Sending Money to U.S. Citizens Overseas

Sending Money to U.S. Citizens Overseas

U.S. citizens sometimes face emergencies while overseas. We can establish a secure account so that friends and relatives can safely send money to help. The stranded U.S. citizen can then contact the Embassy to make an appointment to receive the money. We charge a fee of $30 to process the money transfer, payable once per fiscal year (October 1 – September 29).

Money can be transferred by Western Union or mail. You always need to include the U.S. citizen’s name and location (city and country) on the transfer. We can process these transfers during business hours (8AM – 5PM EST). If we receive a transfer after hours, we will process it the next business day.

Western Union: This is usually the fastest way to send money. Be aware that some States place restrictions on the use of QuickCollect by phone or the Internet. Western Union can inform you of the States with these restrictions. There are three ways to send money to us:

  • If you have a MasterCard or Visa credit card, you can call Western Union’s QuickCollect service at 1-800-634-3422. Western Union has a limit per credit card within a 7 day period. A second credit card may be required to send an additional amount over the first during the same 7 day period.
    • The “code city” is “OVERSEASEMERGENCY, DC.”
    • The “pay to” name is “Department of State.”
    • Use your telephone number as the account number.
    • Ask the operator to add the name and location of the U.S. citizen you are sending money to in the “reference” field.
    • Click on “Make Payment.”
    • Choose a payment type.
    • Choose “Other Billers.”
    • Select code city “OVERSEAS CITIZEN SERVICES.”
    • Follow the instructions to register.
  • If you want to pay in cash, you can visit any Western Union location in person:
    • This is the cheapest way to send money.
    • Call 1-800-325-6000 to find the closest location.
    • Complete a blue payment form.
    • Include the name and location of the U.S. citizen you are sending money to on the form.
    • We will deduct our $30 processing fee during the transfer.
    • The final amount received overseas will be $30 less than what you send so you should include it in the total.
    • Western Union charges additional fees for its services.
  • U.S. Mail or Courier Service:  Overnight or courier mail may take 3-4 days to reach us. Regular mail may take 3-4 weeks to reach us, due to security procedures.  We do not recommend this method for urgent situations or emergencies.
  • We do not accept personal checks. Send a cashier’s check or money order, payable to “Department of State,” for the required amount plus the $30 processing fee, to:

Overseas Citizen Services, Department of State
SA-29, 4th Floor
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, D.C.  20520

    • Include the name and location of the U.S. citizen you are sending money to.
    • Include your name, address and telephone number.

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