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Sending money from the USA to Pakistan

Short answer Send through a bank or a licensed money transmitter. Federal rules from the CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau) give you a price disclosure before you pay, 30 minutes to cancel and a right to have errors investigated. The money can reach a bank account by IBAN (International Bank Account Number), a cash counter or a mobile wallet, depending on the provider. On the Pakistan side, SBP EPD Circular Letter No. 12 of 2026 requires banks and exchange companies to keep qualifying home remittances “free-of-cost for the senders and beneficiaries”. SBP sets the minimum eligible transaction at USD 200. The circular does not cover what a US provider charges.

At a glance

Dawn reported: “The only decline of 2.6pc was noted from the US”. SBP’s own release text was not available to us; the figures are as reported. More: Remittances reached US$41.6bn in FY26; Pasban rewards start October 1.

Providers that publish Pakistan payouts

This table lists firms whose own pages state that they pay out in Pakistan and whose US licences we could confirm from the firm’s licensing page or a state regulator’s record. It is not exhaustive and is not a ranking. We do not list fees or exchange rates: they change with the amount, the payment method and the payout, and the CFPB rule requires each provider to show them before you pay.

Provider (US entity) Licensing and reference Payout options in Pakistan, as the provider states Source
Remitly (Remitly, Inc.) “Authorized to transmit money in all U.S. states and Washington, D.C.”; state licences listed, e.g. New York DFS 105409, California DFPI 2451 Bank deposit; cash pickup; mobile wallet Payouts ↗ · Licences ↗
Western Union (Western Union Financial Services, Inc.) NMLS #906983; state licences listed by regulator Bank account; cash pickup; mobile wallet Payouts ↗ · Licences ↗
WorldRemit (WorldRemit Corp.) Licence number 1179663 (Maryland), FT1179663 (Massachusetts); New York DFS money transmitter Bank account; cash pickup Payouts ↗ · Licences ↗
Wise (Wise US Inc.) Money transmitter licensed by states; NMLS 1351219 in Mississippi’s licensee list; California DFPI licence 2558 Bank account (“receive to local bank accounts”) Payouts ↗ · Wise ↗ · Mississippi DBCF ↗ · DFPI ↗

Source: the providers’ own pages and state regulators linked in each row · checked 2026-09-28

Licences are issued state by state. Wise says that in states where Wise US Inc. is not licensed, the service is provided by its partner bank, Community Federal Savings Bank. To check any firm, search its name or NMLS ID on NMLS Consumer Access ↗ or with your state’s financial regulator.

Your rights in the USA

The CFPB’s Remittance Transfer Rule generally covers transfers of more than $15 sent by consumers in the United States through a remittance transfer provider:

  • Before you pay, the provider must tell you its fees and taxes, the exchange rate, the amount expected to be delivered and, where it applies, that foreign taxes and fees may be deducted.
  • Your receipt must show when the money will be available, your cancellation and error rights, and how to complain, including how to contact the CFPB and the state regulator.
  • Cancellation: “After paying, you have up to 30 minutes to cancel the remittance transfer at no charge, unless the transfer has already been picked up or deposited into the recipient’s account.” The provider must refund within three business days.
  • Errors: you have 180 days from the disclosed availability date to report a mistake. Providers “generally have 90 days to investigate”. If the money never arrives, you may get a refund or have the transfer resent.

Source: CFPB: What is a remittance transfer and what are my rights? ↗, CFPB: Sending money ↗, 12 CFR 1005.34 ↗ · checked 2026-09-28

What the receiver needs to give you

  • Bank: the full name of the receiver’s bank
  • SWIFT/BIC: the bank’s code (see SWIFT codes of Pakistani banks)
  • IBAN: the receiver’s 24-character Pakistani IBAN
  • Account title: exactly as on the account

SWIFT codes for large banks: Meezan Bank, HBL, UBL, MCB Bank, Allied Bank.

For cash pickup, the provider gives you a tracking or reference number to pass on; Western Union calls it the MTCN (Money Transfer Control Number). For a wallet, the receiver gives you the registered mobile number. What the receiver can use in Pakistan: Receiving money from abroad and Wallets.

Exchange rate

SBP publishes a daily M2M revaluation rate ↗ for USD/PKR. SBP says the rates “are issued for Authorized Dealers to revalue their books daily” and that the USD rate “is compiled as weighted average of closing interbank exchange rate collected through Brokerage Houses”. It is a reference, not the rate your transfer is converted at. Compare it with the rate your provider must disclose before you pay.

Pasban Remittance Reward Scheme

SBP’s Governor announced the Pasban Remittance Reward Scheme on September 25, 2026. The terms below are as reported by APP and Dawn; we did not find the official terms and conditions.

  • APP reported that prizes are split by region: “50% for the GCC, 15% for the UK, 15% for Europe, 10% for North America, and 10% for other countries”. The first prize is open to all regions.
  • Dawn reported that the receiver must get at least US$100 “into an eligible bank account or wallet in each of the three months of a quarter”, and that cash collected over the counter does not qualify.
  • APP reported that the scheme starts on October 1, 2026.

Details: Receiving money from abroad.

Warning SBP’s public poster says transfer of foreign currency “through Hawala/Hundi operators is illegal”. It advises using “only State Bank authorized banks and exchange companies” and keeping the “system generated official receipt”. In the USA, use a bank or a licensed money transmitter. In Pakistan, report illegal operators to the FIA at complaints@fia.gov.pk.

Tracking and complaints

Sending side (USA). Keep the receipt and tracking number and track the transfer in the provider’s app or website. Contact the provider first. If the problem is not resolved, you can submit a complaint to the CFPB ↗; the CFPB says it will forward it to the company and work to get you a response, “generally within 15 days”. Your receipt also names the state agency that regulates the provider.

Receiving side (Pakistan). The receiver uses the paying bank’s tracker with the reference number, for example HBL’s Remittance Tracker on hbl.com or Meezan Bank’s Home Remittance Tracker ↗. A complaint goes to the bank first; if it does not respond within 45 days, or the receiver is unhappy with the outcome, to the Banking Mohtasib Pakistan. PRI’s call centre is +9221-111-727-774.

Source: CFPB: Sending money ↗, SBP: Sunwai FAQ ↗, PRI ↗ · checked 2026-09-28

Questions

Is sending money from the USA to Pakistan free?

On the Pakistan side, qualifying remittances of at least USD 200 must stay free for sender and beneficiary. Your US provider sets its own fee and exchange rate and must disclose them before you pay.

Can I cancel a transfer to Pakistan?

Yes, within 30 minutes of paying, at no charge, unless the money has already been picked up or deposited. The provider must refund within three business days.

How do I check that a US money transfer company is licensed?

Look for its state licences on its website, then confirm them on NMLS Consumer Access or with your state regulator. SBP says transfers through hawala or hundi operators are illegal.

What if the money never arrives?

Report it to the provider within 180 days of the promised availability date. It generally has 90 days to investigate, and you may get a refund or a resend.

Related

Sources