Bank of Jamaica SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC code of Bank of Jamaica

The short code BAJAJMKN and the full code BAJAJMKNXXX identify one and the same institution: Bank of Jamaica. Every bank on the SWIFT network uses BIC codes to direct international transfers to the correct institution. In daily life you mostly see it on invoices from abroad, in payment forms and in the bank details of Bank of Jamaica customers.

On this page we explain how the code means, when you need it and which other details a transfer to or from Bank of Jamaica requires. The BIC identifies an institution, never a single account.

Scams that use SWIFT codes

A common scam goes like this: an email arrives with a request claiming that a contact now has new bank details. The fact that BAJAJMKN exists does not mean that a request mentioning it is genuine.

Do not trust contact details from the same email that contains the new account. Be suspicious of time pressure, unusual wording or a sender address that is slightly off. If a payment was sent to a fraudster, call your bank right away.

Recipients can be targeted as well: one known trick is a buyer who pays too much and then sends a request to send back the difference to another account. Wait until the money is actually in your account.

Before you send: check the Bank of Jamaica code

Have the recipient copy their account details directly from a recent statement. Compare it with BAJAJMKN here.

If the code is wrong, the payment may be delayed, be returned or end up costing more, and tracing it can take weeks. A mistake in the IBAN or account number can be a bigger problem because it can reach the wrong person.

Most online banking apps validate the format of IBANs and some suggest the matching BIC. More and more banks compare the name with the account before you confirm. For a first payment, some people start with a small amount first before sending the rest.

BAJAJMKN or BAJAJMKNXXX – which one to use?

A BIC is built from fixed blocks: the first four letters identify the bank, the next two show the country and characters seven and eight indicate the location. Combined, those parts make up BAJAJMKN, the code most people search for.

The full version has three more characters that identify a branch or department. When those three characters are XXX, the code points to the head office.

Enter the code in one piece, in upper case and without spaces. Copying the code is safer than retyping it: a typo can point to another bank.

Incoming international payments to Bank of Jamaica

For an international payment at Bank of Jamaica, the person paying you has to have not just the BIC. What they need is: the account holder’s name, account number or IBAN, BAJAJMKNXXX or BAJAJMKN and in many cases your home address.

Their bank might request the address of your bank; the head office in Kingston is usually fine. Double-check the details before you share them.

Money from abroad does not always land in full. Correspondent banks can take a fee, and if the money is converted, an exchange rate margin applies. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees, especially for larger amounts.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

We collect bank codes from publicly available data and update our list regularly. Banks merge, close branches and change codes, and a directory never catches every change immediately. The number of codes on this page reflect what is in our directory.

Treat the information on this page as a handy check, and let the details from the recipient or Bank of Jamaica have the final say. GoldexPay has no connection to Bank of Jamaica, we only compare transfer services. Found outdated information? Let us know through the contact page and we will look into it.

Bank of Jamaica: head office code versus branch codes

Bank of Jamaica uses 2 separate SWIFT/BIC codes across 1 locations. One of them is the head office code, BAJAJMKNXXX; the others identify branches.

For most payments to a private or business account, the head office code BAJAJMKNXXX is what you need. When you receive a specific code, use it as it is instead of replacing it with the head office code.

The safest route is to copy the code straight from the account holder’s invoice. Branch codes can change over time, so do not rely on old paperwork.

Sending money abroad from Bank of Jamaica

If you transfer money to another country from Bank of Jamaica, the fee you see is only part of what you pay. On top of the transfer fee, correspondent or intermediary banks can take a cut, and if the money changes currency the bank usually applies a rate below the actual market rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, rather than in the fee: the bank converts at a rate that includes a margin. An easy check: set the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

Money transfer services frequently offer rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. On GoldexPay you can compare the amount that arrives across providers. Using a transfer service does not require closing your account at Bank of Jamaica.

Transfer times and tracking a payment to Bank of Jamaica

How fast a transfer arrives at Bank of Jamaica depends on a few things: the currency, the number of banks in between, daily processing deadlines and time zones. Payments made after the cut-off time or just before weekends and holidays usually start a business day later. Occasionally a bank asks what the payment is for.

If the money seems late, contact the sending bank for the status and the transaction reference so they can trace it along the chain. Save the payment confirmation until the recipient confirms.

A delayed transfer is investigated by the sending bank, using the payment confirmation. Request from the sender the payment receipt including the reference – it helps your own bank look for the money.