Western Union in Pakistan: Your full guide

Western Union is a popular global money transfer service operating for over 150 years. It helps customers send money around the world by either cash pickups or direct deposits into local bank accounts.

Overseas Pakistanis can use Western Union to send money back home. And residents of Pakistan can also use Western Union to send money abroad up to a certain amount. Learn more about how Western Union works in Pakistan and how to receive transfers from abroad.

Send money to Pakistan with the real exchange rate and low fees with Wise Web/Android/ iOS app

Learn more about Wise 🚀

Is Western Union available in Pakistan?

Yes, Western Union is available in Pakistan. Residents can receive money from abroad or send money in person through a Western Union agent.

Senders overseas can send money directly to residents of Pakistan with Western Union online or at a physical location in their country. Transfers directly to a bank account or cash pick up are the two main ways to receive money in Pakistan, but more on that in the next section.¹

If you are looking to send money from Pakistan to abroad, Western Union provides transfer services for the currency equivalent of up to $3,000 US dollars per day. You must go to a physical Western Union agent in Pakistan in person to conduct the transfer.

How to receive money from Western Union in Pakistan

It is easy to receive money in Pakistan through Western Union. The funds are either available in your bank account locally or can be picked up through a Western Union partner bank or agent. Make sure to receive confirmation from your sender on the method of payment to Pakistan.

For bank account transfers, ensure your sender has the following information:

• Your full name.
• Your bank account details.
• The purpose of remittance.
• Your address and mobile number.

What documents do I need to receive money from Western Union?

You will not need to provide documentation if you have decided to receive money directly to your bank account. The money will be deposited in your account and you will be notified by either email or by SMS.

There are over 11,000 agents across Pakistan for cash pickups. To pick up a cash transfer at a Western Union agent, here is what you will need to provide to verify your identity and that the transaction is for you:³

1. The Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN) from the sender
2. Sender’s full name
3. The sender’s country
4. A government-issued ID such as CNIC, NICP or passport
5. The approximate money transfer amount

What is the limit of Western Union in Pakistan?

The amount a sender can transfer to Pakistan depends on the sender’s country. A resident of Britain can send a maximum of £5,000 per single transfer, while a US resident can send a maximum of $5,000 per single transfer. Check with the sender’s country to determine the maximum limit a resident Pakistani can receive. ⁴ ⁵

How long can money stay in Western Union before pick up?

Recipients have up to 90 days in most cases to pick up money from Western Union for transfers in cash. If changes need to be made to how the money is received, recipients can update the delivery method online with the correct MTCN.⁶

Western Union fees in Pakistan

Western Union has two main fees when sending money to Pakistan. The first fee is a transaction fee, which is the cost of providing the service. Often Western Union will offer no transaction fee on transfers.

The second fee is an exchange rate fee. This is tucked away in the exchange rate that you get with Western Union. It has a markup which makes the exchange rate more expensive than the mid-market rate you see on Google. And though this markup can seem small, it can add up quickly on a transfer.

To get an idea of what Western Union fees can look like, here is a comparison with Wise when sending £1,000 to Pakistan. Wise has one low transfer fee but uses the mid-market rate on every transaction which can make it cheaper when sending money.

Checked as of 21 September, 2022

Simply by using Wise to send money, recipients can get over Rs. 3,000 more in a transfer. Although Western Union does not have a transfer fee, the hidden exchange rate fee makes it more expensive.

Receive money in Pakistan with Wise

It is simple to receive money in Pakistan from abroad with Wise Web/Android/ iOS app. Wise is completely online and is low-cost, which can mean receiving more in your bank account. Plus, the money can be there in seconds on popular transfer routes to Pakistan.

Here is the quick way a sender can transfer money directly to a Pakistani bank account:

1. Head to Wise or download the Wise app on iOS or Android
2. Click Sign up and enter an email address and details to register
3. Once signed in, select Send and input how much to send to Pakistan
4. Review the low fee and the delivery date
5. Pay for the transfer with a debit or credit card or bank transfer
6. Submit transfer and track updates

Wise makes it easy to send money straight from your mobile or computer. Over 13 million people have used Wise to send transfers around the globe.

Which banks offer Western Union in Pakistan?

Western Union has partnered with 20+ banks in Pakistan to make transfers directly to bank accounts. Or for cash pickups in person. These banks include:⁷

• UBL
• HBL
• Bank Alfalah
• Bank of Punjab
• Standard Chartered Bank

To send money from Pakistan, there are specific Western Union agents across the country to contact:⁸