Disclaimer: Exchange rates change often. Confirm the total cost with the provider before transferring money.
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How to send money to Belgium
Want to send an affordable money transfer to Belgium? Here’s how to find the best exchange rates and lowest fees.
Compare money transfer services to Belgium
Use our comparison calculator to assess transfer fees, exchange rates and other details for sending funds to Belgium with our money transfer partners.
How do international money transfers work?
An international money transfer allows you to send money to friends, family and businesses overseas. Generally, it involves you sending cash or money from your bank account to an intermediary transfer service or bank, which then exchanges and sends the money to your recipient in another country — in this case, Belgium.
Depending on the provider, you can initiate a money transfer in person, online or by phone. Your cash or bank account transfer is then either deposited into your recipient’s bank account or made available as cash for pickup at a location in their country.
Banks versus money transfer companies
You might think that your bank would be the best place to go when you want to send money to Belgium — but you’d be wrong. While banks can easily handle international wire transfers, especially when you’re sending a currency as common as the euro, they offer quite low exchange rates and regularly impose high fees.
You can save a significant amount of money, and ensure that your recipient gets a whole lot more, if you send your funds via a specialist money transfer company. These companies usually offer exchange rates far superior to the banks and also charge much lower fees.
Case Study: Lionel sends money to Belgium
Lionel is spending two years working in South Africa for a production company, but he stays in regular contact with his elderly parents back home in Gent, Belgium. His parents need some funds to help pay off a debt to a previous landlord, so Lionel plans to send them R5,000 from South Africa. Rather than approach his bank, he compares two money transfer companies to see which one can save him money on his transaction.| Money transfer company 1 | Money transfer company 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange rate | 1 ZAR = 0.065 EUR | 1 ZAR = 0.084 |
| Transfer fee | R4 | R5 |
| Transfer method | Bank account deposit | Bank account deposit |
| Processing time | 1-3 business days | 3 business days |
| Amount received (in EUR) | 325 EUR | 420 EUR |
As you can see, while the transfer fee is slightly higher for the second company, it allows Lionel to send an extra 95 euros to his parents.
How to compare transfer companies when transferring money to Belgium
- Exchange rates. Does the provider offer competitive exchange rates when compared to other companies?
- Fees. How much will it cost you to send a transfer? Can you avoid fees altogether by sending a large amount?
- Transfer methods. What options are available for placing a transfer: online, over the phone, in a branch? Is there an app available?
- Transfer options. Ask whether you can schedule payments ahead of time or protect your transfer against market fluctuations with a limit order or forward contract.
- Turnaround time. How long will it take for the funds to arrive in your beneficiary’s bank account or wallet?
- Minimum limit. Are there minimum or maximum transfer limits in place that could restrict your transaction options?
- Pickup methods. Can the cash you send be picked up from a transfer agent in Belgium, or will the funds be transferred straight into a bank account?
- Customer service. Will adequate customer support be available if you ever have a question or need help?
Steps to send money to Belgium
- Choose a transfer provider who sends money to Belgium
- Register with the provider on their website providing your name, address, contact information and date of birth. A valid photo ID will also be required.
- Provide your recipient’s name, address and contact details. Depending on the transfer method you may also have to supply their bank account information.
- Enter the amount you want to transfer, complete your transaction and save your tracking or receipt number to follow up on the progress of your transfer.
Foreign exchange rates explained
The exchange rate determines how much one country’s currency is worth in another currency. When a country’s currency is strong, it will yield more money when exchanging it in a country with a weak currency. The euro’s exchange rate is flexible, which means it can change from moment to moment. Factors that influence the exchange rate include interest rates, economic stability and inflation.Options for sending money to Belgium from South Africa
- Bank transfers. South African banks can easily transfer euros overseas for you.
- Online money transfer providers. There are plenty of reliable online providers offering affordable transfers.
- Cheques. International cheques provide safe and secure transfers but are quite slow.
- Money transfer companies with cash pickup options. Western Union and MoneyGram are the two largest operators of worldwide transfer networks.
- PayPal. Don’t just use your PayPal account to make purchases on eBay; use it to send money transfers as well.
Emergency cash transfers in Belgium
Do you need to send an emergency cash transfer to Belgium? Maybe you need to send an urgent transfer to a friend who is vacationing in Belgium and has had their wallet stolen?
There are several companies that can get your funds to Belgium within minutes, but just be wary of the fact that you will need to be willing to pay a bit extra for this service. High fees and sometimes lower exchange rates will apply, so check the fine print closely before committing to a transaction.
Back to topTips for picking up cash in Belgium
- Phone ahead to confirm the transfer agent’s location and opening hours.
- Don’t visit an agent in an unsafe area.
- Avoid picking up cash at night if possible.
- Keep your cash hidden and don’t wave it around in public.
- Avoid carrying the cash on your person for any longer than is necessary.
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