SWIFT/BIC codes in Georgia

Georgia: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

Here you will find the SWIFT/BIC codes of 28 banks in Georgia – 65 codes altogether. You need a SWIFT/BIC code mainly for international transfers, and especially for payments in foreign currencies.

Pick the bank from the list to view the head office code and any branch codes along with tips for payments to and from that bank. The sections below explain the structure of the codes, the cost of transfers and the checks worth doing before you send money.

What a sender needs to pay you in Georgia

For an international payment into a Georgia account, the person paying you has to have more than the BIC. Share your name as registered with the bank, the IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and your address, which some banks require.

The code of your bank is in our list but always compare it with your own bank details. It helps to add your bank’s name and city, since some payment forms ask for it.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is below what the sender paid. Charges on incoming payments differ per bank; check the price list of your bank. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs.

Recognising a SWIFT code from Georgia

Bank identifier codes use one international format: eight characters. Characters one to four stand for the bank, characters five and six form the country code and the next two mark the location.

Whatever the bank, all Georgia codes share the same fifth and sixth letters: the ISO code of the country. Codes with other letters in that position come from another country.

The long version ends in three characters for a branch. In most cases the head office code is fine, unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

Transfer times to Georgia

There is no single answer for transfers to Georgia: some arrive within a day, others take several business days. Public holidays in either country add a day or more, because banks do not process payments on those days.

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

Check the code before you pay

Ask the recipient to send you the account details straight from their banking app. An incorrect BIC can cause a delay, a payment being sent back or extra fees, so compare it with the list on this page.

The directory on GoldexPay is based on publicly available sources. Even so, banks merge or change codes. Before any payment that matters, confirm the BIC with the recipient’s bank. GoldexPay is not a bank.

Watch out for invoices with a new account, especially when they come by email. Always confirm a change of bank details through a separate channel on a number you know.

Bank or transfer service for Georgia?

If you transfer money to Georgia via a regular bank, the fee you see is rarely all of what you pay. There is the transfer fee, possibly fees from correspondent banks and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate when currencies differ.

The real cost is often in the rate, rather than in the fee: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. A simple test: set the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

For a lot of routes, a transfer service turns out to be less expensive than a traditional bank transfer, mainly because of the rate. Before you send money to Georgia, it is worth to compare what arrives via GoldexPay instead of going straight to your bank.

International payments to Georgia and the BIC

Georgia is not part of the SEPA area. International transfers to Georgia normally go over the SWIFT network – which is why you need the BIC of the recipient’s bank.

Not every country uses IBAN numbers; in that case the local account number is used instead. The receiving bank usually provides instructions for incoming international payments – follow them exactly. SWIFT payments can pass through one or more intermediary banks.

JSC 'vtb Bank Georgia' and its SWIFT codes

Of all banks we list for Georgia, JSC 'vtb Bank Georgia' has the most SWIFT codes. Its main office has UGEBGE22XXX.

Practice differs in how many codes they register, so the count is not a ranking of size. If not a branch code is given, UGEBGE22XXX is fine for a payment to JSC 'vtb Bank Georgia'.