SWIFT/BIC codes in Réunion

Bank SWIFT codes for Réunion

This overview covers 8 banks and financial institutions in Réunion, with 11 SWIFT/BIC codes in total. A BIC tells every bank in the chain which institution is meant to get the money.

Select a bank below to view its head office code and any branch codes. The sections below explain how the codes work, what transfers cost and the checks worth doing.

Credit Agricole and its SWIFT codes

Credit Agricole tops the list of Réunion banks in the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office of Credit Agricole uses AGRIRERXXXX and that code covers most payments.

How many codes a bank has tells you more about how it registers branches and services than about how big it is. Paying someone at Credit Agricole? Go with AGRIRERXXXX unless a specific branch code is requested.

Sending money to Réunion for less

When you send money to Réunion through your bank, the stated fee is rarely all of the cost. Besides a fixed fee, intermediary banks may take a cut and, if currencies are converted, the bank often uses a rate below the actual market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. Compare the rate you are offered against the mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on financial news sites. The difference is your real cost.

Money transfer services often offer a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. Before you send money to Réunion, take a minute comparing what arrives on GoldexPay rather than accepting the first rate you see.

Paying a bank in Réunion from abroad

For Réunion you will usually need the BIC, because the country is outside the SEPA area. Without the BIC, your bank cannot process the payment.

Depending on the country, the account is identified by a local account number rather than an IBAN and sometimes a local routing or branch code. Ask the recipient which details their bank needs for payments from abroad – many banks give clear instructions for this. International transfers can pass through one or more intermediary banks.

How reliable is this list?

The most reliable place for the correct BIC remains a document from the bank itself, such as a statement or the account page in online banking. An incorrect BIC can cause delays, a payment being sent back or additional charges, so compare it with the list on this page.

We gather SWIFT/BIC codes using publicly available data and check our list regularly. Even so, banks merge or retire codes. For a payment that matters, confirm the BIC with the recipient. GoldexPay is not a bank and has no link to the banks in this list.

Watch out for payment requests with a new account. Always verify changed details by phone on a number you know.

The structure of a Réunion SWIFT/BIC code

A BIC is 8 or 11 characters long and the parts always come in the same order. The first four letters stand for the bank, the fifth and sixth characters form the country code and the next two give the location.

Whatever the bank, all Réunion codes share the same fifth and sixth letters. A code with other letters in that position come from another country, even if the bank name looks familiar.

The long version adds a branch code, where XXX means the head office. Use a branch code just if the recipient’s bank asks for it – otherwise stick with the head office.

Tracking a payment to Réunion

A SWIFT payment to Réunion typically takes one to a few business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or just before a weekend or public holiday usually start a business day later.

When a payment takes longer than expected, the sender should contact their own bank for a trace – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Keep your transfer receipt until the recipient confirms.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Réunion

When you expect money from abroad on an account in Réunion, send the payer everything they need in one go. In practice that means: your name as your bank knows it, your IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and, often, your address.

Find the bank in the list on this page, but take the code from your own bank details when in doubt. You can add your bank’s name and city, since some payment forms ask for it.

The amount you receive can be lower than the amount sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and when currencies differ, an exchange rate margin comes on top. Agree with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

The Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

Réunion pays in the Euro, code EUR. A payment in a foreign currency will be converted into EUR before it reaches the account.

Who does the conversion affects how much arrives. In many cases you pay less if you send EUR directly through a provider that converts near the mid-market rate. With bigger transfers, a seemingly small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.