Sri Lanka is one of South Asia’s most remittance-dependent economies, with overseas workers sending home roughly USD 6 billion every year — equivalent to around 6–8% of GDP. The largest source corridors are the Gulf states (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain), followed by Italy, South Korea, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and the United Kingdom. The country also hosts a small but growing community of foreign workers, including roughly 700+ Filipinos employed in hospitality, BPO and skilled trades. Major cities including Colombo, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, Negombo, Kandy, Galle, Jaffna, Batticaloa, Anuradhapura, Trincomalee and Matara host the densest networks of money transfer agents and licensed exchange counters. Sri Lanka’s remittance sector is regulated by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) under the Foreign Exchange Act No. 12 of 2017, with new outward-remittance rules issued in mid-2025 that set a USD 100,000 migration allowance for permanent emigrants.
Money Transfer Locations
Western Union
Western Union operates through partnerships with Sri Lankan commercial banks, finance companies and authorised dealers including Commercial Bank of Ceylon, Hatton National Bank, Sampath Bank, Nations Trust Bank and Cargills Bank.
- Western Union Colombo
- Western Union Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
- Western Union Negombo
- Western Union Kandy
- Western Union Galle
- Western Union Jaffna
- Western Union Batticaloa
- Western Union Trincomalee
- Western Union Anuradhapura
- Western Union Matara
- Western Union Kurunegala
- Western Union Ratnapura
MoneyGram
MoneyGram is available through major Sri Lankan banks and licensed finance companies including Bank of Ceylon, People’s Bank, National Savings Bank, Seylan Bank, DFCC Bank and LB Finance.
- MoneyGram Colombo
- MoneyGram Negombo
- MoneyGram Kandy
- MoneyGram Galle
- MoneyGram Jaffna
- MoneyGram Batticaloa
- MoneyGram Kurunegala
- MoneyGram Anuradhapura
Ria Money Transfer
Ria operates in Sri Lanka through partnerships with banks and licensed remittance dealers, with strong corridors from the Gulf, Italy, South Korea and Israel.
- Ria Colombo
- Ria Negombo
- Ria Kandy
- Ria Galle
- Ria Jaffna
Digital Money Transfer Providers
Digital remittance apps are growing rapidly into Sri Lanka, particularly from the Gulf, UK, Italy and Australia corridors:
- Wise — Mid-market exchange rates with transparent fees, bank deposit to LKR accounts
- Remitly — Express and Economy options into Sri Lankan bank accounts and cash pickup
- WorldRemit — Cash pickup, bank deposit and mobile money to Sri Lanka
- Xoom (a PayPal service) — Bank deposit and cash pickup partners across Sri Lanka
- Skrill — Digital wallet remittance into LKR accounts
Major Bank & Financial Partners
Sri Lankan commercial and state banks handle SWIFT wires, NRFC accounts and the bulk of the country’s remittance receipts:
- Bank of Ceylon (BOC)
- People’s Bank
- Commercial Bank of Ceylon
- Hatton National Bank (HNB)
- Sampath Bank
- Nations Trust Bank
- Seylan Bank
- DFCC Bank
- National Savings Bank (NSB)
- National Development Bank (NDB)
- Cargills Bank
- HSBC Sri Lanka
- Standard Chartered Sri Lanka
Regulator
All money transfer providers, exchange counters and authorised dealers in Sri Lanka are licensed and supervised by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) under the Foreign Exchange Act No. 12 of 2017. CBSL’s Department of Foreign Exchange issues directives on inward and outward remittances; the June 2025 Order increased the migration allowance for permanent emigrants to USD 100,000. Always verify your provider holds a current CBSL authorisation before sending or receiving funds.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can migrant workers send money to Sri Lanka?
Migrant workers abroad — whether Sri Lankan nationals working in the Gulf, Italy, South Korea, Japan or elsewhere, or foreign workers based in Sri Lanka — can transfer money through CBSL-authorised channels including Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria, Wise, Remitly, WorldRemit and Xoom. Major Sri Lankan banks (Bank of Ceylon, People’s Bank, Commercial Bank, Hatton National Bank, Sampath Bank) handle SWIFT wires, NRFC account deposits and partner with global remittance brands for cash pickup nationwide.
How long does an international money transfer to Sri Lanka take?
Most digital transfers to Sri Lanka arrive within minutes for cash pickup at bank branches and finance company outlets and 1–2 business days for direct deposit to a Sri Lankan bank account. SWIFT wires typically settle in 2–4 business days. Weekend transfers and Sri Lankan public holidays (Poya days, Sinhala-Tamil New Year) may add one banking day.
What ID is required to receive money in Sri Lanka?
Recipients in Sri Lanka must present a valid National Identity Card (NIC), passport or driving licence. The ID name must exactly match the name on the transfer. Cash pickup requires the sender’s full name and country, the exact amount, the destination currency, and the MTCN or reference number. For amounts above LKR 500,000 the paying bank or agent may request additional source-of-funds documentation under CBSL anti-money-laundering rules.
Which currency should I send to Sri Lanka?
Remittances to Sri Lanka are typically converted to Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR) at the paying bank or agent. Senders can also deposit foreign currency directly into a Non-Resident Foreign Currency (NRFC) account or an Inward Investment Account (IIA) held with a Sri Lankan bank, which is useful for those planning to repatriate funds later or invest locally. Compare the all-in cost (fee + exchange-rate margin) before sending — Wise, Remitly and WorldRemit often beat in-person agent rates for digital-to-bank transfers.
How is Sri Lanka’s remittance market regulated?
All inward and outward remittances in Sri Lanka are governed by the Foreign Exchange Act No. 12 of 2017 and supervised by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL). CBSL licences authorised dealers (banks), restricted dealers (finance companies and exchange counters) and money changers. Recent CBSL Orders in 2025 reaffirmed migrant remittance flows as a priority pillar of Sri Lanka’s foreign-exchange recovery and set a USD 100,000 migration allowance for permanent emigrants.