How to Send Money to Family Overseas
Canadians send billions in personal remittances abroad every year, and the method that works best depends on six things — where your family lives, how much you are sending, how quickly they need it, how you want to pay, whether they have a bank account, and whether the transfer is recurring or one-off.
5 ways to send money to family overseas
Each method trades off cost, speed and how your family can access the money.
- Online remittance
Services like RemitBee, Remitly, Wise and WorldRemit let you fund from your phone or computer. Funding options include debit card, Interac e-Transfer, EFT and sometimes credit or prepaid card. Delivery goes to the recipient's bank account, mobile wallet or cash-pickup location depending on corridor. Speed ranges from minutes to a couple of business days. - Bank transfer
Major Canadian banks (TD, Scotiabank, CIBC, BMO, RBC) offer international transfer products. Pricing and speed vary — Scotiabank currently advertises most transfers arriving within an hour, while BMO quotes 2-5 business days. Usually delivers to the recipient's bank account, though some banks integrate cash pickup through partners like Western Union. - Cash-transfer network
Western Union and MoneyGram operate agent networks across Canada (including some Canada Post locations). The sender can pay cash, card or bank, and the recipient collects physical cash — often in minutes. The strongest option when your family member has no bank account and no mobile wallet. - Mobile-wallet transfer
In corridors like the Philippines (GCash, Maya), Pakistan (JazzCash, Easypaisa) and Bangladesh (bKash), money lands directly in the recipient's mobile-money wallet. The family member can spend, transfer or cash out locally. Wallet delivery is often near-instant where supported. - Card-funded transfer
Pay by debit card without initiating a bank transfer. Paying by card authorizes a card transaction — not an EFT or wire . Usually faster than bank-funded alternatives, though card fees can be higher.
Which method should you choose for your family?
There is no universal best. The answer depends on urgency, budget and how your family member can access the money.
Family situation | Suited method | Why it fits | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
Monthly support, banked recipient | Recurring online remittance | Repeatable, trackable, often cheapest at scale | Exchange rate fluctuates each cycle |
Emergency cash | Card-funded cash pickup or wallet | Recipient can access money quickly | Usually costs more than bank-funded |
Recipient has no bank account | Cash pickup or mobile wallet | Bypasses bank deposit | Country/provider coverage varies |
Large one-off payment | Bank product or high-verification remittance | Higher transaction ceilings | More compliance documentation |
Small frequent amounts | Low-flat-fee digital route | Flat fees weigh less on larger amounts | Still compare the exchange rate |
The cost comparison that matters most is how many units of local currency your family receives for the same CAD payment, at the same time, through the same payout method. A provider advertising C$0 fees may still earn from the exchange rate
How much does it cost to send money to family overseas?
Six cost components can eat into what your family actually receives — especially on monthly support.
Cost component | When it applies |
|---|---|
Transfer/service fee | Charged by the provider on most transactions |
Exchange-rate margin | Difference between mid-market rate and the rate you receive |
Card-funding surcharge | Some providers charge more for debit or credit card |
Credit-card cash advance | Issuer may add a fee plus immediate interest |
Recipient-bank charge | Some destination banks deduct a receiving fee |
Wallet cash-out fee | Recipient converting wallet balance to physical cash |
RemitBee charges C$0 above C$500 on e-Transfer/EFT/bill payment (C$2.99 below). Debit fees range C$2.99-C$8.99+. A 0.3-0.5% exchange-rate margin applies. Credit cards cannot fund money transfers.
Canada's Financial Consumer Agency advises comparing both fees and exchange rates.
Canada's Financial Consumer Agency advises comparing both fees and exchange rates.
How long does a family transfer take?
Speed has three separate stages, and confusing them causes frustration.
- Funding time - How quickly your money reaches the provider (debit is near-instant; EFT takes 2-3 business days)
- Processing time - Compliance checks, conversion and payout instructions
- Recipient availability - When your family member can actually withdraw or collect
RemitBee's delivery ranges from minutes to two business days depending on destination and funding method. For bank products, ranges are wider — TD quotes 1-5 business days; Scotiabank advertises most within an hour; BMO quotes 2-5 days.
Even when a status shows completed, some recipient banks take additional time to reflect the credit. Complete identity verification before an emergency arises to remove the most common first-transfer delay.
How to send money to family step by step
Ask how they want the money
Bank deposit, cash pickup or mobile wallet. The answer determines which providers and corridors work.
Choose a provider
Check that the service covers your payment method and their delivery method in their country.
Compare the amount received
Enter the same CAD on two or three services. Look at local-currency units the recipient gets — not the fee alone. That captures fee, exchange rate and margin in one number.
Verify and send
Complete ID verification, add the recipient's legal name and details, review the rate and confirm.
Track and confirm
Save the receipt. Confirm with your family that the money has arrived and is accessible.
How does RemitBee work for family transfers?
RemitBee is built for the most common Canadian family-transfer scenario — a sender with Canadian banking access supporting someone overseas.
- Credit cards not accepted for money transfers
- C$0 fee above C$500 on e-Transfer/EFT/bill payment
- Limits from C$1,000/day (Level 1) to C$20,000/day (Level 4)
- Fund by debit, e-Transfer, EFT, bill payment or RemitBee Balance
- Bank deposit in most countries, plus cash pickup and wallet in selected corridors
- Scheduled transfers — weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or quarterly (up to one year ahead, pulls from RemitBee Balance only, rate locks on transfer date)
How can you send money to family safely?
The family context adds a specific fraud risk — the emergency or grandparent scam. Criminals impersonate a relative, claim an emergency and pressure you to send money immediately. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre recommends hanging up and contacting the relative independently using a number you already have.
Practical safety steps include verifying the provider's FINTRAC registration, double-checking the recipient's legal name and account or wallet details, saving the receipt and reference number, and reviewing cancellation terms before sending.
If your family member recently changed banks or wallet numbers, confirm the details fresh rather than relying on what worked six months ago.
Practical safety steps include verifying the provider's FINTRAC registration, double-checking the recipient's legal name and account or wallet details, saving the receipt and reference number, and reviewing cancellation terms before sending.
If your family member recently changed banks or wallet numbers, confirm the details fresh rather than relying on what worked six months ago.
Frequently asked questions
Have questions? We have answers!
What is the cheapest way to send money to family abroad?
Do I pay Canadian tax when sending money to family overseas?
Can my family receive money without a bank account?
Can I use Interac e-Transfer to send money overseas?
How much can I send abroad from Canada?
Can Zelle send money internationally?
Can I cancel a transfer after sending?