Send money to Sri Lanka

With just over 140,000 Sri Lankan-born residents in Australia and even more with family and friends in Sri Lanka, it’s no surprise that many Australians are looking for ways to send money there for a variety of reasons - from purchasing presents for family, to buying property.

One of the simplest solutions to send money to Sri Lanka could be with an international money transfer (IMTs). Whether you just need to send money once or it’s the start of a series of payments, an IMT could be the most convenient and best value option to make it happen.

But before we dive in to the process and options available for sending money to Sri Lanka, just remember that if you’re looking for travel money options for an upcoming trip to Sri Lanka this won’t be the guide for you. For foreign exchange and travel money options, tips and guides that may be more suitable to your Sri Lankan holiday, head over to our travel money hub.

There are a multitude of reasons people send money to Sri Lanka, but some of the most common ones include:  

• Sending money to family or friends
• Buying property in Sri Lanka
• Paying wages if they run a business in Sri Lanka
• Purchasing goods or services for a business in Australia  

If you’re wanting to send money to Sri Lanka then you’ll have a few options, but there are really two main players: banks or specialist foreign exchange providers.

Banks

Sending money to Sri Lanka via your Australian bank account can be a fast and convenient method for transferring funds, especially if you like the idea of using a provider you’re already familiar with.

• Pros: Familiar names that you already trust and use. Typically you already have an account with them too.

• Cons: Not the most cost-effective way to do it. Banks generally charge higher conversion rates and fees than specialist international money transfer providers, so it’s certainly worth weighing the two up.

Specialist Providers

Specialist FX or IMT providers are pretty good at scoring competitive rates when it comes to exchanging currencies around the globe. In fact they’re the experts. Companies like SendFX, TorFX and OFX or the winners of the Mozo Expert Choice Awards all tend to offer better rates than your average bank.

• Pros: Just as safe as a bank - all FX specialists that we compare at Mozo hold an Australian Financial Services licence which means they abide by ASIC regulations. Also you have the convenience of making online transfers 24/7.

• Cons: Some providers have high minimum transfers. Also no physical branches available, so you’ll need to be comfortable with transferring your money online or over the phone

So you’ve got an idea of the basic differences between providers, but what are the key features you should be looking out for before choosing the provider to send money to Sri Lanka with?

• Exchange rate: First things first, the most important feature you’ll need to consider is the exchange rate on offer - after all, the better the exchange rate when converting Aussie dollars to Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR), the more money you’ll have at the end. While the rate differences on offer may not seem enormous between providers, you’ll certainly notice it if you’re making a large transaction.
• Fees: Aside from the exchange rate, exchange fees are the other big feature which will influence the amount of money you’ll get after a money transfer to Sri Lanka. Banks tend to charge foreign exchange fees on their transfers on top of the margin they make on the exchange rate, while specialist providers may not charge one and some may also waive this fee if you transfer above a certain amount. Other costs you should look out for when choosing a provider are cancellation or amendment fees, as well as fees for over the counter, phone or online transactions.          
• Limits: Providers have different minimum and maximum amounts you’ll be able to transfer to Sri Lanka at one time, so you should pick one that suits your transfer size. And if you’re planning to make frequent transfers, there may also be limits on the number of transfers you can make in a particular period of time (e.g. each month).   
• Speed: Need to transfer your money quickly? Whether you’re using a bank or a specialist provider, you can typically expect transfer time of between 1-3 days, although you may be able to speed up the process for a fee.        
• Online or in person: Specialist providers generally operate online, so you won’t be able to conduct a transfer over the counter. You will be able to make a transfer over the phone though, but if you’d rather do your transaction in person you’ll need to go through a traditional bank or maybe consider a standard wire company like Western Union.

Transferring money to Sri Lanka is fairly simple process no matter which type of provider you end up going with, but there are a few differences. This is typically what you’ll need to do:

Banks

If you’re using an Australian bank to send money to Sri Lanka the process is as straightforward as transferring the money from your own bank account to your designated Sri Lankan bank account - whether online, over the phone or in person.

You will need to provide a few more pieces of information than you would normally when making a transfer in Australia though, so come prepared with:

• The recipient's name
  
• Their home address
  
• Their bank account name and details
  
• Their bank's SWIFT/BIC code

Specialist Foreign Exchange Providers

Signing up to make an international money transfer to Sri Lanka through a specialist provider is also easy, but you’ll need a few bits of information if you’re making a transfer for the first time.

Typically you’ll be able to set up an online account. Then it’s just a process of verifying your identity by providing details like your name, address, phone number and potentially a form of ID. This may take a few days to process depending on the provider, so remember to account for that waiting time if your transfer is urgent. 

Once you’ve been approved you’ll be able to set up the transfer itself by selecting the amount of currency you want to send as well as the recipient in Sri Lanka.

To do this you’ll need:

• The recipient’s bank account number
• Their name and address
• Their SWIFT/BIC code
  

Most specialist providers will offer payment options including via bank transfer or a debit or credit card, but bear in mind that it might take some time for your funds to reach your provider’s bank account.

For smaller amounts you could also consider using a secure service like PayPal to transfer money to Sri Lanka, but the fee structure may make it a less attractive alternative for larger sums.

Or if you’re just looking for a travel friendly option to take with you on a trip or holiday to Sri Lanka, a travel debit, credit or prepaid travel card could be the best way to pay while you’re over there.

Looking to send money to Sri Lanka from Australia but not happy with the current rate being offered? One option is to set up a limit order which allows you to nominate your desired exchange rate. Your transfer will then only be processed once it hits that rate. Obviously this is an option that won’t appeal to anyone needing to transfer money quickly, but if you’ve got time on your side it could potentially save you a bundle - especially if you’re making a large transfer.

The only thing to bear in mind is that some providers only allow limit orders to be placed in major currencies, so you’ll need to check with your provider first.

Ready to compare your options for sending money to Sri Lanka? Scroll down for a snapshot of AUD/LKR exchange rates below, or jump on over to our international money transfers comparison table for even more deals from FX specialists and the big banks.