Send money to Sri Lanka

You can choose from several methods to safely send money to your friends and family in Sri Lanka. Your best option depends on several factors, including how quickly you need your remittance to reach its destination, where your friend lives in Sri Lanka, your county of residence, and how you prefer to pay for the money transfer. These four money transfer methods are the most popular:

• International bank transfer: An international bank transfer allows you to wire money from your checking or savings account into your friend's bank account. You only need to give your bank the recipient's international bank account number (IBAN) and the receiving bank's SWIFT/BIC code. However, international bank transfers are not ideal for swift delivery — the remittance may take several business days to reach your recipient in Sri Lanka. This money transfer method also requires you and your recipient to have bank accounts.

• Money transfer agents: A traditional money transfer agent can help you pay for your remittance to Sri Lanka. This third-party service can quickly transmit money to your recipient, but this way of sending money to Sri Lanka can be costly. Fees tend to be high, and they may not offer you the best exchange rate.  

• International money orders: This money transfer method allows you to send money to your recipient in a similar way to mailing a check. You can purchase a prepaid money order from a bank, post office, or many retail stores. Then, you can fill it out and mail it to your recipient. After receiving the money order,  your recipient can exchange it for the Sri Lankan Rupee. However, since the money order travels at the speed of the mail service, you should prepare for a long wait. Money orders may even be lost in the mail. Expedited services are an option, but these often demand high fees.

• Ria: Our online money transfer service offers a safe, simple, and convenient way to send money to Sri Lanka or over 165 other countries Ria operates in worldwide. Depending on how you fund the transaction, your remittance to Sri Lanka could arrive as fast as 15 minutes. Ria also stands out for low fees, no hidden charges, and great exchange rates. These benefits are especially helpful when you need to make multiple money transfers to Sri Lanka.

If you pick Ria, you can complete your money transfer on the website, the app, or in person at one of our participating locations, which number in the thousands globally. Your friend in Sri Lanka also has several options to receive the money, either by cash pickup or a direct bank deposit.

It can take anywhere from a few minutes to five business days to send money to an overseas location — including Sri Lanka. However, how long it takes depends on several factors, such as:

1. Transaction type

2. Payment method

3. Where you’re sending money from

4. Whether Ria requires additional information for security purposes

5. When you initiate the transfer

Some currencies or transfer methods are only available during local business hours. If you set up a Sri Lanka remittance outside of typical business hours, on a holiday, or on the weekend, you could experience delays.

If you’re looking for the fastest way to send money to Sri Lanka, you may want to use a debit or credit card for your transaction. These methods may incur additional fees, so be aware of that. However, they also typically finalize the same day they’re completed — sometimes within minutes — meaning your recipient could have the money almost immediately.

And if time isn’t a concern, consider setting up a bank transfer instead. This option usually takes three to five business days and comes with fewer fees.

The cost of sending money to Sri Lanka depends on several key factors, such as:

1. The payment method you use

2. The payout method (that is, the way your intended recipient gets the money)

3. Transfer amount

4. Currency exchange rates

Bank remittances are usually the cheapest option, while credit and debit card transfers can come with additional fees. This is especially true with credit card payments, as some credit card companies will charge extra. Keep in mind, though, that international money transfers usually come with certain charges — regardless of how you go about it.

As an international remittance service, Ria strives to keep our rates and fees as low as possible on money transfers to Sri Lanka and other countries. We do that by working with financial institutions worldwide to get you the lowest possible fees and best exchange rates. At times, we also have promo codes to cut down on some of the more unavoidable fees.

The overall transfer amount includes all fees. If you want to see the cost of sending money to Sri Lanka, here are your options:

1. Before you complete the transfer (but after you’ve logged into your account): You can see what it costs to send money to Sri Lanka via the app or website. Simply log into your account and go to “Send” or “Send Money.” Then, select your destination country, how much you want to send, your payout currency, and your payment and delivery methods.

2. Before you initiate a transfer (without logging in): You can go to Ria’s website for an estimate of what it will cost.

Both options can help prevent you from being surprised by any fees or charges associated with sending money overseas.

We offer several ways to track your money transfer to Sri Lanka, but the easiest option is to use our Track a Transfer tool, which provides real-time updates of your transfer — no matter where you are.

Here’s how to use this free online feature:

1. After logging into your Ria account: Once logged in, choose “Track” (from the app) or “Track a transfer” (from the website). Then, input the transfer’s unique personal identification number (PIN) to see its status.

2. Without logging into your Ria account: If you don’t have a Ria account, you can still use the Track a Transfer feature. You’ll still need the unique PIN, however. This enables both the sender and recipient to see the transfer status at any point.

Two things are worth noting.

1. If you reside in Australia, you must also provide your birth date and recipient’s country (Sri Lanka) to track the transfer.

2. As the sender, you’ll also receive emailed updates regarding the transfer’s status and any major changes.

There are several ways to send money to Sri Lanka safely and efficiently. Which method is the best for you is a personal decision — it all comes down to how fast you need the Sri Lanka money transfer to arrive, how you want your friends and family to receive it, and how you want to pay.

Bank transfers: You can use your bank to transfer money to a bank in Sri Lanka through an international wire transfer. With this method, there’s no cash involved — you simply instruct your bank to send money to your recipient’s bank account. 

To complete a wire transfer through your bank, you usually must provide your recipient’s name, address, contact information, and banking information. This includes their international bank account number (IBAN) and their bank’s SWIFT/BIC code. 

There are several drawbacks to using a bank transfer to send money to Sri Lanka. For one, both you and your recipient need to have bank accounts at institutions that allow international transfers. 

For another, they’re typically expensive. Some banks charge as much as $50 for the convenience of an international wire transfer to the sender. And a few charge a fee to the recipient as well. In addition, your bank may limit the amount of money you can send through this method.

Money transfer agents: Traditional money transfer agents allow customers to send money abroad using cash. These agents usually have offices you can visit to fund the transfer with cash. Your recipient can then visit the transfer agent’s office closest to them and receive the money as cash. 

Of course, one of the main drawbacks of using this method for sending money is that your recipient must live near a transfer agent’s office. Another is the fact that these agents sometimes have complicated pricing structures, and fees and exchange rates can vary widely.

Money orders: Sending an international money order is similar to sending a check through the mail. You can buy a pre-paid money order certificate from your local post office or bank and then send it directly to your recipient via international mail. They can then redeem the certificate for cash.

There are several big disadvantages to this money-sending method, mainly that it’s expensive and slow. 

Online money transfer services: Online money transfer services such as Ria make it easy to send money to Sri Lanka and more than 165 other countries around the globe. Ria charges no sneaky hidden fees, so your Sri Lanka remittance will go further. 

Ria also offers great exchange rates and allows you to send money through our convenient mobile app or any of the 500,000-plus participating locations. Ria offers a quick alternative to other money-sending methods. Many transfers arrive within minutes. Send money with Ria now. 

Signing up for an account with Ria is easy. The exact steps you’ll take vary depending on your location and whether you want to use the app or website.

Create a Ria account via the app in the US or Canada:

1. Download the Ria app and tap the “Register” button.

2. Confirm your current country. 

3. Enter your email address and choose a password.

4. Agree to Ria’s Terms and Conditions.

5. Enter your full name, date of birth and phone number, then tap “Continue.”

6. Choose to subscribe to receive promotions, discounts, and other special offers or tap “Not now” to opt out.

7. Enter your mailing address and tap “Continue.”

8. Select and answer three security questions to protect your account.

Create a Ria account via the app everywhere else:

1. Download the Ria app and tap the “Register” button.

2. Confirm your current country.

3. Enter your phone number and verify it by entering the 6-digit code we send you.

4. Choose a password.

5. Agree to Ria’s terms and conditions.

6. Enter your full name, email address, and date of birth (we may also ask for your country of birth, nationality, occupation, and ID information).

7. Tap the “Continue” button.

8. Choose to subscribe to receive promotions, discounts, and other special offers or tap “Not now” to opt out.

9. Enter your mailing address and tap the “Continue” button.

Create an account via the website:

1. Visit riamoneytransfer.com.

2. Click “Register” in the top right-hand corner of the screen.

3. Choose your country of residence.

4. Click “Get started.”

5. Enter your phone number and the security code we send to your phone.

6. Choose a password. 

7. Enter your first and last name, date of birth, and email address.

8. Select whether you’d like to receive marketing messages from Ria.

9. Enter your address.

To send money to Sri Lanka, you must supply information according to your preferred transfer option. For example, an international money order requires the recipient's address, whereas a bank transfer requires the Sri Lankan bank's IBAN, plus other basic information.

If you select Ria to send money to Sri Lanka online, you must provide the following information:

• Your recipient's full name — ensure it matches their government-issued photo ID

• The name of the  Sri Lankan city and province where your recipient lives

• The sum of money you plan to send to your recipient in Sri Lanka

• Payment details like credit card number or bank account information

• Payout information, such as the cash pickup location or bank account numbers for a wire transfer

Sometimes, the option your recipient chooses for receiving the funds may require additional information, such as a cell number or other contact details.

You can set up a Sri Lanka money transfer from the Ria app or website. Start by signing into your existing account or create a new one if you don’t have one. If you haven’t verified your phone number or set up your online profile yet, you can do that now.

Since this is your first money transfer to Sri Lanka, you’ll need to add a new recipient to your account — that is, the person who will receive money in Sri Lanka. Adding a recipient is easy. Just provide basic information about them, such as their name, current location, and phone number. If you want to transfer money to their bank, input their bank account details as well.

Once you’ve added a recipient to your account, you can decide how much money to send them — either in your currency or theirs. At this point, you can also select the payout method. Remember, each payout method comes with its own advantages and fees.

With that done, simply choose your payment method for the Sri Lanka remittance. You can add a new payment method to your account on the website or the app.

Once you’ve completed that first transfer, the process becomes even easier as your recipient’s basic information is saved to your account. Ria doesn’t store your recipient’s bank account information, however, so you will need to input that again.

Some money transfers go through within minutes of setting them up. However, you might have to wait a few hours or days before your transfer is complete.

That’s where tracking your transfer comes into play. You can use the Track a Transfer feature for status updates on your Sri Lanka remittance. You’ll just need the PIN, which you can find in your account or the confirmation email you received after scheduling the transfer. Your recipient can also use this tool.

A standard money transfer to Sri Lanka doesn’t take very long to complete, though it depends on the payment and payout methods. If you’ve chosen a debit or credit card transfer, your recipient should receive money in Sri Lanka within minutes. A bank transfer, on the other hand, can take several business days to complete.

Certain factors may delay your transfer. For example, if you set up the transfer outside local business hours or on a holiday or weekend, it might take a little longer. In some cases, Ria will also request additional information from you for security purposes, which could cause additional delays.

Senders and recipients can use Ria’s Track a Transfer feature for real-time transfer updates. All you need is the transfer’s PIN and order number.

Senders can also use the Ria app to track the transaction — just tap the “Track” option. In addition, senders will be notified by email when their recipient has picked up or received the money — or if there’s another major status change.

Ria provides two convenient ways to receive a money transfer in Sri Lanka:

• Bank transfer: The money transfer can go directly to your Sri Lankan bank account, where you can immediately take out the money or leave it in the bank until you need it. You can ensure a smooth money bank transfer by providing your sender with the correct name or SWIFT code, account type, and account number for your bank account. If you need help finding this information, contact your bank representative for assistance.

• Cash pickup: Ria partners with over 4,800 participating locations across Sri Lanka where you can securely pick up your money. To verify your identity, you must show the clerk your government-issued photo ID.

Your choices for how to transfer money to Sri Lanka depend on your country of residence and whether you use the Ria website or mobile app. You may have several funding options for your remittance.

For Ria website money transfers, you can use:

• Bank transfer (U.S.)

• Cash (U.S.)

• Credit or debit card (U.S., Canada, Australia, Spain, or the U.K.)

As a Ria app user, you may be able to pay with one of these funding types:

• Bank transfer (U.S.)

• Credit or debit card (Europe, Canada, Malaysia, Australia, the U.S., or the U.K.) 

• Cash (Malaysia, Singapore, or the U.S.)

• Giropay (Germany)

• Klarna (Spain, Germany, or Austria)

• Bancontact (Belgium)

• Fintoc or Sencillito (Chile)

• PayID (Australia)

• iDEAL (Netherlands)

• FPX (Malaysia)

Discover more information about these options on our complete list of all payment methods.

Unfortunately, you can't use Zelle to send money to Sri Lanka.

That's because Zelle currently works only with bank accounts based in the U.S. There's no way to make a money transfer to an international account. Both the recipient and the sender must have U.S.-based checking or savings accounts — as well as U.S. phone numbers.

Instead, consider using an online money transfer service like Ria. Ria is quick, safe, and convenient. We offer great exchange rates, low fees (with no hidden charges), and a variety of payment and pickup options — all from our website or mobile app.

Ria serves customers in more than 165 countries — meaning sending money to or receiving money in Sri Lanka is a breeze. You don't even need to have a bank account to use Ria — unlike with Zelle. Send money now with Ria. 

Currently, you can't use Venmo to send money to Sri Lanka. That's because only U.S. residents can use the app to send or receive money transfers.

Venmo may not work with international accounts. But Ria serves more than 165 countries around the globe — including Sri Lanka. Ria makes sending money internationally simple, quick, and secure. Your recipient in Sri Lanka could get the money transfer in as little as 15 minutes if you use Ria. Plus, there are no additional fees. You are fully aware of all costs and the amount of Sri Lanka currency your recipient will get before you even complete the transfer.

Send money now with Ria.

Visit any Ria location, use our website, or log into our mobile app to send money directly to your recipient’s bank account in Sri Lanka. All you need is:

1. The recipient’s full legal name (as it appears on their bank account)

2. The name of the recipient’s bank 

3. The recipient’s bank account number or IBAN (international bank account number)

Ria will take care of the rest!

Hands down, sending money via electronic transfer is the safest way to send money to Sri Lanka.

In the old days, it was common for people to send remittances by mailing cash. Not only does this method take a long time (they call it “snail mail” for a good reason), but it’s also just not safe. The mailed money could get stolen or lost at any point during its long journey.

Instead, using an online money transfer service like Ria ensures that your money gets exactly where you intend it to go. 

In addition, Ria’s team of world-class security experts works around the clock to monitor your money transfers and keep a watchful eye out for unusual behavior. Ria’s software allows the team to spot any suspicious activity long before any harm can be done to your account.

Plus, Ria never stores your payment details on its servers. So, your credit or debit card or bank account information will never be compromised in Ria’s system.

Your safety is Ria’s number one priority when sending money to Sri Lanka.

You can use one of the following options to securely send money to a friend or loved one in Sri Lanka:

• International bank transfer: If your friend doesn't mind waiting a few business days to receive the money, you can wire money from your bank account to your friend's bank account in Sri Lanka.

• International money order: Your friend may wait even longer than a bank transaction to receive a money order through the slow and unpredictable mail service. Plus, the cost of postage can be steep.

• Third-party money transfer agent: Although this method may be quick, the varying fees and exchange rates make it challenging to get the best deal.

• Ria: Using Ria's website or app, you can securely and quickly transfer money to Sri Lanka. You can also complete the transfer by visiting one of thousands of participating locations globally. There are many convenient and safe payout options, including some that will get your remittance to your friend in just a few minutes.

Suppose you choose Ria to send money to Sri Lanka online. In that case, you can follow these steps to start a Sri Lanka remittance with our website or app.

1. Start a free account. The online form will request your full name, birth date, and contact information. Depending on where you currently reside, you may need to supply other information.

2. Tap the "Send money" or "Send" button.

3. Select "Sri Lanka" on the country drop-down menu.

4. Input the money transfer amount. You'll immediately see the exchange rate, Ria's charges, and the amount in Sri Lankan Rupees your friend will receive.

5. Pick your payment options. Depending on where you're located, you can use a debit or credit card, linked bank account, or other payment types. You can also visit a partner location to pay in cash.

6. Choose how your recipient in Sri Lanka prefers to receive the remittance. In Sri Lanka, Ria provides in-person cash pickup near your recipient or a direct deposit to your friend's bank account.

7. Click "Continue."

8. In your Recipient List, enter your recipient's full name and the name of the city and province where your recipient resides. Ensure your recipient's full name doesn't vary from the person's government-issued ID.

9. Supply all delivery method information, such as bank details or the cash pickup location the recipient wants to use.

10. Provide your payment information.

If you want to use cash to pay for the money transfer to your friend in Sri Lanka, visit a participating 7-Eleven store and follow the PayNearMe guide to complete the transaction. You must verify your online money transfer with the barcode on the Ria webpage when you set up the transfer.

Here's how to find the barcode in your Ria app:

• Click "Fund Transfer" appearing on the fund transfer page.

• Or, click "Transfer" on the Activity Page and select Pay. 

Take a printed copy of the barcode from the Ria website and use it to verify your transfer. If you set up the remittance on the Ria app, you can show the 7-Eleven employee the barcode on the app.

At the end of the Ria quick and simple remittance process, you will receive a personal identification number (PIN). This number will help you keep track of your money transfer to your friend in Sri Lanka throughout the entire process. Your friend in Sri Lanka can also use the PIN to make pickup plans, eliminating the need to make numerous phone calls back and forth.