Philippine Banks Routing Numbers and Swift Codes?

I sent money from Metrobank to an SBI account in India a few months ago. The bank requested the beneficiary's account number, IFSC code, bank address, and SWIFT code. They didn't ask for any routing number.

If you're filling out the form online and it asks for a routing number, it may simply be using a generic template that's also used for U.S. bank transfers. I confirmed this with my bank before submitting the transaction.

My experience with BDO was similar. For international wire transfers, the SWIFT code was the important identifier. The staff at the branch explained that Philippine banks don't generally use routing numbers for international payments.

One thing I'd suggest is double-checking the SWIFT code directly with your beneficiary bank in India because even a small mistake can delay the transfer. Requirements can vary depending on the sending and receiving banks.

I regularly transfer funds from my BPI account to India. In my experience, I only needed the Indian bank's SWIFT code, account number, account holder's name, and branch details. I never had to enter a routing number because those are mainly used in domestic banking systems in countries like the United States.

The bank also asked me to confirm the purpose of the remittance and verify the beneficiary information before processing the transfer.

I had a payment delayed because I entered an incorrect SWIFT code for a Philippine bank. Fortunately, the funds were returned after a few days, and I resent the payment using the correct banking instructions.

Since then, I always request the official wire transfer details directly from the bank or the account holder. It avoids confusion between branch codes, bank codes, and SWIFT codes.

Based on my experience, requirements can differ depending on the sending country, so it's worth confirming with your own bank as well before initiating the transfer.

I transferred funds from Singapore to a BDO Unibank account earlier this year.

The transfer form required:

• Bank name
• Branch name
• Account number
• Account holder's name
• SWIFT/BIC code

There wasn't a separate field labeled "routing number." The customer service representative explained that domestic bank codes and international SWIFT codes serve different purposes.

If you're unsure, I'd suggest asking the recipient bank for the exact international wire instructions rather than relying on information from third-party websites.