Is There Such a Thing as an International Money Order in Australia?

Migratio Editorial · Last updated 25 September 2026

TL;DR: No — Australia Post's Money Order product has only ever been a domestic service: Standard ($13, up to $5,000) and Express ($25, up to $10,000), both for use within Australia. Australia Post's Western Union partnership, the closest thing to an in-store international option, ends 11:59pm on 13 October 2026. A bank transfer or a money-transfer provider is the practical way to send money overseas instead.

"International money order Australia" is a common search, but the product it's looking for doesn't exist under that name — and the closest equivalent, sending Western Union transfers in person at a Post Office, is being wound back this year. This page sets out exactly what Australia Post does and doesn't offer, and what a dated change means if you were planning to use it.

What people usually mean by this search

The phrase "international money order" usually describes wanting a paper or in-person way to send a fixed amount overseas without a bank account or an app — something with a physical receipt and a straightforward fee. In the US and some other countries, post offices sell exactly this kind of product for international use. Australia Post doesn't.

Australia Post's actual Money Order product is domestic-only

Australia Post's own page on domestic money transfers describes two Money Order products, both explicitly for sending money within Australia: a Standard Money Order, for up to $5,000, with a $13 fee, and an Express Money Order, for up to $10,000, with a $25 fee. Both are paid for by cash or EFTPOS only — Australia Post states directly that "credit card or cheques are not acceptable forms of payment for Money Orders." There is no international version of this product, and there hasn't been one recently — the name simply describes a domestic service.

The Western Union partnership at Australia Post is ending

The closest thing Australia Post has offered to an in-person international transfer is its partnership with Western Union, letting customers send Western Union transfers from participating Post Offices. That's changing: Australia Post's own page states, "From 11:59pm on 13 October 2026, Australia Post will no longer offer Western Union international money transfer services through our Post Office network." This is a dated, upcoming change, not a hypothetical one — if you're planning to send money this way, check the date against when you actually need to send it.

What's available after the change

Australia Post's own guidance points customers who still want to use Western Union to "access Western Union services directly via www.westernunion.com.au or through alternative providers," online or through Western Union's own retail network. It also notes that "some licensed Post Offices may continue to offer international money transfer services independently of Australia Post from 14 October 2026" — so a specific branch's own arrangement, rather than an Australia Post-wide service, may still apply in some locations. Australia Post's domestic Money Order service is unaffected and continues as before, since it was always a separate, domestic-only product.

What to use instead for sending money overseas

For most people, an ordinary international transfer through your bank, or a dedicated money-transfer provider's app or website, does the job a paper-based international money order used to promise, generally with faster delivery and online tracking. Our guides on international transfer fees at CommBank, ANZ, and Westpac cover the bank route, and our comparison of money transfer providers covers the specialist-app route, if you want to see the shape of what's on offer before choosing.

If you specifically need a cash-based, in-person option

If the appeal of a money order was paying and sending in cash without a bank account, Western Union's own retail network (accessible directly via westernunion.com.au, independent of Australia Post after the 13 October 2026 change) and some other providers still offer over-the-counter, cash-based international transfers at their own locations. Our review of Western Union in Australia covers its fees and limits directly.

Frequently asked questions

Can I buy an international money order at Australia Post?

No. Australia Post's Money Order product — Standard ($13, up to $5,000) and Express ($25, up to $10,000) — is domestic-only and always has been. There is no Australia Post product for sending a money order overseas.

Can I still send a Western Union transfer at a Post Office?

Only until 11:59pm on 13 October 2026. After that, Australia Post's own guidance says it will no longer offer Western Union international money transfer services through its Post Office network, though customers can still use Western Union directly online or through its own retail network.

Will Australia Post's domestic Money Order service change too?

No — Australia Post states its domestic money order service continues unchanged and is a separate service from the Western Union partnership being wound back.

What should I use instead to send money overseas from Australia?

A bank international transfer or a dedicated money-transfer provider are the practical options — see our bank fee guides and our comparison of money transfer providers for what each involves.

Can I still send cash-based international transfers after October 2026?

Some options remain — Western Union's own retail network continues independently of Australia Post, and some individual licensed Post Offices may keep offering international transfers on their own arrangement from 14 October 2026. Check with the specific location.

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