Transferring money to India always has an expense associated to it; it can be as simple as stamp when you mail a cheque to poor exchange rates and high fees when using door-to-door remittance services.
For those transactions where the amount is small, it is possible to open a bank account in the UK which has branches in India. An ATM card can be sent to the recipient in India, who can withdraw money from the bank using the card. As there are few UK banks with significant branch exposure in India, especially in rural areas, the card holder will usually have to withdraw from a bank which is not associated, the result being a fee charged by the bank operating the ATM. This can be an expensive option with poor exchange rates, but for quick cash in small amounts, it can be viable.
Online money transfers to India from UK
Perhaps the quickest way to transfer money from the UK to India is via an online money transfer service agency.
These service agencies have made money transfer very simple and convenient. To make a remittance all the person in the UK has to do is log on to the web site of the agency and register. When registering for the service, the agency asks for your name, address, phone numbers, and an identity document like a driver’s license or passport. Once this information has been provided, establish your own identity number and account password. Simple as that and you are ready to transfer cash.
To make online money transfers to India from UK, you log into your account, enter the amount of sterling you want to transfer, add the details of the recipient and the transfer takes place. In a matter of hours, the money will be in the account of the beneficiary, in rupees. The exchange rate is established in the UK and is not the concern of the recipient.
Money transfer agencies
If access to the Internet is impossible, then using one of the many international money transfer services is warranted. You can travel to the UK office of one of these transfer agents; pay cash for the amount transferred plus the fee. The money is then collectable in India at a branch of the transfer agency. The agency sets the exchange rate, which is not good and the fees are high. These agencies should be used only when there is no other choice.
SWIFT
Banks are still very much a part of the money transfer business. A traditional international transaction done through a bank requires the details of both parties and the SWIFT number of both accounts that are used. The costs are dependent on the UK bank and the Indian bank as both charge fees. The cost of an international bank transfer can be quite high.