SWIFT/BIC codes in Montserrat

Montserrat: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

Here you will find codes for 4 banks in Montserrat – 4 codes altogether. Each code points to a bank or one of its branches.

Select a bank from the list to view its head office code and any branch codes. Below the list you can read how codes from Montserrat are built, how to send money there without overpaying and how to check a code before you pay.

Check the code before you pay

The most reliable source for a SWIFT code is the bank details provided by the recipient. If the code you have does not match our list, stop and ask: check with the recipient or the bank.

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes from public sources and update them regularly. Banks reorganise, change names and change codes – a directory can be a step behind. Use our data as a starting point, not as the final word; the recipient’s bank details are leading. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site.

Fraudsters often use payment requests with changed bank details from what looks like a familiar address. Before paying, confirm changed details through a separate channel, using a number you already had.

The cheapest way to send money to Montserrat

An international bank payment to Montserrat can cost rather more than you think. On top of the fee, intermediary banks may take a cut and, if currencies are converted, the bank often applies a less favourable rate than the real market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. An easy check: put the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

For a lot of routes, a specialist provider is less expensive than a bank – mostly thanks to the exchange rate. GoldexPay compares transfer services side by side so you can see what actually arrives in Montserrat before you commit.

Bank of Montserrat Limited and its SWIFT codes

Bank of Montserrat Limited leads the list for Montserrat when it comes to the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. Its head office code is BKMOMSMSXXX.

A large number of codes usually means separate codes for branches, departments or services, not necessarily that the bank is the biggest in the country. Making a payment to Bank of Montserrat Limited? Use BKMOMSMSXXX unless a specific branch code is requested.

What the letters in a Montserrat BIC mean

Bank identifier codes use one international format: eight characters plus an optional three-character extension. It starts with a four-letter bank code, followed by a two-letter country code and a two-character location code.

Whatever the bank, all Montserrat codes share the same country code in positions five and six. Codes with other letters in that position come from a bank abroad.

When a code ends in XXX, it means the main office. For most transfers the head office code is what you need, unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

When does money sent to Montserrat arrive?

An international transfer to Montserrat usually takes one to a few business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Public holidays in Montserrat or in the sending country can add a day or more.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask the sender to contact the sending bank – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Keep the payment confirmation until the money has arrived; a bank needs it to start a trace.

Incoming international payments in Montserrat

When you are waiting for money from abroad on an account in Montserrat, send the payer everything they need in one go. Share the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address, which some banks require.

Look up the bank in the list above and compare the code with your own bank details. It helps to include the name and city of your bank as well.

The amount you receive can be lower than what was sent. Fees for incoming transfers vary from bank to bank. Agree with the sender who covers the fees.

Why a transfer to Montserrat needs a SWIFT code

Montserrat is not part of the SEPA area, the European zone for uniform euro payments. Payments from abroad usually go over the SWIFT network – which is why you need the BIC of the recipient’s bank.

Not all countries use the IBAN; in that case the local account number is used instead. The recipient’s bank usually has a list of required details for incoming international payments – follow them exactly. International transfers can pass through one or more intermediary banks and fees can be taken along the way.