Sending money abroad is a vital aspect of financial management when you’re living as an expat in Indonesia, and choosing the right method can significantly impact your financial strategy.
Whether you’re an individual or a business, the process requires careful consideration of various factors to ensure efficiency, security, and cost-effectiveness. This is why to help you choose the best service to ultimately fulfil all your needs, here are five reliable ways that we recommend you utilise when you want to transfer money internationally:
1. International Bank Transfers: Direct and Reliable
Another option is to send money from Indonesia to your country of choice abroad directly through the Indonesian bank you are using, as several banks in Indonesia offer international bank transfer services directly through tellers designated at the branch and main offices.
Banks worldwide also typically facilitate international transfers through the SWIFT network. In this case, payments will be forwarded from the sending bank to the recipient through one or more partner banks known as correspondent banks. The sender will need the recipient’s identity information, recipient bank information, and the recipient bank’s SWIFT code.
This process can take 3-5 days and the fee charged will roughly be around $5 – $50 per transaction, depending on the amount you are sending. Additionally, this method may incur additional fees as correspondent banks may charge service fees for their role in the transfer process.
2. PayPal: Seamless Digital Transfers
PayPal enables the transfer of funds from one PayPal account to another with absolutely no charge. However, they don’t provide services that aid transfers directly to a bank account as the only option you have is to withdraw the money to your bank account of choice. To enjoy this service, there is a fee of 1,5% of the amount you want to withdraw plus additional fees if currency conversion is required.
To send money via PayPal, register an account on the PayPal app or PayPal desktop site and complete the required verification steps. Then, log in and select the “Send Money” option, enter the desired amount to be sent, and add the recipient’s email address or phone number. Confirm and complete the payment to have your funds processed promptly!
3. Western Union: A Trusted Network
Western Union stands out as one of the most popular international money transfer methods with an extensive service network, ranging from convenience stores to post offices.
The sending process is also quite simple. Simply go to the Western Union location nearest to you, state the destination country of your transfer and the amount you want to send. The counter agent will then help you by stating the fee that will be charged, verifying all your personal identification details, and also providing you with a special pin or reference number that needs to be stated by your recipient when collecting the funds you have sent at the Western Union location nearest to them.
The fee to enjoy the simplicity of Western Union’s real-time transfer arrivals is also quite affordable at only 5-10% of the total amount that you want to send, where the more you send the higher the fee will be. Also, it’s important to note that money transfers from Indonesia to any country abroad through Western Union can only be done through offline means.
4. Moneygram: A Seamless Alternative
Sending money through MoneyGram is similar to Western Union, where recipients collect funds at designated locations. Transactions can be made at MoneyGram counters, which are typically found at banks.
Payment for transactions can be made online if you have a foreign currency account, or offline if you don’t have one or haven’t had the chance to create one yet. Fees are fixed for amounts between Rp1,000,000 to Rp20,000,000 but increase with larger transfers. The maximum amount you can send per transaction is Rp150,000,000, which means that if you send above this limit, you will be charged a second transfer fee for the extra amount you send.
Money arrives in real-time for transactions created during banking hours but may take until the next business day if initiated after the cut-off time.
To send money, visit a MoneyGram agent with your ID (Citizenship card or Passport). Fill out the sending form, pay the fee, and receive an 8-digit reference number which you will need to give your recipient to collect the funds.
5. Topremit: Fast, Affordable, and Secure
Topremit has emerged as a highly recommended online remittance application, providing fast, affordable, and secure international money transfer services from Indonesia to more than 70 countries abroad.
With Topremit, funds can reach the recipient’s bank account within just 5 minutes and the transfer fees also start at only Rp45,000 per transaction. Additionally, you can enjoy competitive exchange rates and no extra hidden fees, regardless of the amount sent, allowing all users to save more on every transaction and ensuring money always arrives in full amount.
The process is also incredibly straightforward and simple:
- Create a Topremit account and complete the account verification using an e-KTP/Passport.
- Select your destination country and enter the desired amount of money to be sent. Transfer fees, delivery speed, and other details will be transparently displayed upfront.
- Provide the correct recipient details and ensure all the data is accurate. Also, the information you enter during a transaction can be automatically saved for future transactions.
- Make payment to one of Topremit’s bank accounts, and your funds are ready to be sent!
As a pioneer in introducing online-based international money transfer methods in Indonesia, the safety of Topremit’s services is unquestionable, as they have been licensed by Bank Indonesia since their establishment in 2009. To date, Topremit has been trusted by over 200,000 users to send over 11 trillion Rupiah to more than 70 countries worldwide.
By the way, is it your first time looking for a remittance service? Then why not enjoy this amazing 50% transfer fee discount offer from Topremit that is only valid till the 30th of June 2024?
Here’s how to claim the discount:
- Directly download the Topremit application on your phone or sign up through our website at https://topremit.com.
- Make sure that you register with the referral code “INDONESIAEXPAT”.
- Complete the verification process, and once you’re done the discount voucher will automatically be available in your account.
The voucher can be used for transfers to all our available countries using any service. So, what’re you waiting for? Come experience a more convenient and seamless way of sending money abroad with Topremit now!