Transfers from Türkiye to Canada, Germany and the UAE: routes, receiver details and documents

Many Iranians living in Türkiye have to send money outside Türkiye every so often: a child's tuition in Canada, rent in Germany, a payment to a supplier in the UAE, or support for family. The three most frequent destinations work in three different ways, and most problems with international transfers come not from the “route” but from incomplete receiver details and unprepared documents. For each destination this article explains which route the transfer takes, exactly what the receiver has to provide, which documents are usually requested and which mistakes stop a transfer. We give no figures for arrival time or fees, because they depend on the banks, the amount and the route and are set for each request by a quote.

One common rule: SWIFT from Türkiye, local rules at the destination

A transfer from Türkiye to any country passes through the SWIFT bank-messaging network: the sending bank sends the payment message to the receiving bank (sometimes via an intermediary bank), and the receiving bank credits the account using the destination details. What those “destination details” are depends on the receiver's country: an IBAN in Germany, institution and transit numbers in Canada, a mandatory IBAN in the UAE. The article what a SWIFT transfer is explains the mechanism separately.

Germany: euro, IBAN and the SEPA system

Germany belongs to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), and SEPA is a system for euro payments between its member countries. Türkiye is not a SEPA member, so a euro transfer from Türkiye to Germany travels through SWIFT and, at the destination, the German bank credits it against the receiver's IBAN. The difference between SEPA and SWIFT is covered in what a SEPA transfer is.

The receiver in Germany must provide:

• The account holder's full name exactly as registered with the bank.
• The IBAN (22 characters in Germany, prefix DE). According to the Bundesbank, within the European Economic Area the IBAN alone is sufficient and the BIC is optional; for a transfer from outside that area the sending bank usually asks for the receiving bank's BIC as well, so get it too.
• The bank's name and city.

The important German detail: banks compare the receiver's name with the name registered on the IBAN (verification of payee). A misspelt name, a nickname or a company name instead of a person can hold the transfer.

Canada: no IBAN, but institution and transit numbers

Canada does not use IBANs. Canadian accounts are identified by three numbers, and an international transfer also needs the bank's SWIFT code. According to the Payments Canada guide and the Canadian banks, the receiver must provide:

• The bank's SWIFT code (BIC).
• The institution number (three digits, identifying the bank).
• The transit number (five digits, identifying the branch).
• The account number.
• The receiver's full name and address and the branch address.

Two common mistakes: entering a made-up IBAN on the form (the transfer is rejected) and leaving out the transit number in the belief that the SWIFT code is enough. If the transfer is sent in US dollars, the Canadian bank usually states the details of a US intermediary bank as well; ask the receiver for them.

The UAE: a mandatory IBAN

Since 2011 the Central Bank of the UAE has made the IBAN mandatory for domestic and international transfers; a transfer without a valid IBAN is not accepted. A UAE IBAN has 23 characters: the prefix AE, two check digits, a three-digit bank code and the account number. The receiver in the UAE must provide:

• The full name as on the account.
• The 23-character IBAN.
• The bank's SWIFT code.
• The account currency (dirham or dollar), because if the transfer currency differs from the account currency the receiving bank converts it at a rate of its own.

What the receiver must provide (summary)

At all three destinations: the receiver's full name and address, the bank's name and address, and the purpose of the payment in plain words (for example “autumn-term tuition” or “November rent”).

The sender's usual documents

The exact list depends on the amount, the destination and whether the payment is personal or commercial, and is stated for each request; but these are almost always requested:

1. The sender's identity document (passport or residence card).
2. Proof of residence or address in Türkiye.
3. A statement of the payment's purpose, with a supporting document where needed: an admission letter or tuition invoice, a rental contract, an invoice or pro-forma for a business payment.
4. Proof of the source of funds for larger amounts: payslips, a sales contract, a bank statement.
5. The relationship to the receiver when the receiver is a person (family, employer, seller).

The sending, intermediary and receiving banks all run compliance checks, and complete documents are what keeps those checks short.

Mistakes that stop a transfer

• The receiver's name with the smallest difference from the bank document.
• An IBAN or account number typed from a poor-quality photo; always ask the receiver to send the details in writing and read them back.
• A transfer currency different from the receiver's account currency, without prior notice.
• A vague purpose (“personal”) or one inconsistent with the documents.
• Forgetting the intermediary bank on dollar transfers to Canada.
• Sending before your own bank account in Türkiye is enabled for outgoing transfers and its documents are complete; see the guide to opening a bank account in Türkiye.

With EL DÖVİZ

For a transfer from Türkiye to Canada, Germany, the UAE or other destinations, the international transfer service starts with a quote: you state the currency, amount and destination, you receive the list of documents and receiver details required for that request, and the rate and fee are stated before execution. What you can do today is obtain the receiver's exact details and prepare the documents; most delays happen right there.