Receiving an international wire in the US
What a sender abroad needs to wire money to a US account: SWIFT/BIC, bank address, account number, your name, sometimes an intermediary bank. Fees and timing.
Official source: Wells Fargo, Digital wires FAQs, and the other banks' pages linked below. Checked
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The checklist to send to the payer
Most US banks ask for the same handful of details. Wells Fargo's list is a good model (Wells Fargo):
- Your bank's SWIFT/BIC code. Take it from your bank's own page or app. Big banks are on US bank SWIFT codes.
- Your bank's name and address, the one the bank gives for wires. It may not be your branch.
- Your full account number, including any leading zeros.
- Your name and address exactly as they appear on your statement.
- An intermediary bank, only if your bank's instructions include one.
Bank of America's own wire guide lists what a sender is asked for: the recipient's name, address and country, an account identifier, the bank identifier, the currency of the account and the purpose of the wire (Bank of America, PDF). Agree on the purpose wording with the sender in advance, for example "family support" or "invoice 1043", so the two sides match.
No IBAN, and that is normal
A sender's app may ask for an IBAN. US accounts do not have one. Chase says directly: "We don't use an IBAN" and asks for the account number and SWIFT code instead (Chase). Bank of America's guide lists the account number as an accepted identifier alongside IBAN and CLABE. If the app will not take a plain account number, the sender should ask their bank. Do not make up an IBAN.
When an intermediary bank is part of the instructions
Some US banks and credit unions receive international wires through a larger bank. USAA is the clearest case: its instructions name The Bank of New York (IRVTUS3NXXX) as intermediary, then USAA, then your account (USAA, PDF). Navy Federal tells members to have the sender's bank use a correspondent bank, and says it only receives US currency (Navy Federal). If your bank or credit union is small, ask for its "incoming international wire instructions" sheet before giving any code.
Dollars or the sender's currency?
| If the sender pays in | Who converts | What the banks say |
|---|---|---|
| US dollars | The sender's bank, before sending | You know the dollar amount in advance |
| Their own currency | A bank on the US side | Wells Fargo converts at its rate, which "includes a markup"; USAA says the intermediary or another institution converts and it cannot quote the rate |
Sources: Wells Fargo, USAA, PDF. Bank of America uses a different SWIFT code for foreign-currency wires: see BOFAUS3N or BOFAUS6S.
How long it takes
| Bank | What it says |
|---|---|
| Bank of America | International wires typically credited in 1 to 2 business days |
| Chase | Can take 24 hours to show after the wire reaches Chase |
| USAA | Cut-off 5:00 p.m. CT on business days, no processing on weekends or federal holidays |
Sources: Bank of America, Chase, USAA, PDF.
If the money does not arrive
- Ask the sender for the confirmation from their bank and check every detail against your list.
- Ask your bank to look for it. Chase, for example, says to confirm with the sender first and then call (Chase).
- Be wary if someone you do not know "accidentally" wires you money and asks you to send it back or on. The FTC describes the same pattern with overpayment cheques (FTC).
Before you share your details, run them through the format checker to catch a typo in the code.
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