How to receive remittances from abroad with BDO in the Philippines explained

BDO¹ has some great account products, features and services - but can BDO receive money from abroad? How can you use a BDO account to receive payments internationally - and what are the fees to do so?

If you’re in the Philippines and need to get paid by someone based overseas you might be wondering how to use BDO to receive money from abroad. This guide has you covered. We’ll look at how to receive money from BDO remittance, and how to receive a payment sent as a wire transfer to a BSO PHP or USD account.

Can you receive money from abroad with BDO?

So - onto the key questions: how can I receive money from overseas with BDO, and can a BDO savings account receive money from abroad?

Some BDO accounts can be used to receive international payments sent from another BDO account, or by someone using a third party bank and sending for deposit in PHP or USD. Your options may vary a bit depending on the way the sender arranges the payment and the account you have with BDO.

As an overview, options to receive money from abroad with BDO can include²:

• Receive money as credit to your BDO peso or dollar account, sent as a remittance or wire
• Receive money for cash pick up or delivery if your sender is also a BDO customer and arranges the payment with BDO
• Receive money with a BDO Cash Card, or to a BDO Kabayan account which has a debit card

If the person sending you money has a BDO account they can also choose to send a food delivery instead of money, to pay bills from abroad, or to send with a BDO partner organisation for cash pick up or delivery.

Can you receive money from abroad with your BDO debit card?

BDO has a BDO Remit Cash Card³ which can be used to receive a payment from abroad. You can also receive money with a BDO Kabayan Savings Account⁴ which comes with a linked debit card.

If you have one of these cards, you may find that your BDO debit card can receive money from abroad using a remittance service.

How to receive remittances from abroad to your BDO account - step-by-step

If the person sending you money is planning to send the payment to your BDO account to be deposited in PHP or USD, you’ll need to give them the following information:

• Your full name
• Your BDO account number
• The address of your bank branch (if required)
• The correct BDO SWIFT code

Once they’ve got all the information required, the sender can arrange the payment through their own bank or with a third party service like Wise. The money will be deposited to your BDO account once the payment has cleared, and you can hold onto it, withdraw to another account, or get it from an ATM as cash using your BDO debit card.

Not sure of the details to give the person sending you a payment? Check the BDO SWIFT code you need here.

Fees for receiving money from abroad with BDO

The fees you pay when receiving money from abroad with BDO may vary depending on the account type you have and how the payment is sent. Here’s an overview⁵:

If your sender uses a third party to send your payment to BDO, there may be an additional charge to pay. As this cost can vary depending on the specific payment in question you’ll need to check your account terms and conditions or call a BDO branch to see if it will apply in your case.

How long does it take to receive an international money transfer in BDO?

So, how long does it take to receive an international money transfer in BDO?

If the sender is arranging a payment to be deposited to your account from a third party bank (not BDO) via SWIFT, the chances are that it’ll take 3 - 5 working days to arrive in your BDO account.

If the person sending you money has a BDO account themselves and uses BDO to process the payment, there are several different delivery options which come with their own processing times. These may vary depending on where in the world your sender is - as an example here are some options for payments processed through BDO in the US, and delivered to BDO in the Philippines⁵:

• BDO Remit to a Kabayan Savings account - within 24 hours
• BDO Remit as bill payment - within 24 hours
• BDO Remit for cash collection - within 1 hour

BDO receiving limit

The limits for receiving money with BDO will depend on the account type you have and how your sender arranges the payment. If they’re sending a wire the limits are likely to be pretty high, for example, but for cash pick up you may not be able to receive so much in a single transaction. Check your account terms and conditions for more details on the BDO BDO receive money limit.

Getting paid from overseas? Receive money from abroad without hidden fees with Wise

If you’re a freelancer or a dependent of an overseas foreign worker, receiving payments has never been easier with the Wise account!

The Wise account lets you receive money for free from abroad, without the need to have bank accounts in multiple countries. You can get your own unique bank account details in 9+ different currencies (including AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, HUF, NZD, SGD, USD, and TRY) and receive like a local.

After you’ve received the money you can easily move funds from your Wise Account to your local bank account or e-wallet, by converting to PHP at the mid-market exchange rate - like the one you see on Google - and low transparent fees!

It also comes with the Wise prepaid card, which lets you spend globally in 160+ countries and shop online at the same mid-market exchange rate. Start bringing your money home in a smart way without extra hidden fees with Wise!

Get a Wise account today

Pricing/fees: Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information

Frequently asked questions

Let’s look at another couple of important questions and answers about how to receive money from abroad with BDO in the Philippines.

Can I receive money from abroad with a BDO savings account?

Yes. You can receive a payment from abroad from an account in your own name, or you may be able to receive a payment from abroad from another person⁶. If the BDO account you have at the moment can’t be used to receive payments from abroad, you might want to consider the BDO Kabayan Savings Account⁴ which can be used to receive payments from overseas, often instantly.

Can I receive money from abroad via BDO network banks?

Yes. BDO works with several network partner banks in different countries and regions, including DBS, CIMB and Seven Bank. People with accounts with a BDO network bank will find it easy to send a remittance to BDO in the Philippines. If the person sending you money doesn’t bank with a BDO partner bank they can still send you a payment, but they may need to use a third party international money transfer service to get the payment processed.