We would like to share some helpful information regarding your payment instructions, to ensure that your international transactions are processed smoothly and securely. By including the following details in your payment instructions, you can help avoid potential delays or rejections:

Beneficiary Customer (Field 59 in SWIFT MT103):

• Beneficiary Account IBAN (highly recommended, mandatory in some countries like the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, to name only a few)
• Beneficiary Account Number (exercise caution if IBAN not available, as this is primary for crediting funds)
• Beneficiary Account Name (full name required, avoid initials, ensure alignment with beneficiary’s bank records)
• Beneficiary Address (must match beneficiary’s bank records)

Important Note: Some countries may require national routing codes (e.g., BSB code for Australia, Canadian Branch Routing Number, Sort Code for the UK) when beneficiary account number is provided in lieu of full IBAN.

Beneficiary Bank (Field 57 in SWIFT MT103):

• Beneficiary Bank SWIFT BIC Code (8 or 11 alphanumeric characters, e.g., AFBLMUMU or AFBLMUMUXXX)
• Beneficiary Bank Address (City and country required)

 

Purpose of payment (Field 70 in SWIFT MT103):

• Provide a clear and concise reason for payment, avoiding abbreviations

Important Note: Some countries may require attaching the national regulatory code to the purpose of payment (e.g., UAE).

 

Charges Instructions (Field 71A in SWIFT MT103)

 

While making a transfer, charges (local and overseas) can paid in one of the following ways:

• OUR – All charges are borne by the ordering customer which includes the remittance amount, bank charges, as well as all the other banks' fees (intermediary bank)
• BEN – The beneficiary bears all charges of the bank or banks engaged in the transfer of the payment
• SHA – Charges are shared. Ordering customer pays the bank charges and the remittance amount and the beneficiary bears the charges of all the other banks including the intermediary bank, beneficiary bank, etc.

Important Note: In the absence of specified charges instructions, the transfer is processed following the SHA option as per the International Standard Banking Practice.

We recommend verifying transaction details with your beneficiaries and staying informed about any country-specific or bank requirements.

Our Client Services team is ready to assist with any queries, and for added security, we suggest using our secure Internet Banking platform for payments. Thank you for your continued trust. We remain committed to ensuring your banking experience is secure, efficient, and compliant with global standards.