JSC Bank of Georgia SWIFT/BIC code

What BAGAGE22 means for a payment to JSC Bank of Georgia

The 8-character code BAGAGE22 and the full code BAGAGE22XXX refer to one and the same institution: JSC Bank of Georgia in Tbilisi, Georgia. Every bank on the SWIFT network uses these codes to direct international transfers to the right institution. In practice you usually come across it on invoices from abroad, in payment forms and on the account details that JSC Bank of Georgia provides.

Further down we go through the practical side: receiving money at JSC Bank of Georgia, sending money abroad and how to check the code before you hit send. A SWIFT code identifies a bank or branch, never a single account.

A note on our data

The details here come from public sources which we refresh regularly. Institutions merge, close branches and retire codes, and a directory never catches every change immediately. Figures such as the number of codes come from our directory.

For a payment of any size, always confirm the BIC with the recipient’s bank or with the recipient. We are a comparison service and not affiliated with JSC Bank of Georgia. Spotted an error? Tell us via our contact form.

Head office or branch code at JSC Bank of Georgia?

With 3 codes, JSC Bank of Georgia is one of the banks that register separate codes for branches. The head office code remains BAGAGE22XXX.

For most incoming transfers, the head office code BAGAGE22XXX is the right choice. A branch code only makes sense if the recipient’s bank explicitly mentions it.

If you are not sure, check with the recipient which code their bank gave them. Branch codes are more likely to be retired than the head office code.

Protect yourself against fake payment requests

One of the most common tricks works like this: an email arrives with a message claiming that a supplier now has new bank details and that the next payment should go there. A real SWIFT code says nothing about whether the request is genuine: scammers use real codes of real banks.

Always confirm a change of bank details by phone. Watch out for urgent requests, odd spelling or a sender address that is slightly off. Acted too fast? Call the bank you paid from straight away and have them try to recall the payment; also report it to the police.

Scams can also target the receiver: someone sends too much and wants you to return the difference. Do not act before the money is actually in your account – ask JSC Bank of Georgia if something looks wrong.

Tracking a transfer to or from JSC Bank of Georgia

How quickly a transfer reaches JSC Bank of Georgia depends on a few things: the currency, the number of banks in between, cut-off times and time zones. Transfers sent late in the day or just before a weekend or public holiday usually start the next business day. Occasionally a bank wants to know about the purpose of a payment, which can hold things up.

If the money is delayed, contact the sending bank for the status so they can trace it along the chain. Specialist transfer services usually provide tracking online showing how far the payment is.

If a payment has not arrived within the expected time, the person who paid should start with the bank that sent it rather than JSC Bank of Georgia. Ask the sender for a copy of the payment confirmation.

What a transfer from JSC Bank of Georgia abroad really costs

A bank transfer abroad costs more than the fee suggests. Besides a fixed fee, banks in between can take a cut, and if the money changes currency the bank usually uses a rate below the actual market rate.

Banks do not show their exchange rate markup as a cost, but you pay it all the same. Check the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate, the midpoint between buy and sell rates you see on financial sites; the gap is what conversion costs you.

For a lot of currency pairs, a specialist provider is cheaper than a traditional bank transfer. On GoldexPay you can compare what recipients receive with different services, so you can pick the cheapest route. You can still use your account at JSC Bank of Georgia to fund the transfer.

BAGAGE22 or BAGAGE22XXX – which one to use?

A BIC is made up of a few fixed parts: characters one to four stand for the bank, the next two give the country and the two after that indicate the location. Together, those parts form BAGAGE22 – the version you usually see online.

The long version adds a three-character extension that identify a branch or department. When those three characters are XXX, the code points to the head office, which is why BAGAGE22XXX and BAGAGE22 lead to the same place.

Do not add spaces when you enter BAGAGE22 or BAGAGE22XXX. A single character can send a payment to another bank, so copy it carefully.

Verifying the SWIFT code of JSC Bank of Georgia

The most reliable source for the BIC is the bank details provided by the recipient. When the code you were given does not match BAGAGE22 or BAGAGE22XXX, do not guess – contact the recipient or JSC Bank of Georgia.

An incorrect BIC can cause a delay, a payment being sent back or extra fees for investigation. An error in the IBAN or account number is a bigger problem because it can reach the wrong person, so check that just as carefully.

Most online banking apps validate the structure of IBANs, but that does not prove the account belongs to the right person. More and more banks check the name against the account before you confirm. For a first payment, some people send a small test amount.

Getting paid from abroad into a JSC Bank of Georgia account

When you expect a payment from another country, give the sender everything they need in one go. What they need is: the account holder’s name, account number or IBAN, BAGAGE22XXX or BAGAGE22 and in many cases your postal address.

Some banks also ask for the address of JSC Bank of Georgia in Tbilisi; it does no harm to include it. A mistake in your account number is more trouble than it looks, so copy the details from your online banking.

Do not be surprised if the incoming amount is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, JSC Bank of Georgia may charge for incoming payments, and if the currency changes, a markup on the rate comes on top. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees.