MoneyTransfers
/Send money/Uganda

Best Ways to Send Money to Uganda

Ensure quick transfer speeds, low fees, and competitive exchange rates when sending money to Uganda.

Read on for reviews, expert tips, and everything needed for money transfers to Uganda.

Jonathan Merry
Author 
Jonathan Merry
6 minutes
February 5th, 2024
Disclosure
Best Overall
9.2
Wise

Wise is the top rated money transfer provider that usually appears in our search results to Uganda.

Ways to Send and Receive Money in Uganda

There are multiple ways to easily send and receive money in Uganda but these will largely depend on the provider you decide to use. Below you will find everything you need to know about the best ways to send money to Uganda.

Ways to Send Money to Uganda

Depending on the country you are sending money from, there are a number of channels you can opt for. The most common of these are bank to bank transfers, online money transfer, in-store cash transfers, and mobile money transfer. Let us look at each of these channels in greater detail.

Bank to Bank Transfers
Online Money Transfers
In-Store Cash Transfer
Mobile Money
Airtime Recharges

What is Needed to Send Money to Uganda

Sending money to Uganda from whichever country is simple as long as you have all the required documents and information. Typically, you are to provide the following information.

  • A government-issued photo ID document. Depending on the country you are sending from, you can use a passport, social security card or driver’s license.

  • The recipient’s name as it appears on their legal documents

  • The recipient's physical address and phone number

  • If you are sending directly to a bank account, the recipient bank details (bank name, branch and the account number)

  • The amount of money you want to send, the transfer payment option and payout methods

For repeat transfers, you won't have to give most of this information. The platform captures and can recall historical information.

What Are the Ways of Receiving Money in Uganda?

There are three ways you can receive money in Uganda: direct-to-mobile deposits, bank deposits and cash pickups

Bank Deposits
Cash Pickup
Mobile Deposit

What is Required to Receive Money in Uganda?

Depending on the payout option you may or may not have to provide any information to collect your money. Direct-to-bank deposits and mobile deposits do not require any documentation to access the money. However, if you are to withdraw your mobile money at an agent or access your money through cash pickup you will need to provide the following information.

  • Your national identity card

  • The transaction number

You may be asked to identify the sender and the purpose for the transfer. This is part of the global anti-money laundering (AML) controls.

Common Reasons for Sending Money to Uganda

Most Ugandans leaving their country for other countries do so almost purely out of economic reasons. They are looking for greener pastures to build capital and wealth. For these reasons, most of the inflows into the country are directed at certain identifiable needs.

Family Support

Most Ugandans do not emigrate with their families, they leave them behind. In between visits, they send money to support them. Some of the immigrant's households depend entirely on remittances to pay for their living expenses.

Education

Despite the clamour for affordable education, Uganda like many countries in the region still grapple with high education costs. Diaspora Ugandans send money especially at the beginning of school terms to help keep their siblings in school.

Buying Houses

Having a place to call home is one of the prioritized items on the list of many Ugandans in the diaspora. They send money home to their relatives to help them buy homes or they may buy directly through real estate companies that often pitch their tents in the host countries.

Investing

Apart from home purchases, Ugandans abroad are exploring other investment niches such as financial assets in the Uganda Securities Exchange and other vehicles off the exchange.

Savings

Most Ugandans in the diaspora have plans to return home someday. To prepare for this period, they regularly send money home for savings in time deposit vehicles and other interest-earning accounts.

Why Send Money With a Money Transfer Service?

Money transfer services have carved a niche for themselves. When sending money to Uganda the first set of factors that pop up are cost, the simplicity and speed. Money transfer service providers check all these boxes and more. Here is how they fit the bill when it comes to funds transfer.

Speed of Transfer

It takes anything from a day to 2 or 3 days to have your transfer delivered to Uganda. Banks can take up to 5 days to have the same transfer completed. In times of emergency, getting your transfer across to the recipient fast is crucial.

Ease of Sign Up

Setting up a money transfer account with any of the providers is simple. As long you provide the information required and allow for the provider to verify all your details, you should have an account within a couple of hours if not less. From there on, you can pay for your transfer and send money to your family in Uganda.

Exchange Rates

How much you get when you exchange your host currency for the Ugandan currency (UGX) largely depends on the exchange rate margin the provider charges. Money transfer operators like Wise, don’t even charge exchange rate margins, they process your transfers at the mid-market rate. Other providers charge between 0.5% and 3% which is still affordable.

Multi-Currency Support

Inflows into Uganda come from all different routes. Money transfer providers give you the platform to send money from any country to Uganda. This is because they support lots of currencies both exotic and standard. Providers such as Xoom support 40+ currencies with others supporting over 60 global currencies

Security

Money transfer providers have invested in bank-grade security to protect users’ financial information and their funds. Security measures such as two-factor authentication (2FA) and Security Sockets Layer (SSL) help in safeguarding the integrity of transfer processes.

Transfer Fees

Compared to bank wire transfers, the transfer fees money transfer providers charge are less than 50%. The money you are left with to send your family is much more than what banks leave you with. Banks may also charge you landing fees, origination fees and other charges.

Things to Consider When Sending Money to Uganda

When transferring money to Uganda, there are a couple of things that you need to bear in mind.

  • Mobile Money Tax – On July 19, 2018, the Ugandan cabinet announced its clarified position that mobile money withdrawals will be taxed 1.0%. If you send your family $100 to their mobile money account, on withdrawal, they will only get 99% of that. However, if they choose to spend the money directly from their mobile accounts, they will not be charged the tax.

  • Diaspora Programs – The Diaspora Services Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in conjunction with the Uganda Investment Authority, World Bank and UNDP have come up with programs targeting Ugandans in the diaspora. The programs such as Uganda Conventions, Home is Best Summit and the Social Networking Event, and other annual events educate Ugandans abroad on the opportunities available back home.

The USD to UGX exchange rate

Mid-market Rate
1
= 3885.115769 UGX
Mid-market rate at: 18:47 UTC
USD/UGX Median: 3886.543916 Low: 3883.192112 High: 3894.300177
Why Trust Us

Why Trust Us

Our thorough editorial policy demonstrates our commitment to carefully vetting every piece of information.

We also produce unbiased, detailed reviews of all the top money transfer services, helping you in making smarter, simpler choices. We're devoted to upholding the highest standards, providing you with accurate, current, and reliable content.

Take a look at our comprehensive editorial policy for more information about our dedication to integrity and transparency.

Looking to Send Money Somewhere Else?

Sending money anywhere else in the world is as easy as sending money to Uganda. If you're looking to send money to another country, here is the list of the most popular destinations.

Send Money to Africa With Our Money Transfer Guides

Send Money to an From Uganda With These Guides

Choose which corridor to send money through:

Frequently Asked Questions About Uganda Money Transfers

What’s The Overall Best Way To Transfer Money To Uganda?
What’s The Easiest Way To Send Money Online To Uganda?
What’s The Cheapest Way To Send Money To Uganda?
What’s The Fastest Way To Send Money Online To Uganda?
Current Exchange Rates For Uganda
How we compare?

Contributors

Jonathan Merry
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