Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC code of Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited

BOFAIE3X and BOFAIE3XXXX are the short and the long form of the same bank identifier, and both lead to Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited in Dublin. Every bank on the SWIFT network uses BIC codes to route international transfers to the correct institution. You will need it mainly when dealing with transfers between countries or a currency.

Further down we go through the practical side: money coming in from abroad, sending money abroad and how to verify the code before you hit send. The BIC identifies an institution, never a specific account.

About this information

We gather bank codes using public sources and check them from time to time. Banks reorganise, change names and change codes – a directory can be a step behind. The figures we show are based on our own data.

Treat our directory here as a helpful check, and let the details from the recipient or Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited have the final say. We are an independent comparison site and not part of Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited. Found an error? Let us know through the contact page.

Is BOFAIE3X still correct? How to check

The safest source for the BIC is the recipient’s own bank details: an invoice, a bank statement or their online banking. When the code you were given differs from BOFAIE3X or BOFAIE3XXXX, do not guess: check with the recipient or with Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited directly.

If the code is wrong, the payment may be delayed, be returned or end up costing more. An error in the account number can be a bigger problem because it can reach the wrong person, so check that just as carefully.

A format check by your bank only tells you that the IBAN is valid, not that it is the right account. Where available, a name check before sending adds extra certainty. Sending a small amount first is a sensible step for large sums despite the extra fee.

Do you need BOFAIE3X for a SEPA transfer?

Ireland belongs to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), where euro transfers follow common rules. When you send euros from another SEPA country, you normally only need the IBAN and the BIC is often filled in automatically.

You still need BOFAIE3XXXX for payments in other currencies or transfers from countries outside SEPA. Some forms still ask for the BIC out of habit; if so, enter BOFAIE3X.

Instant payments in euros are increasingly supported across SEPA. Provided the payment stays in euros, a SEPA transfer tends to be cheap; it is the conversion that costs money.

Sending money abroad from Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited

An international bank payment costs more than the fee suggests. You pay the fee for the transfer itself, possibly fees charged by intermediary banks in between and, most importantly, the exchange rate markup.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate: the bank converts using an exchange rate with a margin built in. Compare their rate with the mid-market rate, the midpoint between buy and sell rates you see on financial sites.

Money transfer services often offer a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. Next time you send money, take a minute to compare the total cost via GoldexPay rather than accepting the bank’s rate by default. Choosing a specialist does not mean closing your account at Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited – you pay the provider from your own account.

Incoming international payments to Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited

For a transfer from abroad into your account at Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited, the person paying you has to have not just the SWIFT code. Share the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, the BIC BOFAIE3XXXX and your address, which some banks require.

Their bank might also ask for the address of your bank. A mistake in your account number is harder to fix than it looks.

What lands in your account can be lower than what was sent. Fees for incoming transfers differ per bank; check the price list of Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs before the money is sent.

Which of the 6 codes of Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited do you need?

Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited uses 6 separate SWIFT/BIC codes. Only one is the head office code, BOFAIE3XXXX; the rest identify branches.

Unless the recipient tells you otherwise, use BOFAIE3XXXX. Just use a branch code when your contact gives you that exact code.

The safest route is to take the code directly from the recipient’s bank details. Branch codes are more likely to be retired than BOFAIE3XXXX.

Protect yourself against fake payment requests

Stay wary if a contact unexpectedly asks you to send money to a different account or a bank in another country. The fact that BOFAIE3X exists is no guarantee that the account is legitimate; criminals use the codes of real banks too.

Always verify changed bank details through a phone call on a number you know, not one from the message. Urgency and secrecy are red flags – a real supplier can wait a day. When a payment was sent to a fraudster, contact your bank immediately.

Recipients can be targeted as well: a classic trick is an overpayment followed by a request to refund the difference. A payment confirmation from the sender is no proof.

How long does an international transfer to Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited take?

An international transfer usually needs one to a few business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Bank holidays in either country can add extra days, since banks do not process on those days. Occasionally a bank wants to know about the purpose of a payment, which can hold things up.

When a payment takes longer than expected, contact your bank for the status and the transaction reference so they can trace it along the chain. Money transfer services often show a status in their app showing where the money has got.

The bank that sent the money is able to request a trace or a recall. As a recipient, you can look at your account for a partial amount, since fees may have been deducted.

8 or 11 characters: BOFAIE3X versus BOFAIE3XXXX

A BIC is made up of fixed blocks: the first four letters identify the bank, characters five and six show the country and the two after that indicate the location. That gives you BOFAIE3X for Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited.

Many payment forms work with both lengths. If a form asks for eleven characters, use BOFAIE3XXXX, otherwise BOFAIE3X is fine.

As a rule the code is typed in capitals and without spaces. A wrong character may route a payment to another bank, so check it twice.

The Euro and what conversion costs you

The national currency of Ireland is the Euro (EUR). A payment in a foreign currency is converted into EUR on its way to Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited – and the bank that does it picks the rate. You rarely see a separate charge for the conversion; it is built into the rate.

Who converts the payment makes a difference, because each party uses its own rate. Check what EUR the recipient gets via different providers before choosing one.

The EUR rate fluctuates throughout the day, so the amount you see is usually only valid for a short time. For regular payments, a slightly better rate add up over a year.