re a Colombian expat living abroad, or you’re a foreign resident looking to transfer money to Colombia for other responsibilities, it helps to know the various ways to send money home. Here, we’ll cover the information required when sending and receiving, the advantages of online money transfer services, and the specific considerations to make when sending money to your loved ones. You’ll find all this and more about how to send money to Colombia in the sections below.
How To Send Money To Colombia
How to send money to Colombia is a fairly straightforward, easy process which will generally follow the same steps no matter what transfer provider you use. Follow these steps to get started on money transfer to Colombia:
Step 1: Compare providers to find the best service for you
Sending money to South America can be expensive if you’re not fully aware of the costs associated with your transfer.
Our comparison table looks at fees, exchange rates, payment methods, transfer times and more for your specific needs to find out the best way to send money to Colombia. Use this to find a provider that not only supports transfers between the two currencies you need but also provides the best deal.
Step 2: Register with your chosen provider
Most providers will be completely free to sign up to, simply requiring your name, address and contact information. In most cases, you’ll also need to upload a picture of a valid photo ID to verify your identity.
Step 3: Start your transfer
Set up your transfer by providing your recipient’s information (name, contact details, and bank account information if you are selecting this payout method), the sum you are sending, and your payment details. You should be given an estimate of how long your transfer will take to reach your recipient.
You’ll also need to state that you want to convert your sending country’s currency into Colombian pesos. You should be given an estimate of how long your transfer will take to reach your recipient.
Ways To Send And Receive Money In Colombia
There are multiple ways to easily receive and send money to Colombia but these will largely depend on the provider you decide to use. Below you will find everything you need to know about the best way to send money to Colombia.
Ways to Send Money to Colombia
According to Banco de la República (Colombian Central Bank), Colombia received $ 6.3 billion in remittances in 2018. The most popular methods of sending these remittances were:
Bank Transfers
International wire transfers rank the highest as the preferred mode of sending money to Colombia. Part of the reason for this popularity is the extensiveness of the Colombian banking sector. As of 2019, the country had 25 banks with a total of 5,700 branches and approximately 16,000 ATMs spread throughout the country.
While bank wire transfers seem a reliable way to send money home, if you are looking for the cheapest way to send money to Colombia, bank transfer fees, the exchange rates offered, and the ATM fees charged, can make this sending option costly. A wire transfer from the US will cost $20-50, from the UK will cost $30, and from Australia will cost about $6.75.
Your ability to bargain for better exchange rates largely depends on the amount you are sending. Smaller amounts have very little if any chance to get favourable rates. Therefore, you end up spending more money than you otherwise would with other options.
Online Money Transfers
Online money transfers are increasingly becoming popular among Colombians sending money home. The transfer speed, the favourable exchange rates, the variety of services they offer, and convenience are just but a few of the factors that make online money transfer services attractive.
These services simplify the sending process by giving you convenient options such as sending from their websites, using mobile apps, sending in person from brick and mortar stores or even from Facebook messenger.
Almost all online money transfer services require that you sign up for a free account before you can send money to Colombia. Below are the two main options you can use when sending money to Colombia through online money transfers service providers.
Transfer to Bank Accounts – If the beneficiary has an account, you can use this option. The recipient gets the money within a few days. However, the length of time depends on your service provider.
Cash Pickup – Services such as Western Union, MoneyGram, Xoom, WorldRemit, and TransferWise have over a thousand locations your recipient cash pick their money in Colombia. Ensure the service provider you choose has an agent location closer to the beneficiary.
International Checks
International checks are still a viable and secure way to send money home. However, there are a few disadvantages such as long processing times and unfavourable exchange rates depending on the bank where you cash it.
What’s Needed to Send Money to Colombia?
When sending money, you will be required to provide details to help make the transfer process as smooth as possible. Here is some of the information you need to have before making money transfer to Colombia.
- Your government-issued I.D.
- Your credit or debit card information if using this method to fund your transfers
- The full name of the recipient and it should match their I.D.
- The physical address of the recipient
- If doing a bank transfer, the recipient’s bank details including the bank name, account number, branch, and routing number.
A quick note, the information may vary marginally depending on the money transfer service provider and the method you use.
Ways of Receiving Money in Colombia
Beneficiaries in Colombia can receive money sent to them in lots of different ways. Depending on the provider the sender uses and the amount of money sent through, the following are some of the ways recipients can access their money in Colombia.
Cash pick up from agents – Providers such as Western Union, MoneyGram, Dolex, Xoom and TransferWise have thousands of locations spread out in different parts of Colombia. These are convenient for recipients of small amounts in particular.
Bank deposits – Recipients can have money transferred directly to their bank accounts. This is a preferred way receiving larger amounts that may be unsafe to pick up from agents.
Due to security concerns, there is no online money transfer service that delivers money to recipients by hand.
What Is Required to Receive Money in Colombia?
The recipient, much like the sender, needs to provide some information to pick up the money. There may be minimal differences based on the money transfer service provider the sender has used. To receive money in Colombia, you need:
- Your government-issued I.D. The details should match those provided by the sender.
- The PIN, reference number or money transfer control number (MTCN) sent to you. If you don’t have it or you misplaced it, ask the sender to give it to you again.
- You’ll be required to identify the sender, the amount you expect to receive, and the country of origin.
If the sender transferred the funds directly into your bank account, there is no information you need to provide. You can begin transacting right away.
As a precaution, you should transact from safe agent locations. If you are picking up a large amount, consider going with a friend or deposit the money into your bank account immediately after you receive it.
Best Ways To Send Money To Colombia
The best way to send money to Colombia is almost certainly by using a money transfer provider. While perhaps not quite as popular as traditional international wire transfers currently, specialist transfer operators are able to offer faster transfers at lower rates compared to any other method.
Out of the payment methods most popularly offered by MTOs, you can choose to send money to Colombia via:
- Bank transfer
- Debit card
- Credit card
As to the best provider for sending money to Colombia, it really depends on where you are sending from plus a number of mitigating factors such as the amount you are sending and whether low cost or speed is a top priority for you.
For example, if you are sending money to Colombia from the UK, Azimo offers one of the most competitive rates and no fees (at the time of writing, their exchange rate is 1 GBP = 4,531.65353 COP. Another option with no fees and capable of processing your transfer within minutes is PaySend.
If you were looking for the best way to send money to Colombia from the US, one of the ways to do this would be via WorldRemit. With an exchange rate of 1 USD = 3,397.8697 COP and fees starting from as little as $5, this money transfer operator is capable of sending your funds from the US to Colombia within the hour.
It’s important to make sure the money transfer operator you are hoping to sign up with does support transfers from your sending country to Colombia – our comparison engine helps to narrow this down for you.
Fastest Ways To Send Money To Colombia
Again, the fastest way to send money to Colombia is dependent on the individual circumstances of your transfer. Not only will your sending country affect the speed of your transfer (not all MTOs will support transfers from your country), but your chosen payment method can also affect how quickly your funds get to your recipient.
For some MTOs such as Azimo, the transfer can be processed within a matter of minutes when transferring directly to your recipient’s bank account.
If your sending country isn’t supported by Azimo, however, you might find the fastest way to send money to Colombia to your recipient is via a transfer provider that supports cash pickups, such as WorldRemit or Western Union.
Cheapest Ways To Send Money To Colombia
The cheapest way to send money to Colombia is usually by bank transfer or paying by debit card with a specialist money transfer operator. Compared to paying by credit card or cash or making an international wire transfer with your bank, these payment methods tend to be the most cost-effective and cheapest way to send money to Colombia and getting your money to your recipient.
Things to Consider When Sending Money to Colombia
Nothing compares to the satisfaction you get when you know that your loved ones in Colombia are well-fed, sheltered, and doing well healthwise. This mental picture keeps on pushing you to send more and more each time.
Before you press the send button or sign off that check, there are a few things you need to consider.
- Alternative Investment Opportunities – Bancolombia has been championing for financial inclusion among families in Colombia that receive remittances. The bank wants to transform the money sent into savings and investments. It has lined up a wide range of products you can add to your portfolio as you build your nest egg. The second option is to directly invest in the Mi casa con remesas private sector – IDB initiative. This initiative enables you to own a house through their mortgage programme. The third investment opportunity is the house purchase programme run jointly by the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the construction sector. You should purpose to attend their housing fairs when they visit your country of destination.
- Taxation – Colombia charges a tax of 0.04% on financial transactions including ATM withdrawals and wire transfers. The regulated financial institutions and the Banco de la República have the responsibility of deducting this tax at source. Your loved ones can claim 50% of the financial transactions tax for income tax offsetting if they keep proper records. The second most relevant tax is income tax assessed and paid by Colombia residents. For tax purposes, a resident is a person who is present in Colombia for 183 days in the year of income. Colombians living abroad may still have to pay taxes home if they fall under tax residency. However, they may claim credit for the income tax paid in the country of destination.
- Regulation of the Currency Market – Banco de la República heavily regulates inflows and currency exchange rate movements in the country. Transfers are subject to certain limits. Online money transfer services have their limits set. However, when doing international wire transfers, transfer specialists can be of great help.
Colombia remains a leading destination for remittances in South America. With over 10% of its nationals living abroad, the country is a lucrative money transfer route. Many providers are increasingly joining in with new products and technologies to get a share of this market.
This development is exciting for Colombians living abroad. They have more options than before and can send money home however they want. To get the best deals, Colombians in the diaspora need to know the various ways they can send money home, the requirements for sending and receiving, the opportunities available to them, and the unique remittance landscape in Colombia.
Your Questions Answered
Looking to Send Money Somewhere Else?
Sending money anywhere else in the world is as easy as sending money to Colombia. If you’re looking to send money to another country, here is the list of the most popular destinations.
Jonathan is the founder and editor of MoneyTransfers.com. Jonathan is highly experienced in the currency transfer market, having previously worked in the FX trading industry, alongside being an avid traveller. Using his knowledge he identified a need for transparency and further education to help people save money on their money transfers, leading to the creation of MoneyTransfers.com