SWIFT/BIC codes in Sri Lanka

Finding a SWIFT code in Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka our database holds 82 SWIFT/BIC codes. You will need a SWIFT/BIC code mostly for payments across borders, and especially for payments in foreign currencies.

Choose a bank from the list to view the head office code and any branch codes along with tips for payments to and from that bank. The rest of this page covers the structure of the codes, the cost of transfers and how to avoid mistakes before a payment.

About our data and how to check a code

The safest source for a SWIFT code is the bank details provided by the recipient: an invoice, a statement or their online banking. A wrong code may lead to delays, a returned payment or additional charges, so compare it with the list on this page.

We gather SWIFT/BIC codes using public sources and check them from time to time. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes, so information can be out of date. Treat our data as a starting point rather than the last word: the bank details from the recipient come first. We are a comparison site and not part of any bank listed here.

Watch out for payment requests containing a new account – a common fraud method. A valid BIC tells you nothing about whether a request is genuine – scammers use the codes of real banks.

The cheapest way to send money to Sri Lanka

An international bank payment to Sri Lanka often costs more than the fee suggests. Besides a fixed fee, correspondent banks may deduct a charge, and when the money is converted the bank often applies a less favourable rate than the real market rate.

That exchange rate margin is often the biggest part of the cost, even though it is not listed as a fee. Compare the bank’s rate with the mid-market rate.

Specialised transfer providers frequently use a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. Before your next transfer to Sri Lanka, it is worth comparing the total cost via GoldexPay.

Bank of Ceylon and its SWIFT codes

In our data, Bank of Ceylon holds the largest number of SWIFT/BIC codes in Sri Lanka. Its head office code is BCEYLKLXXXX.

Banks differ in how many codes they register – a high count is not a measure of size. Making a payment to Bank of Ceylon? Go with BCEYLKLXXXX except when a specific branch code is requested.

Paying a bank in Sri Lanka from abroad

To pay into Sri Lanka you almost always need a SWIFT/BIC code, because the country is outside the SEPA area. Without it, your bank will not send the transfer at all.

In some countries, accounts are identified by a domestic account number instead of an IBAN and sometimes a local routing or branch code. Ask the recipient which details their bank requires for incoming international payments – many banks give clear instructions for this. Before it arrives, a transfer may go through correspondent banks that take a fee.

Incoming international payments in Sri Lanka

A sender in another country will ask for several details from you, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. Share the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address.

The code of your bank is in our list. You can include your bank’s name and city.

Expect that the incoming amount is smaller than what the sender paid. Fees for incoming transfers vary per bank. On invoices, state who bears the costs, so nobody is left short.

Tracking a payment to Sri Lanka

How fast money arrives in Sri Lanka depends on several factors: the currency, how many intermediary banks are involved, daily processing deadlines and time zones. Public holidays in either country can add a day or more to the journey.

A growing number of banks use SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Each payment carries a unique reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Money transfer services often show tracking online.

How SWIFT codes from Sri Lanka are built

Bank identifier codes follow one international format: 8 characters plus an optional three-character extension. The first four letters stand for the bank, characters five and six are the country code and the next two mark the location.

Whatever the bank, every code from Sri Lanka have the same country code in positions five and six: the ISO code of the country. When the country letters do not match Sri Lanka, you are looking at a bank in another country, so check again.

The last three characters, if present, stand for a specific branch; XXX is used for the head office. Choose a branch code just if the recipient explicitly gives you one; otherwise the head office code is the safe choice.