SWIFT/BIC codes in Syria

Syria: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

In Syria we have 85 SWIFT/BIC codes from 17 financial institutions. Every code points to an institution or one of its branches, so a payment from abroad reaches the right place.

Each bank is listed with its own page with its main code and if there are any, codes for branches and departments. The rest of this page covers the structure of the codes, the cost of transfers and how to avoid mistakes.

Recognising a SWIFT code from Syria

Every SWIFT/BIC code consists of eight or eleven characters. It starts with a four-letter bank code, followed by a two-letter country code and two characters for the location.

For banks in Syria, letters five and six show the two-letter ISO code of Syria – that is the quickest way to spot one. A code with a different country code belong to another country, even if the bank name looks familiar.

The last three characters, if present, identify a branch or department; XXX is used for the head office. Choose a branch code only if the recipient’s bank asks for it; otherwise the head office code is the safe choice.

Bank or transfer service for Syria?

An international bank payment to Syria often costs rather more than the fee suggests. Besides a fixed fee, intermediary banks can deduct a charge, and when the money is converted the bank often applies a rate below the actual market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee. Compare the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate that you find on financial sites.

Specialised transfer providers frequently use a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay compares these providers next to each other so you can see what actually arrives in Syria before you commit.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Syria

To receive a transfer from abroad into a Syria account, the sender needs not just the BIC. That means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and usually your postal address.

Find your bank in the list above and compare the code with your own bank details, 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.

What lands in your account can be lower than the amount sent. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate applies. On invoices, agree how the fees are split to avoid a shortfall.

The largest SWIFT network in Syria: Commercial Bank of Syria

Of all banks in Syria, Commercial Bank of Syria has the largest number of codes. Its main office has CMSYSYDAXXX.

The number of codes says something about how it registers branches and services than about how big it is. If not the recipient asks for a branch, the head office code CMSYSYDAXXX works for a payment to Commercial Bank of Syria.

Tracking a payment to Syria

How fast a payment reaches Syria depends on several factors: the currency, how many intermediary banks are involved, cut-off times and differences in time zone. Payments made after the cut-off time or on a weekend or public holiday usually go out the next business day.

When a payment takes longer than expected, the sender should contact their own bank – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Specialist transfer services usually provide tracking in their app, which makes it easier to see where the money is.

International payments to Syria and the BIC

Since Syria does not belong to SEPA, an international payment normally goes through SWIFT. That means you always need the SWIFT/BIC code of the receiving bank in addition to the account details.

Depending on the country, the account is identified by a domestic account number instead of an IBAN. Ask the recipient exactly which details their bank requires for payments from abroad. SWIFT payments sometimes go via correspondent banks, each of which may deduct a fee.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Syria

The safest source for the BIC is the recipient’s own bank details: an invoice, a statement or their online banking. A wrong code can cause a delay, a returned payment or extra fees – compare it with the code in our list.

We gather SWIFT/BIC codes from public sources and update our list regularly. Banks reorganise, close branches and retire codes. Before any payment that matters, check the code with the recipient’s bank. GoldexPay is not a bank.

Fraudsters often send payment requests carrying changed bank details that look completely genuine. Always confirm changed details through a separate channel on a number you know.