You can easily send money from the UAE to Pakistan via online transfer services, including Western Union, LuLu Money, and Wise. Some Pakistani banks also have set up direct remittance services via their UAE branches facilitating non-resident Pakistanis via their online banking portals.
UAE has one of the largest Pakistani diasporas in the world. Pakistanis constitute the second largest immigrant group in the UAE, much of which send money back to their families in Pakistan. Hence, the UAE is one of the largest remittance providers in the country.
Look no further if you are looking for the most efficient and cheapest ways to send money from the UAE to Pakistan. In this article, I will discuss the top 11 ways how you can perform international money transfers to Pakistan.
Best Ways of Sending Money From the UAE to Pakistan
Western Union and Wise offer some of the highest exchange rates among all transfer services. Mid-market exchange rate providers have a tremendous edge over fixed exchange rate services like bank transfers.
Sending money from the UAE to Pakistan is expected due to the strong economic ties between the two countries. There are several ways to transfer funds, including bank transfers, money exchange houses, online platforms, and mobile payment applications.
Choosing the best method depends on several factors, including the amount being transferred and the urgency of the transaction. Here is a list of the 11 best ways of sending money from the UAE to Pakistan.
1. Western Union
Western Union is the largest money transfer service in the world. The company provides wire transfers, remittances, and currency exchange services to customers in over 200 countries. Western Union is an ideal choice if you want to send money to your recipient in Pakistan.
The service provides some of the best exchange rates and low fees. Additionally, with more than 9,600 agents in Pakistan, recipients can pick up their payments comfortably almost anywhere.
I had firsthand experience using the service when my friend in the UAE transferred some money to my Pakistani bank account. The transfer was almost instant and hassle-free, and the amount was directly credited to my ledger.
Recipients in Pakistan can receive their money via bank transfers and cash pickups. The cash pickup service is excellent as it provides the vast unbanked population access to international money transfers without opening a bank account.
Users in the UAE can transfer money via the Western Union mobile application or by visiting any of the locations in the country.
2. Wise
Wise, formerly Transferwise, is one of the most popular international digital wallets. The company is headquartered in the United Kingdom and provides multiple currency accounts to its users.
Users in the UAE can register their Wise account by visiting their website or downloading their mobile application. The registration process is simple and requires the following:
- Personal information
- Proof of residence
- Payment methods
- Receiving accounts
You might be asked to make a small payment to activate your account.
Wise provides some of the best exchange rates among all the listed services. However, the company does charge slightly more than other exchange providers. I have used Wise for receiving international payments from clients from the UAE and beyond, and so far, I have been satisfied.
Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate instead of the conventional fixed rate to provide the best rates to the recipients. You can also send AED to the recipient’s AED Wise account without worrying about exchange rates; only a small transaction fee will be charged for an AED-to-AED transfer.
3. Paysend
Paysend is a recent entrant to the online money transfer industry. The service allows customers to send money to over 170 countries, including Pakistan. You can easily send money from the UAE to Pakistan via Paysend by following these steps:
- Create a Paysend account either via their website or their mobile application.
- Fill out your personal information (name, mobile number, residential address, and date of birth).
- Set up your transfer by selecting the payment details, recipient information, and transfer method.
- Review the transaction and carefully analyze the exchange rate and fee.
- Confirm your transaction.
Paysend provides lower-than-market exchange rates but lower fees compared to other service providers. The available delivery methods of the service are:
- Bank transfer
- Bank cards transfer
- Mobile wallet transfer
4. Pakistan Post
Pakistan Post is the state-owned postal service of Pakistan that provides logistics and mail delivery services to the 230 million people of the country.
Under the Pakistan Remittance Initiative (PRI) umbrella, the Pakistan Post Office Department, along with the National Bank of Pakistan, launched the Home Remittance service that allows non-resident Pakistanis to send money to the country from across the globe.
The initiative utilizes the services of various exchange providers to send money to recipients across the country. You can easily send money from the UAE to Pakistan via this service by visiting any of the partner branches, including:
- Al Fardan Exchange
- Al Ansari Exchange
- National Exchange Company
- Belhasa Global Exchange
- Index Exchange
- UAE Exchange
You only need to provide the agent with the following information to complete your transfer:
- Valid ID
- IBAN of the recipient NBP branch code of the recipient’s NBP account(in case of a bank transfer).
The recipients can collect their payments from any branch of the NBP or the post offices locations around Pakistan by submitting these documents:
- Original CNIC
- Secret PIN (provided to the sender at the time of transaction)
- The expected amount to be received.
- Sender’s name and details
Transactions over $200 can be sent free; a minimal fee is charged for transactions below the limit.
5. HBL FastTransfer
HBL is the largest commercial bank in Pakistan. The multinational bank has eight branches in the UAE and provides digital account opening and home remittance services to the residents.
Recipients in Pakistan can collect their payments via HBL FastTrasnfer in three ways:
- HBL Account Credit
- Other Bank Account Transfer
- Cash Over Counter (COC)
The service utilizes the IBFT method, which is why it provides the user with some of the lowest exchange rates.
However, if your transactions are over $100, you will not be charged a fee regardless of your payment method.
Otherwise, there will be a small fee of AED 10.50 per transaction as per the bank’s Schedule of Charges (SOC).
There are no receiving limits for HBL FastTransfer for transfer to bank accounts.
However, there is a maximum limit of PKR 500,000 per transaction for Cash Over Counter remittances.
Users who do not have a bank account can use this option and receive their money in cash from over 1,600 branches across Pakistan.
6. Meezan Easy Remit
Meezan Bank is another large Pakistani bank that is the largest provider of Islamic Banking services to Pakistanis the most prominent provider.
The bank initiated the Meezan Easy Remit service allowing overseas Pakistanis to send money to their families conveniently and efficiently.
The service currently has six correspondents in the UAE, namely:
- Index Exchange
- Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank
- Al Ansari Exchange
- Sharaf Exchange
- Cash Express
- LM Exchange
With Meezan Easy Remit, individuals can easily send real-time money to Pakistan from the UAE.
Once the transfer is received, Meezan Bank will credit the amount to the recipient’s bank account.
The service also allows a cash pickup option for the money transfer, and recipients can receive a maximum of PKR 700,000 from any of the bank’s branches in Pakistan.
There are no limits to direct bank transfers to Meezan Bank accounts or other beneficiary bank accounts.
You can also opt for a mobile wallet transfer when sending money from any of the correspondents of the bank in the UAE.
7. Xe
Xe has become a recognizable name in the online money transfer industry. The company was founded in 1993 and provided clients with remittance and currency exchange services.
Xe provides lower-than-market exchange rates but charges minimal fees, making it an excellent choice for money transfers to Pakistan. You can only make your payment via bank transfer.
The recipient can receive their amount via bank transfers, mobile wallet credit, or cash pickups from over 40,000 locations nationwide.
Follow these steps to initiate an international money transfer from the Xe website:
- Create an account with the company and provide your details.
- Start your transaction and choose the currency to which you wish to send the amount.
- In the next step, enter your recipient’s details.
- Enter your payment information and the amount you wish to send.
- Review and confirm your transfer; the money will be credited to your recipient’s account in real-time.
However, it might take up to four business days to complete the transfer.
You can send up to $500,000 or AED 1.836 million (approximately) per transaction.
I have found Xe to be a reliable and cost-effective transaction method.
Also, based on the reviews about the service, I believe Xe is an excellent choice for Emirati residents to send money to Pakistan.
8. Al Ansari Exchange
Al Ansari Exchange is a leading foreign exchange company in the United Arab Emirates. It was founded in 1966 by Eisa Al Ansari and provided money transfer services to its clients across the globe.
Al Ansari Exchange provides some of the best exchange rates with minimum fees, making it an ideal choice for UAE residents for money transfers to Pakistan.
The company has over 200 branches in the UAE, allowing recipients to receive money directly in their bank accounts or via cash pickups from thousands of agents across Pakistan.
The Al Ansari Exchange mobile application enables simple money transfers via a few taps. Your recipient will receive the money in real time or up to a maximum of two business days.
9. Lulu Money
LuLu Money is an online platform powered by LuLu Exchange, one of the leading currency exchanges in the UAE. You can send money to over 170 countries via this service, including Pakistan.
There are some limits on the transaction amounts per customer, such as
- Maximum of AED 150,000 per transaction,
- Maximum monthly transactions of AED 500,000
- Maximum of two transactions to the same recipient per day
LuLu Money provides excellent exchange rates and charges a fee per transaction higher than some of the services listed here.
Nonetheless, it is an excellent option for residents who want to use online channels to send money to their loved ones in Pakistan.
LuLu Money has also partnered with Bank Alfalah of Pakistan, wherein the recipients can receive money from any of over 750 branches across Pakistan.
10. Skrill
Skrill is one of the most popular mobile wallets globally.
I use this application for receiving and sending money internationally due to its multiple currency accounts. It was founded in 2001 and acquired by the Paysafe Group in 2015.
If you are in the UAE, you can easily open a Skrill account by downloading its mobile app or visiting its website.
Skrill provides lower-than-market exchange rates, meaning you will not get the optimum rate for your transfer.
However, the service charges no transaction fee for bank transfers, so you get the most out of your transaction.
The recipient can only receive funds directly to their bank accounts or via Skrill-to-Skrill transfer. The amount is usually credited to the recipient’s bank account within a day.
11. Payoneer
Payoneer is an international mobile wallet founded in 2005 and headquartered in NYC, United States. The mobile wallet allows users to open receiving accounts in eight currencies, including the AED.
I always use my Payoneer (among others) account to receive payments from international clients. The service is efficient, and the transfers are usually credited within three business days of initiation.
Users in the UAE can open a Payoneer account to send money to their recipients in Pakistan. Thanks to Payoneer’s integration with JazzCash, Pakistanis can now link their Payoneer accounts with their mobile wallet and instantly withdraw funds.
Payoneer provides a fixed exchange rate slightly lower than the market but charges around a 2% transaction fee per transfer.
Recipients can receive the money either in AED in their Payoneer account or PKR directly in their local bank accounts.
Simply create your Payoneer account to send money to Pakistan with a few finger taps.
Other Information About Sending Money From the UAE to Pakistan
International money transfer services always charge some fees as commissions and earnings. Banks charge exorbitant fees than the various remittance providers such as Wise and Western Union.
Sending money to Pakistan from the UAE is now easier than ever. With multiple money exchanges and transfer services, you can quickly and instantly send money to your recipient in Pakistan within a few minutes.
Although there is a variety of options available for performing international money transfers, only a few of them offer both great exchange rates and low transaction charges.
Furthermore, you can also choose to send money via the conventional method of IBFT.
I would not recommend it simply because it is more expensive and does not offer a decent exchange rate keeping your recipient at a disadvantage.
However, you should know some other things before performing any international money transfer.
What Are the Different Charges Involved in Performing International Money Transfers?
There are different fees associated with international money transfers. The charges vary depending on the bank or the online remittance service. The significant costs involved in money transfers are:
- Fixed Rates – These are fees you pay regardless of the transfer size. These are usually higher in the case of commercial banks but significantly lower among online remittance providers such as Wise and Western Union.
- Variable Fees – These are charges that are dependent on the size of the transfer. For example, Wise charges a variable fee of 0.92% of the transaction amount for Wise to Wise transfer from AED to PKR. So, for an AED 1,000 transfer, the variable charges would be AED 9.12.
- Foreign Exchange Fees – Not all service providers will offer you the highest market rate for currency conversion. Many charge a small commission on these exchange rates, significantly lowering the recipient’s final amount. You should always aim for the best exchange rate and the lowest transfer costs.
Are Bank Transfers Better Than Online Remittance Services?
Bank transfers are reliable and conventional modes of money transfer that allow users to send money from their bank account directly to the recipient’s bank account without any intermediary.
However, banks often charge hefty fees and offer lower-than-market exchange rates, which are both unfavorable conditions.
Online remittance services provide much better exchange rates and lower costs than direct bank transfers.
They also have faster delivery times, usually, a couple of minutes to two days, compared to a bank’s 4 to 7 days settlement period.
The Bottom Line
With everything said and done, you must have an expansive view of the various options for sending money from the UAE to Pakistan. Wise, Paysend, and Western Union are some of the cheapest and most efficient modes of online money transfer.
For recipients who need help receiving transfers in their bank accounts, the Pakistan Post Home Remittance Initiative is the best due to the vast availability of post offices in Pakistan.
Ensure that whichever option you select provides secure transfers, great exchange rates, and low fees to give the maximum amount to your recipient.
If this article was useful for you, check more guides about banking in the UAE written by our team:
- 12 Best Mobile Wallets in UAE
- Why Dubai Is So Rich: The Secrets Of Its Success
- 15000 AED Salary in Dubai: Living Costs and Lifestyle
- How to Save Money in Dubai and Still Enjoy The City
- 5 Best Investment Platforms and Apps in the UAE
- 7 Best Banks in the UAE (Personal and Business)
- 7 Buy Now Pay Later Services in UAE
