How Do You Track an International Money Transfer?

The stages a transfer usually goes through

Wise's own help centre describes its transfers in three stages, which is a useful general shape even if the exact wording differs by provider: your money is first on its way to the provider (they're waiting for it to arrive from your bank or card), then it's processed — held and converted into the recipient's currency — and finally it's on its way to the recipient, at which point it's up to the recipient's own bank to complete the deposit. A transfer showing "processing" for a while is usually sitting in that middle stage, particularly if extra security checks have been triggered.

Payment method changes how long each stage takes

As one provider's own published example, Wise's help centre gives rough timelines by payment method: card payments are usually instant, bank transfers to fund the transfer typically take 1 to 4 working days, and SWIFT-routed transfers can take 1 to 6 working days. These are working-day estimates — weekends and public holidays don't count — and they're specific to how you funded the transfer, not a universal figure across every provider. Check the estimate your own provider gave you at the time you set the transfer up rather than assuming a fixed number of days applies everywhere.

Using your provider's own tracking number

Most providers give you something to track the transfer with. Western Union's own support page describes the Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN) directly: "Every Western Union money transfer has a unique Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN). This 10-digit code is your Western Union tracking number," entered on Western Union's own tracking page or app to see the latest status — a recipient collecting cash needs it alongside valid ID. If your transfer went through Wise or Remitly, each has its own transfer-status page inside your account; our guides on why a Wise transfer is taking longer than expected and on Remitly transfers held for verification cover what those specific delay states usually mean.

Why a bank wire sometimes 'hops' through banks you've never heard of

A bank-to-bank wire in a foreign currency often isn't a direct link between your bank and the recipient's — it's routed through correspondent banks. NAB's own page on receiving money from overseas gives a concrete example: NAB moves US dollar payments via Citibank in New York, British pounds via Royal Bank of Scotland in London, and euros via Deutsche Bank in Frankfurt, among others, and notes this list "may change without notice." That's why a wire can show as sent by your bank but not yet visible to the recipient's bank — it may still be moving through one or more of these intermediary banks. Our guide on intermediary bank fees on a SWIFT transfer covers how this affects both timing and cost.

Asking your bank to trace a payment

If a wire hasn't arrived within the timeframe your bank quoted, ask your bank directly to trace it — most banks can query the correspondent chain on your behalf using the payment reference from your original transaction. Have the exact date sent, the amount, the currency, and the recipient's bank and account details ready; this is the same information the receiving bank needs to match the incoming payment to the right account.

What to check before assuming something's wrong

Before escalating, check the basics: that the recipient's account name, account number, and SWIFT/BIC code were entered correctly (a mismatched account name is one of the most common causes of a delay), that the amount received matches what you sent minus any fees, and that enough working days have actually passed against the estimate you were given. A transfer sitting in "processing" for security or verification checks is a normal part of the process, not evidence of a problem — see our guide on why a transfer is placed on hold for a source-of-funds check for what that specifically involves.

When to escalate

If the transfer is genuinely overdue and your provider's own support hasn't resolved it, the next step is the provider's formal complaints process, followed by the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) if you're not satisfied with the outcome. AFCA is Australia's external dispute resolution scheme for financial services complaints and is free to use — it's the right avenue if a provider or bank won't resolve a stuck transfer directly.

My transfer says 'processing' — is that normal?

Yes, usually. Most providers hold a transfer in a processing stage while they convert the currency and run standard security checks. It only becomes worth escalating once it's stayed there well past the timeframe your provider quoted.

What is an MTCN and where do I find it?

An MTCN (Money Transfer Control Number) is Western Union's own 10-digit tracking code for a transfer, given to you at the time of sending. Enter it on Western Union's own tracking page or app to check the current status.

Why is my transfer going through banks I've never heard of?

A wire in a foreign currency is often routed through correspondent (intermediary) banks that your bank has an existing relationship with for that currency — NAB, for example, publishes which bank it uses for US dollars, British pounds, euros and other major currencies.

Can my bank track a SWIFT wire for me?

Yes — ask your bank to trace the payment using the reference from your original transaction. It can query the correspondent banks the payment passed through on your behalf.

What if my provider can't tell me where the money is?

Escalate through the provider's formal complaints process first. If that doesn't resolve it, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) is Australia's free external dispute resolution scheme for financial services complaints.