Popular Ways to Send Money to India from the USA
A large number of NRIs working in the USA send funds to India regularly through many different types of money transfer services. If you have recently moved to the USA and looking for a remittance service, some top options are discussed in this post.
For a lot of Indians, their search for a better professional opportunity abroad ends up in the USA. But a common need for the NRIs having family in India is a reliable money transfer service. With the consistently rising number of people who move to foreign countries for work, there is also an upsurge in the number of money transfer services.
If you have recently moved to the USA and want to send funds to India, these are some of the top options that you can consider-
- Offline Money Transfer Agents
Offline agents have long been used by the NRIs to send funds to India. Offline transfers require you to visit the nearest money transfer agent for depositing the amount to be sent to India. Once the transfer is initiated, it could take 3-5 working days for the funds to reach India.
Your recipient can then visit the nearest collection centre for withdrawing the funds. Make sure that you compare the exchange rates and transfer fee of at least a few reputed offline agents before selecting one for your transfer.
- Online ACH Transfer
ACH or Automated Clearing House is a network which coordinates cross-country online payments. If you have a bank account in the US, you can use the same for initiating an ACH transfer to India. The transfers are quick, and the exchange rate is competitive too.
However, ACH transfers generally have a low maximum per day transfer limit. Do check this limit if you are looking to send a large amount to India.
- Wire Transfer
Wire transfer is very popular among NRIs in the USA as it is safe and has almost no maximum transaction limit. To make a wire transfer, you are required to first initiate a transfer with a remittance service provider.
The transfer details are then sent to your bank in the US, which then transfers the funds to the account of the remittance service provider.
After receiving the funds from your bank, the service provider will then send your money to India. Some of the Indian banks now also offer online wire transfer facility.
- Bank Drafts, Cashier’s Check, and Money Orders
With bank drafts, cashier’s check, and money orders, you are first required to buy the total amount in INR from a bank in the USA, and then transfer the same to your recipient in India. However, getting your USD converted to INR from a US bank would mean getting considerably lower exchange rate.
Also, the transfer could easily take 4-6 working days. If you do use the bank draft or money order for the transfer, always keep a copy of the same for future reference.
- Online Remittance Service of Indian Banks
There are now Indian banks that allow you to send money to India from USA online. As compared to traditional modes of transfer such as offline transfer agents, such services are known to be faster and more convenient. Even the exchange rates are highly competitive, and some of the banks do not charge any transfer fee on transfers of $1,000 and above.
Moreover, since the transfer is done online, the funds are directly deposited into the bank account of the recipient. You or your recipient are not required to go anywhere. You can easily initiate a transfer from the comforts of your home.
Selecting a Remittance Service
There are a few important factors that one should take into consideration when choosing a USA to India money transfer service provider.
You should focus on the reputation of the service provider, exchange rate, transfer fee, and transfer duration. Also, ensure that there are no hidden fees or charges involved. A selection based on these factors is sure to help you make the right decision.
Disclaimer: “The contents of this article is meant merely for informational purpose. Any reliance placed on such information is therefore strictly at one’s own risk.”
