SWIFT/BIC codes in Jamaica

SWIFT/BIC codes in Jamaica

This overview contains 61 banks and financial institutions in Jamaica. You need a SWIFT/BIC code mainly when making payments across borders and for payments in a foreign currency.

Choose a bank from the list to see its head office code and any branch codes along with tips for payments to and from that bank. The rest of this page explain how the codes work, what transfers cost and how to avoid mistakes before you send money.

Tracking a payment to Jamaica

There is no single delivery time for payments to Jamaica: some arrive within a day while others need several business days. Public holidays in either country add extra days.

A growing number of banks use SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Every gpi transfer carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR. Save the payment confirmation.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Jamaica

When you expect a payment from another country in Jamaica, send the payer everything they need in one go. That means: your name as your bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and sometimes your address.

Your bank’s code appears in the list on this page. It helps to add your bank’s name and city as well.

Expect that the incoming amount is smaller than what the sender paid. 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 comes on top. On invoices, agree who bears the costs, so nobody is left short.

The cheapest way to send money to Jamaica

The price of a payment to Jamaica has more than one component. You pay a transfer fee, possibly fees from correspondent banks and, above all, the exchange rate markup if the money is converted.

The real cost is often in the rate, rather than in the fee – the bank builds a margin into its rate. Check the bank’s rate against the mid-market rate that you find on financial sites. The difference is your real cost.

Money transfer services often offer a rate near the mid-market rate with clearer fees. Before your next transfer to Jamaica, take a minute comparing the total cost on GoldexPay.

Most SWIFT codes in Jamaica: Bank of Jamaica

Of the 61 banks in Jamaica, Bank of Jamaica has the most SWIFT codes. The head office of Bank of Jamaica uses BAJAJMKNXXX.

Many codes usually reflects that the bank registers branches and departments separately. Unless the recipient asks for a branch, BAJAJMKNXXX is fine for transfers to this bank.

About our data and how to check a code

The most reliable place for the right code remains paperwork issued by the bank, such as a statement or the account page in online banking. A wrong code can cause a delay, a payment being sent back or additional charges.

We collect bank codes from public sources and update them from time to time. Banks merge, change names and retire codes – a directory can be a step behind. Use our data as a starting point. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site.

Fraudsters regularly use payment requests with changed bank details that look completely genuine. A valid BIC tells you nothing about whether a request is genuine.

SWIFT transfers to Jamaica

Jamaica is outside the SEPA area, so European euro rules do not apply. International transfers to Jamaica usually go through the SWIFT network, and the BIC of the receiving bank is required.

Not all countries use IBAN numbers; in that case the local account number is used instead. Check with the recipient exactly which details their bank needs for incoming international payments. Before it arrives, a payment can go through intermediary banks that take a fee.

How SWIFT codes from Jamaica are built

SWIFT/BIC codes use one international format: 8 characters, sometimes followed by three more. Characters one to four stand for the bank, the fifth and sixth characters are the country code and characters seven and eight mark the location.

Whatever the bank, every code from Jamaica have the same fifth and sixth letters: the ISO code of the country. When the country letters point to another country, you are looking at a bank somewhere else – worth double-checking.

An 11-character code adds three characters for a branch. For most transfers the head office code is what you need.