Bank of India SWIFT/BIC code

BKIDGB2L – the SWIFT/BIC code of Bank of India

The short code BKIDGB2L and the 11-character code BKIDGB2LXXX identify one and the same institution: Bank of India, with its head office in London. Every bank on the SWIFT network uses these codes to route payments between countries to the right bank. It comes up mainly when dealing with payments that cross a border.

Below you will find the practical side: receiving money at Bank of India, paying someone in another country and how to check the code before you hit send. The SWIFT code alone cannot identify an individual account holder; that is what the IBAN or account number is for.

Incoming international payments to Bank of India

To receive a transfer from abroad at Bank of India, the sender has to have more than the BIC. What they need is: the account holder’s name, IBAN or account number, BKIDGB2LXXX or BKIDGB2L and often your postal address.

You can add Bank of India and London as well. A mistake in your account number is more trouble than it looks, so copy the details from your online banking.

Money from abroad does not always land for the full amount. Fees for incoming transfers differ from bank to bank; check the price list of Bank of India. Agree with the sender who pays which costs before the money is sent.

Before you send: check the Bank of India code

The best place to find the correct BIC remains a document from the bank itself like a bank statement or the account page in online banking. Compare it against BKIDGB2L on this page.

An incorrect BIC can cause delays, a payment being sent back or additional charges for investigation. A mistake in the account number can be more serious, because the money may be credited to someone else.

Most online banking apps check the structure of an IBAN, but that does not prove the account belongs to the right person. More and more banks check the name with the account before you confirm. A small test payment is worth it for large sums despite the extra fee.

Why Bank of India has an 8- and an 11-character code

Each SWIFT/BIC code has the same eight core characters: a four-letter bank code, a two-letter country code and two characters for the location. Together, these eight characters make up BKIDGB2L.

The full version adds a three-character extension for a branch or department. If the last three are XXX, the code points to the head office.

Enter the code as one block, in upper case and without spaces. Pasting the code is safer than typing it by hand: a typo can point to another bank.

Scams that use SWIFT codes

Criminals regularly send fake invoices containing changed bank details sent from what looks like a familiar address. A valid SWIFT code says nothing about who owns the account.

Always confirm a change of bank details by phone. Be suspicious of time pressure, unusual wording or an email address that differs by one letter. If a payment has already gone to the wrong account, call your bank right away – speed improves the chance of getting it back.

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

What a transfer from Bank of India abroad really costs

What you pay for a payment abroad is made up of more than one component, and the transfer fee is only the most visible one. There is the fee for the transfer itself, possibly charges from correspondent banks along the way and, most importantly, the exchange rate markup when the money is converted.

Many banks do not show their exchange rate markup separately – you only notice it if you compare. A simple test: set the rate you get next to the mid-market rate for the same moment and work out the difference on your amount.

Specialist money transfer services frequently use rates closer to the mid-market rate and lower fees. On GoldexPay you can compare the amount that arrives across services. You can always use your account at Bank of India; only the conversion and sending happen elsewhere.

Paying Bank of India in euros within SEPA

United Kingdom belongs to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), the zone for standardised euro payments. For a regular euro transfer within SEPA, the IBAN is usually enough and the BIC is often filled in automatically.

You will still need BKIDGB2LXXX for non-euro payments or transfers from countries outside SEPA. A few forms still show a field for the BIC; if so, enter BKIDGB2L or BKIDGB2LXXX.

SEPA transfers usually arrive by the next business day. Provided the payment stays in euros, the transfer tends to be cheap.

Bank of India: head office code versus branch codes

Bank of India uses 7 different SWIFT/BIC codes. Only one is the head office code; the others identify branches.

If nobody asks you for a branch code, go with BKIDGB2LXXX or its short form BKIDGB2L. If you have been given a branch code, stick to it instead of swapping it with the head office code.

If you are not sure, check with the recipient for the exact BIC in their bank details. Branch codes can change when banks reorganise, so do not rely on old paperwork.

Transfer times and tracking a payment to Bank of India

A SWIFT payment usually needs anywhere from one to several business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Weekends and public holidays in the sending or receiving country add a day or more to the journey. Sometimes a bank asks about the purpose of a payment, which can hold things up.

When a payment takes longer than expected, contact your bank about the tracking status and the transaction reference. Specialist transfer services usually show tracking online showing how far the payment has got.

Only the sending bank can start an official trace or a recall – the recipient’s bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Request from the sender the payment receipt with the date and reference – it helps your own bank look for the money.

Paying into Bank of India in GBP

The currency in United Kingdom is the British Pound (GBP). If you send money in a different currency, the amount has to be converted somewhere along the way: by your bank, an intermediary or Bank of India itself. You rarely see a separate line for that conversion – the cost sits in the rate.

Who does the conversion has an effect on how much arrives, as rates and margins differ per bank. Transferring the money directly in GBP usually avoids an extra conversion.

The GBP rate changes constantly and quotes are often valid only for a short time. If you pay regularly, small differences in the rate make a real difference over time.

About this information

The directory on GoldexPay is based on publicly available sources and is updated regularly. It is possible that a code on this page is out of date, for example after a merger. The figures on this page are based on our own data.

Treat our directory on this page as a helpful check and rely on the recipient or Bank of India for the final confirmation. We are an independent comparison site for money transfers and not affiliated with Bank of India. Spotted outdated information? Tell us via our contact form and we will look into it.