Bank Al-Jazira SWIFT/BIC code

Bank Al-Jazira SWIFT code: BJAZSAJE

Whether you are given BJAZSAJE or BJAZSAJEXXX, you are looking at the identical address for Bank Al-Jazira in Saudi Arabia. A SWIFT code tells every bank in the chain which institution is meant to get the money. You will need it mostly for transfers between countries or a currency.

On this page you will find how the code means, when you need it and what else you need for a transfer to or from Bank Al-Jazira. The SWIFT code alone does not identify a personal account; for that you need the account number or IBAN is for.

International transfers from Bank Al-Jazira: the real cost

What you pay for a payment abroad has several parts – not just the fee on your screen. There is the transfer fee, sometimes charges from correspondent banks along the way and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, rather than in the fee: the bank converts at a rate with a margin built in. Compare the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate.

For a lot of routes, a transfer service is cheaper than a bank. Before your next transfer, take a minute to compare what arrives via GoldexPay rather than accepting the bank’s rate by default. Using a transfer service does not require closing your account at Bank Al-Jazira: you simply pay the service from your account.

A note on our data

We gather bank codes using publicly available data and check them from time to time. It can happen that information here is no longer current, for example after a merger. The figures on this page reflect our own data, not official figures from Bank Al-Jazira.

Use this page as a reference, rather than as the final word – the bank details from the recipient are leading. GoldexPay is independent of Bank Al-Jazira. Spotted an error? Let us know via our contact form.

Is BJAZSAJE still correct? How to check

The most reliable source for the BIC is the recipient’s own bank details – an invoice, a statement or a screenshot from online banking. If the code you have differs from BJAZSAJE or BJAZSAJEXXX, do not guess – contact the recipient or Bank Al-Jazira.

If the code is wrong, the payment might be delayed, be returned or end up costing more – sometimes after weeks of searching. A mistake in the account number can be more serious; check it just as carefully.

Most online banking apps validate the format of an IBAN – that confirms the format, not the owner. Some banks now compare the payee name with the account. Sending a small amount first can be worth it for a large first payment, even if it costs an extra fee.

Incoming international payments to Bank Al-Jazira

For an international payment into your account at Bank Al-Jazira, the person paying you needs not just the BIC. The basics are: the account holder’s name, account number or IBAN, BJAZSAJEXXX or BJAZSAJE and, for some countries, your postal address.

You can add the bank name and Jeddah as well. A typo in your account number is more trouble than you might think.

An incoming payment does not always arrive in full. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, Bank Al-Jazira may charge for incoming payments, and if the currency changes, an exchange rate margin applies. On invoices, it is common to state who bears the costs, so that nobody is left short.

Choosing between the 14 SWIFT codes of Bank Al-Jazira

Bank Al-Jazira uses 14 separate SWIFT/BIC codes. One of them is the head office code; the others belong to branches, and sometimes specific services.

For most incoming transfers, the head office code BJAZSAJEXXX is the right choice. When you receive a branch code, stick to it instead of swapping it with the head office code.

Unsure which code to use? Ask the recipient. Branch codes can change over time.

8 or 11 characters: BJAZSAJE versus BJAZSAJEXXX

The layout of a BIC is always the same: four characters for the institution, two for the country and two for the location, plus an optional branch code. The result is BJAZSAJE for Bank Al-Jazira.

The 11-character version has three more characters for a branch or department. When those three characters are XXX, they simply mean the head office, so BJAZSAJEXXX and BJAZSAJE are interchangeable.

Leave out spaces when you enter BJAZSAJE; the code is always written in one block. Look out for the letter O and the digit 0 or the letter I and the digit 1, a common source of typos.

Protect yourself against fake payment requests

Stay alert when a contact suddenly wants you to send money to another account. A valid SWIFT code says nothing about whether the request is genuine.

Never rely on contact details from the same email that contains the new account. Urgency and requests to keep it quiet tend to be red flags – a real supplier can wait a day. When a payment was sent to a fraudster, call your bank right away – speed improves the chance of getting it back.

Recipients can be targeted as well: one known trick is an overpayment followed by a request to refund the difference abroad. Do not act before the money is actually in your account – ask Bank Al-Jazira if something looks wrong.

Tracking a transfer to or from Bank Al-Jazira

How fast a payment arrives at Bank Al-Jazira depends on several factors: which currency you send, how many intermediary banks are involved, cut-off times and time zones. Payments made late in the day or just before weekends and holidays often go out a business day later. Sometimes a bank asks about the purpose of a payment.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every payment gets a unique transaction reference, the UETR. Money transfer services usually provide a status online showing how far the money is.

If a payment has not arrived within the expected time, the person who paid should contact the bank that sent it. Request from the sender a copy of the payment confirmation – it helps your own bank look for the money.