How can I send money to someone in a country with sanctions?
Sending money worldwide has never been easier – but what can you do when loved ones are in a country with sanctions?
Key takeaways
- Check DFAT sanctions rules to ensure your transaction does not benefit a designated person or entity.
- Routing money through third countries to bypass Australian sanctions is illegal and risks money laundering charges.
- Breaching Australian sanctions carries penalties of up to 10 years in prison and fines of $825,000 or more.
Unfortunately, world politics can stand in the way of being able to help your friends and family in sanctioned countries.
Sanctions take into consideration the political climate of a country, its human rights record and the people and organisations within it that the Australian government wants to avoid financially supporting.
Australia currently has economic sanctions on countries like Iran, North Korea and Syria. While you may discover options to get around these sanctions to support friends and family, the government often considers these to be illegal.
What are the sanctioned countries by Australia?
There are over a dozen countries that Australia has sanctions against, which you can read more about on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's website (DFAT), but only 5 that you are not allowed to send money to from Australia.
- There are over a dozen sanctions regimes that Australia currently implements (including country-specific programs and thematic programs), which you can read more about on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's website (DFAT). Whether you can send money depends on who the funds are made available to and the type of transaction. DFAT also flags several high-risk jurisdictions where remittance providers typically apply enhanced due diligence, including DPRK (North Korea), Iran, Myanmar, Russia, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
- North Korea. Australia has no diplomatic relations with North Korea due to its lack of democracy, freedom and basic human rights.
- Syria. Australia placed economic sanctions on the country as civil war swept throughout the nation and President Assad was accused of supporting terrorist groups and violating the basic human rights of Syrians.
- Sudan. The UN Security Council placed sanctions on Sudan due to the humanitarian crisis and human rights violations, and Australia follows these sanctions. While you can't send money to Sudan, you're still able to send money to South Sudan.
- Syria. Australia imposed sanctions from 2011 in response to the Assad regime's use of violence against its people. Australia eased certain financial and energy-sector sanctions in November 2025, while retaining targeted financial sanctions on former Assad-regime members.
A note on Myanmar and Côte d'Ivoire
After many years of sanctions against Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), The UN Security Council terminated the Côte d'Ivoire sanctions regime on 28 April 2016. That said, many banks and money transfers have yet to establish themselves there. Before you complete your transfer, first confirm that your selected provider is able to fully deliver your funds.
On the other hand, Myanmar (sometimes called Burma) had sanctions lifted against it in 2012 but reinstated partly in October 2018. You'll still be able to send money to Myanmar, but be wary of only sending money to friends and family you know well.
Sending money to sanctioned countries
There are ways that people have chosen to get around these economic sanctions. But we stress that doing so is illegal and exposes you to severe legal and financial penalties.
According to DFAT, it is prohibited to "directly or indirectly make an asset available to (or for the benefit of) a designated person".
If you hold a bank account in another country as a resident of that nation, research the rules in place for sending money to a sanctioned nation from that account. If you choose to route your money through a country that doesn’t have sanctions against your intended destination – via the UK, for example – you could be charged by Australia with money laundering.
Potential consequences of sending money to a sanctioned country
Australian sanction laws establish serious criminal offences for contravening a sanctions measure or a condition of a sanctions permit, and these offences are punishable for individuals by:
- up to 10 years in prison, and/or
- a fine the greater of 2500 penalty units ($825,000 as of 7 November 2024)
- or 3 times the value of the transactions.
If you're in doubt as to whether you can send money to a sanctioned country, always assume that transferring funds from Australia to a sanctioned nation is illegal unless a lawyer tells you otherwise.
What is money laundering?
Money laundering takes illegally obtained money and attempts to conceal the source, destination or identity of those funds. In Australia, it's illegal. If you're convicted of money laundering crimes, penalties can be severe — for higher-tier offences, this can include up to 25 years' imprisonment or substantial fines (or both).
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iv’e been sending money to Kenya on a weekly basis and after 18 months i made a password mistake and next thing my account is blocked and i can’t send to my freind CBA won’t unblock me as they said i’m being scammed which i assured them i wasn’t but they said they believe her passport is a fake aqnd that was without handling it ,i am at a loss for words
Hi Gordon,
That sounds very stressful, sorry to hear you’re experiencing these issues. You can continue to work with CBA to resolve it, or you may want to consider using a transfer platform like Wise, which offers international transfers with low fees. Best of luck!