SWIFT/BIC codes in Guadeloupe

Finding a SWIFT code in Guadeloupe

For Guadeloupe we have 15 SWIFT/BIC codes from 10 financial institutions. A BIC tells the banks handling a transfer exactly which bank is meant to get the money.

Every bank is listed with its own page with the head office code and if there are any, branch codes. The sections below explain how the codes work, what transfers cost and how to avoid mistakes before you send money.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Guadeloupe

The most reliable source for a SWIFT code is the recipient’s own bank details. A wrong code may lead to delays, a returned payment or extra fees, so compare it with the list on this page.

The directory on GoldexPay is compiled from publicly available sources. Institutions merge, close branches and retire codes. Before a payment that matters, confirm the code with the recipient. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site and has no link to the banks in this list.

Watch out for payment requests with a new account, especially when they come by email. A valid BIC says nothing about who owns the account.

Sending EUR to Guadeloupe

Bank accounts in Guadeloupe are typically held in EUR – the Euro. A payment in a foreign currency is exchanged into EUR on its way to the recipient.

Who converts the money matters. Often you pay less to send EUR directly via a transfer service with a good rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert. Rates for EUR change during the day – some providers let you lock in a rate.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Guadeloupe

Someone abroad who wants to pay you will ask for a few details from you, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. In practice that means: your name as your bank knows it, your IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and, often, your postal address.

Your bank’s code appears in the list on this page, yet the version on your own statement or in your banking app is leading. Certain sending banks may also ask for your bank’s address; it does no harm to include it.

The amount you receive can be less than what was sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee, and when currencies differ, an exchange rate margin applies. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

Why a transfer to Guadeloupe needs a SWIFT code

Because Guadeloupe does not belong to SEPA, an international payment normally goes through SWIFT. This means you always need the SWIFT/BIC code of the receiving bank, together with the account number or IBAN.

In some countries, the account is identified by a local account number instead of an IBAN, sometimes with an extra bank or branch code. The recipient’s bank usually provides a list of required details for payments from abroad, and it is worth following them to the letter. On the way to Guadeloupe, a payment can go through correspondent banks.

The largest SWIFT network in Guadeloupe: Societe Generale de Banque Aux Antilles

Among the 10 institutions we list, Societe Generale de Banque Aux Antilles holds the most SWIFT/BIC codes in Guadeloupe. Its main office uses SOGEGPGPXXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

Banks differ in whether they register branch codes. Making a payment to Societe Generale de Banque Aux Antilles? Go with SOGEGPGPXXX unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

The cheapest way to send money to Guadeloupe

If you send money to Guadeloupe through your bank, the stated fee is rarely all of the cost. You pay a transfer fee, possibly fees from correspondent banks along the way and, most importantly, the exchange rate markup when currencies differ.

That exchange rate margin tends to be the largest cost item because it is hidden in the rate. Check the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on financial news sites.

Specialised transfer providers frequently use rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. Before your next transfer to Guadeloupe, take a minute comparing what arrives on GoldexPay rather than accepting the first rate you see.

The structure of a Guadeloupe SWIFT/BIC code

A BIC is 8 or 11 characters long and the parts always come in the same order. First comes a four-letter bank code, followed by two letters for the country and a two-character location code.

Whatever the bank, every code from Guadeloupe have the same fifth and sixth letters: the ISO code of the country. Codes with other letters in that position belong to a bank abroad.

The optional last three characters identify a branch or department; XXX means the head office. In most cases the head office code is what you need unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

Transfer times to Guadeloupe

An international transfer to Guadeloupe typically takes anywhere from one to several business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Transfers sent late in the day or on weekends and holidays often go out the next business day.

A growing number of banks use SWIFT gpi. Each gpi transfer carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Money transfer services often show a status in their app, which makes it easier to see where the money is.