SWIFT/BIC codes in Australia: banks starting with U

Finding a SWIFT code in Australia

In Australia we have 1063 SWIFT/BIC codes. A BIC tells the banks handling a transfer which institution is meant to get the money.

Choose the bank below to see its head office code and any branch codes, plus practical notes for sending and receiving money. Further down you can read how a code from Australia is put together, how to send money there at a fair price and how to check a code before you pay.

Bank or transfer service for Australia?

An international bank payment to Australia often costs more than you think. Besides the fee, correspondent banks can deduct a charge and, if currencies are converted, the bank often applies a less favourable rate than the real market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. An easy check: put the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

For a lot of currency pairs, a transfer service turns out to be less expensive than a bank – mostly thanks to the exchange rate. GoldexPay compares what recipients in Australia receive with different providers, which makes the cheapest option easy to spot.

When does money sent to Australia arrive?

There is no single answer for transfers to Australia: some land within a day while others need several business days. Payments made late in the day or just before a weekend or public holiday usually start a business day later.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every payment carries a unique reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Specialist transfer services often provide tracking in their app, which makes it easier to see where the money is.

International payments to Australia and the BIC

For Australia you will usually need the BIC. Without the BIC, your bank will not send the transfer.

Depending on the country, accounts are identified by a domestic account number instead of an IBAN, sometimes with an extra bank or branch code. The recipient’s bank often provides a list of required details for incoming international payments. International transfers can pass through one or more intermediary banks, each of which may deduct a fee.

BNP Paribas Services, (Australia Branch) and its SWIFT codes

In our directory, BNP Paribas Services, (Australia Branch) has the largest number of SWIFT/BIC codes of all banks in Australia. The head office uses PARBAUS1066 – the code most transfers need.

The number of codes says more about how it organises its payments than about how big it is. Making a payment to BNP Paribas Services, (Australia Branch)? Use PARBAUS1066 unless a specific branch code is requested.

How SWIFT codes from Australia are built

A SWIFT code is either 8 or 11 characters long and follows a fixed pattern. The first four letters identify the bank, the fifth and sixth characters form the country code and characters seven and eight give the location.

You can spot a bank code from Australia from letters five and six: they always show the ISO country code of Australia. If the country letters point to another country, you are looking at a bank in another country.

When a code ends in XXX, it means the main office, and the 8-character version leads to the same place. For most transfers the head office code is what you need unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

Receiving money in Australia from abroad

A sender in another country will ask for a few details about your account, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. That means: your name exactly as it appears on the account, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and usually your postal address.

Find your bank in the list above to check its code. Some banks also want your bank’s address, so keep it at hand.

The amount you receive is often less than what was sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate applies. For business payments, agree how the fees are split.

Australia and the Australian Dollar

Australia pays in the Australian Dollar, code AUD. Money sent in a different currency is exchanged into AUD on its way to the recipient – and the bank that does it picks the rate.

Who does the conversion has an effect on the final amount, as rates and margins differ per bank. Often it is cheaper if you send AUD straight away through a transfer service that converts near the mid-market rate so the receiving bank does not need to convert again. Rates for AUD change during the day – some providers let you lock in a rate.

How reliable is this list?

The most reliable place for the correct BIC remains a document from the bank itself. A wrong code can cause delays, a returned payment or additional charges – compare it with the code in our list.

We collect bank codes from public sources and update them from time to time. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or retire codes and our data may lag behind. Treat this list as a reference, not as the final word: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is a comparison service for money transfers, not a bank.

Be wary of invoices containing a new account – a common fraud method. A real SWIFT code says nothing about whether a request is genuine.

Banks in Australia starting with :letter

This list shows only banks in Australia beginning with :letter. The totals mentioned above still cover the whole country, not just this letter.

Bank not listed? The registered name may begin with another word. The complete list is one click away if the letter filter does not help.