Consular officers can help destitute Americans contact family or friends to arrange for transfer of funds. In some cases, these funds can be wired through the Department of State. For information on how a consular officer can help under these circumstances, please visit the State Department’s Emergency Financial Assistance for U.S. Citizens Abroad.
How to receive money in Serbia
U.S. citizens sometimes face emergencies while overseas. Money can be transferred by Western Union, MoneyGram or bank-wire. You always need to include the U.S. citizen’s name and location (city and country) on the transfer. Please note that your relative/friend in the U.S. will be charged a fee for the transfer. The fee depends on the amount of money sent.
Western Union
This is usually the fastest way to send money. Western Union locations are widely available in Serbia. There are three options:
- If you have a MasterCard or Visa credit card, you can call Western Union’s Quick Collect service at 1-800-634-3422. You cannot do Western Union transactions by phone or the Internet in Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, and Oklahoma.
- If you have a MasterCard or Visa credit card, you can visit www.westernunion.com.
- If you want to pay in cash, you can visit any Western Union location in person:
- This is the cheapest way to send money.
- Call 1-800-325-6000 to find the closest location of find it at www.westernunion.com.
- Complete a blue payment form.
On Sundays, Western Union services can be obtained through Raiffeisen bank at Mercator center, Bulevar Umetnosti 4, New Belgrade. The hours for Western Union services are from 9 am until 2 pm. For further inquiries, please call +381 11 3202-100.
MoneyGram
Please check www.moneygram.com. MoneyGram locations are available in many banks in Serbia.
- It offers same day service using credit or debit cards.
- Using your bank account, funds typically arrive in three business days.
Bankwire
This kind of transaction costs less than Western Union or MoneyGram, but takes longer to complete.
- The recipient must have a bank account in Serbia.
- The sender should provide recipient’s bank’s SWIFT code.