Habib Bank Limited SWIFT/BIC code

Habib Bank Limited SWIFT code: HABBPKKA

Whether you are given HABBPKKA or HABBPKKAXXX, it is the identical identifier for Habib Bank Limited in Pakistan. The code does one job: it ensures that a cross-border transfer ends up at the right bank. You will need it mostly for payments that cross a border.

On this page you can read how the code means, when you need it and what else you need for a transfer to or from Habib Bank Limited. The SWIFT code alone cannot identify an individual account holder; that is what the account number or IBAN is for.

Tracking a transfer to or from Habib Bank Limited

There is no fixed delivery time for every transfer: many arrive within a day. Bank holidays in either country can add a day or more, since banks do not process on those days. Compliance checks by one of the banks may also add some delay, even when all details are correct.

If a transfer is late, ask the sending bank about the status; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Specialist transfer services often provide a status in their app so you can see where the money is.

If the money does not arrive after a few business days, the person who paid needs to start with their own bank, not the receiving bank. As a recipient, it helps to look at your account to see a partial amount, since fees may have been deducted.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

The details here come from publicly available data that we update regularly. Institutions merge, close branches and retire codes – a directory can be a step behind. Figures such as the number of codes are from our directory and are not confirmed by Habib Bank Limited.

Treat the information here as a handy check and rely on the recipient or Habib Bank Limited for the final confirmation. We are a comparison service for money transfers and not affiliated with Habib Bank Limited. Should you notice something that is out of date, we appreciate a message.

8 or 11 characters: HABBPKKA versus HABBPKKAXXX

The layout of a BIC never changes: a bank code of four letters, two for the country and a two-character location code. For Habib Bank Limited, the 8-character core is HABBPKKA.

Most payment forms accept either length. If yours asks for eleven characters, use HABBPKKAXXX; if it wants eight, use HABBPKKA.

Type the code in one piece, in capitals and without separators, exactly as shown here. Look out for the letter O and the digit 0 or the letter I and the digit 1; they are easy to mix up.

Verifying the SWIFT code of Habib Bank Limited

The most reliable place for the correct BIC is paperwork issued by the bank like a bank statement or the account page in online banking. When the code you were given differs from HABBPKKA or HABBPKKAXXX, stop and ask.

Errors in the BIC are costly more than disastrous. Remember the IBAN: a mistake there is harder to correct than a wrong code.

An automatic check in your banking app only tells you that the IBAN is valid. Where available, a name check on the recipient adds extra certainty. A small test payment can be a sensible step for a large first payment despite the extra fee.

Receiving money from abroad at Habib Bank Limited

When you are waiting for a payment from another country, send the payer a complete set of details. The basics are: the account holder’s name, account number or IBAN, HABBPKKAXXX or HABBPKKA and, for some countries, your home address.

It helps to include Habib Bank Limited and its city as well, because some payment forms have separate fields for them. Check the details before you share them – a sender rarely spots a mistake in someone else’s details.

Do not be surprised if the incoming amount is below what the sender paid. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate comes on top. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees before the money is sent.

Changed bank details? Be careful

Stay alert when a contact unexpectedly wants you to pay into a different account or a bank in another country. A real SWIFT code says nothing about who owns the account: scammers use real codes of real banks.

Do not trust a phone number from the same email that announces the change. Urgency or secrecy are warning signs; a genuine business can wait for you to check. Already paid? Call your bank without delay and ask them to start a recall; also report it to the police.

Recipients can be targeted as well: a classic trick is a buyer who pays too much followed by a request to refund the difference abroad. A payment confirmation from the sender is no proof; only your own account shows what has arrived.

What a transfer from Habib Bank Limited abroad really costs

When you send money abroad from Habib Bank Limited, the fee you see is only part of what you pay. There is the transfer fee, possibly fees charged by intermediary banks in between and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate.

Many banks do not list their exchange rate markup as a cost. Compare their rate against the mid-market rate – the rate you find on financial news sites; the gap is what conversion costs you.

Specialised transfer providers often use a rate near the mid-market rate. On GoldexPay we compare what recipients receive across providers, which makes the cheapest option easy to spot. You can still keep your account at Habib Bank Limited to fund the transfer.

Head office or branch code at Habib Bank Limited?

Habib Bank Limited uses 64 different SWIFT/BIC codes. One of them is the head office code, HABBPKKAXXX; the rest identify branches, and sometimes internal departments.

Unless the recipient tells you otherwise, use HABBPKKAXXX or its short form HABBPKKA. Only use a branch code when the account holder explicitly asks for it, for example on a letter or invoice.

The best way is to copy the code straight from the account holder’s statement. Branch codes can change when banks reorganise.