Send Money to Honduras the Right Way by Reading These Tips

If you wish to send money to Honduras from Australia, picking a method as per your needs is crucial.

Australia maintains largely positive relations with Central American nations, comprising of modest trade and political links. These regions cooperate on different multilateral issues, while continuing to build a relationship surrounding trade liberalisation. Australia is an extra-regional observer to the Central American Integration System (SICA), of which Honduras is a member. The Forum for East Asia - Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC) has 23 members, which include Australia and Honduras.

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In 2014-2015, total trade of merchandise between these two countries stood at over $68 million. Trade in services during the same period accounted for an additional $3 million.

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Australia provided $100 million in development assistance to Latin America, which included 250 Australia Awards Scholarships. Of the 111 scholarships that went Central America’s way, Hondurans claimed 17.

Instances of people wanting to send money to Honduras from Australia are not uncommon. Go through this guide to find out which method suits you best.

Banks versus money transfer companies

Wok got Maribel Vasquez to Australia. However, her parents and younger brother remain in Honduras. Since her brother is of school going age and her parents depend on her financially, she’ll have to send them money on a regular basis. Give the affordability factor, she figures she can comfortably send around $1,000 every month.

Upon checking with her bank she finds out it does not transfer funds to Honduras, given that the Honduran lempira is an exotic currency. When she compares money transfer companies using the Internet, this is what she finds.

	Money transfer service 1	Money transfer service 2
Exchange rate	$1 = HNL15.8651	$1 = HNL15.95783
Transfer fee	$60	$3.99
Amount received for $1,000	HNL14,913.22	HNL15,894.00
Transfer time	Instantly	1 day
Transfer options	Cash pickup	Bank account
Difference of		HNL980.78

Maribel chooses the second service provider for two reasons. While it lets her transfer money directly into her father’s Honduran bank account, he also stands to receive more money. Going forward, she decides to compare her options before each transfer.

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How do I compare transfer companies when transferring and receiving money via Honduras?

When sending money to Honduras, several aspects require your attention.

• Exchange rate and fees. It is important that you pay attention to both these aspects together. This is because a highly competitive exchange rate might come with a steep transfer fee. On the other hand, you may not get a good exchange rate through a service provider that does not charge any fees. An easy way to compare your options on this front is to look at how much money the recipient stands to receive.
• Ways to send money. If your bank allows electronic fund transfers to Honduras you may be able to initiate the process in person, online or over the phone. Various money transfer companies let you send money to Honduras online, some have stores and kiosks that you can visit to send money in person and some let you go through the process over the phone as well.
• Ways to receive money. One option is that the recipient receives money directly into a Honduran bank account. Another is to collect transferred funds from a cash pickup centre.
• Transfer options. Working with a company that lets you make regular scheduled payments can work in your favour if you plan to send money regularly. This way, you won’t have to go through the entire process before each transfer. If you wish to benefit by fluctuations in the foreign exchange market, you can look for businesses that offer forward contracts and market orders.
• Turnaround time. Transfers that involve sending money to cash pickup centres tend to go through almost instantly. Turnaround time for transfers to Honduran bank accounts can vary significantly depending on the service provider you choose, from one to 10 days or more.
• Minimum limits. Some money transfer companies don’t let you send less than $500 or $1,000.
• Customer service. Good money transfer companies offer support over the phone, via chat and via email. If you see no more than an email address as a means to contact a service provider, you may want to move to your next option.

How do I send money to Honduras from Australia?

You get to choose from a number of options when sending money to Honduras from Australia.

• Banks. While using the services of a bank is possible to send money to Honduras, the process, in all likelihood, would involve a transfer fee. Sending a bank-issued money order, cheque or draft via mail is also an option.
• Non-banks. Non-banking businesses such as Western Union and MoneyGram let you send money to cash pickup locations in Honduras. Ones such as WorldRemit let you transfer funds to Honduran bank accounts. If you and the recipient have PayPal accounts, you can use its services to send money to Honduras from Australia. You don’t have to pay any fees to open a PayPal account and the process takes little time.

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How do I receive money from Honduras in Australia?

If you wish to receive money from Honduras in Australia, you can choose from these options.

• Banks. Provide the sender your Australian bank account details and receive the funds directly in your account. This can happen through a local Honduran bank or a money transfer company. Alternatively, you can get the sender to mail you a bank-issued cheque, money order or draft.
• Non-banks. If you want to collect money from a cash pickup centre you can ask the sender to use the services of money transfer companies such as Western Union and MoneyGram. Both have a significant presence across Australia. Using the services of PayPal is also an option, provided you and the recipient have PayPal accounts. Once the money reaches your PayPal account, you can withdraw it in your bank account easily.

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Emergency cash transfers in Honduras

Dealing with losing your wallet when in Honduras can be daunting. Start by reporting your credit and debit cards as lost or stolen without wasting any time. Next, you can think about getting emergency money in these ways.

• Cash pickup. This is an easy option if you’re lucky enough to get a friend or a family member to send you some money using the services of a money transfer company. If this is possible, identity a convenient cash pickup centre first.
• Credit card cash advance. Existing American Express, Visa and Mastercard credit card holders can get emergency cash advances by visiting local participating financial institutions.
• Travel insurance. The right kind of travel insurance can provide emergency money to deal with lost and misplaced luggage, flight cancellations as delays as well as unexpected medical expenses.

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Western Union / MoneyGram branches in Honduras

Western Union and MoneyGram have a number of cash pickup centres in Honduras. When visiting any of these centres to collect cash, make sure you take an acceptable form of ID such as your passport or driver’s license with you. If you plan to collect a large sum, call ahead of time to confirm availability of funds. Here are some cash pick up centres in Honduras.

Western Union

MoneyGram

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Tips for picking up cash in Honduras

Honduras has high levels of crime so you should exercise extreme caution when in this country. Instances of foreigners becoming targets of violent crime are not uncommon, especially in and around San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa, Trujillo, Tela, the Copan ruins and on the ferry from La Ceiba to the Bay Islands.

Avoid discussing travel plans in public places because this can lead to someone following and targeting you. In case you’re the victim of an attack, not resisting is in your best interest, because attackers can injure or even kill you.

When travelling, stick to using reputable transport companies. Avoid travelling alone or at night.

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What are the steps to send money to Honduras?

The steps involved depend on the method you choose.

1. Transferring to a bank account. You’ll have to provide the recipient’s name, account number, bank’s name and bank’s SWIFT code. If you’re using a service provider other than your own bank, you’ll have to provide details of your bank account, debit card or credit card. You should get a reference number when you initiate the transfer. Use this to track the transfer’s progress at any time.
2. To a cash pickup centre. In this case you’ll have to provide the recipient’s name and a desired cash pickup location. To make the payment, you’ll have to provide your bank account, debit card or credit card details. Once you send money, you should get a reference number. The recipient needs this number to collect the transferred money.