How to receive money from abroad in an Indian bank account

A relative working abroad, a client in another country, a refund from a foreign company: all of them need the same few details to pay into your bank account in India. The IFSC code alone is not enough, because IFSC works only inside India. Banks in different countries reach each other through the SWIFT network, so the sender needs the SWIFT code of your bank.

What to give the sender

Your name, exactly as it is written in the bank account.
Your account number, in full.
The SWIFT code (also called BIC) that your bank tells you to use.
The bank name and the branch name and address.
The IFSC code of your branch. Many banks ask the sender to write it in the remarks, so that the money is passed on to the right branch inside India.
The reason for the payment, in a few words: family support, payment for work done, a gift. Banks record the purpose of money that comes into the country and may ask you about it.

India does not use IBAN numbers. If a form abroad has an IBAN box, the sender puts your account number where the form asks for the account, and chooses the option for a country without IBAN.

Which SWIFT code is the right one?

A SWIFT code has 8 or 11 characters. The first four letters are the bank, the next two are the country (IN for India), the next two are the location, and the last three, when they are there, name a branch. A code of 8 characters is the code of the bank's main office.

Only some branches have a SWIFT code of their own, usually the ones that handle foreign exchange. So there are three cases:

Your branch	What to do
Has its own SWIFT code	Give that code. You can check it on our SWIFT codes page.
Has no code, but the bank has one	Ask the bank which code to use. It is usually the code of the main or foreign-exchange branch. The money reaches your account by your account number.
The bank has no SWIFT code at all	Many small co-operative and rural banks receive foreign money through a larger partner bank. Ask your bank for that bank's name, SWIFT code and the account to mention.

Do not copy a SWIFT code from a website, this one included, without confirming it with your bank. Banks give these details in writing, often as a sheet called inward remittance instructions, and many also print them in the app or net banking.

What happens after the sender pays

The money often passes through one or more banks on the way. Your bank may give the sender the name of a bank abroad it works with for each currency; using it avoids delays.
If your account is an ordinary rupee account, the bank changes the foreign money into rupees at its own rate on the day it arrives.
The sending bank, the banks on the way and your own bank may each take a charge. Ask your bank for its charges before the money is sent; they differ from bank to bank.
Your bank may ask for a document that shows why the money came, such as an invoice for work done.
If you need proof that the money came from abroad, for your accounts or for tax, ask the bank for an advice or certificate of the inward remittance.

Mistakes that hold the money up

A name that does not match the account. Give the name as the bank has it, not a short form.
An IFSC code in the SWIFT box. They are different codes. An IFSC code has a zero in the fifth place; a SWIFT code has IN in the fifth and sixth places.
A missing digit in the account number. Send the details as text, not read out on a call.
An old code of a merged bank. If your bank merged with another, ask for the details of the new bank. Our checker tells you whether an IFSC code is still in use.

Stay safe

To receive money, nobody needs your password, your card number, a one-time password or a payment from you first. If someone asks for any of these so that they can "release" money sent from abroad, it is a fraud: stop and call your bank on the number printed on your passbook or card.

Questions

Can I receive money from abroad with only an IFSC code?

No. A bank abroad cannot use an IFSC code to reach an Indian bank. It needs the SWIFT code. The IFSC code helps your own bank pass the money on inside India.

My bank says my branch has no SWIFT code. Can I still receive money?

Yes. Use the SWIFT code the bank gives you for its main or foreign-exchange branch, with your own account number and branch details.

How long does it take?

It depends on the banks the money passes through and on holidays in both countries. Ask the sender for the reference of the transfer; with it, your bank can trace the payment.

Is there a limit on how much I can receive?

Rules on money coming into the country depend on who sends it and why. Ask your bank before a large amount is sent, so that it tells you which documents it needs.

Last checked: 2026-11-12.