How To Use WorldRemit To Receive Money In South Africa

With mobile payment tracking and the option to receive international transfers in ZAR,⁵ WorldRemit offers several advantages for South Africans receiving money from overseas. Want to know how to receive money from WorldRemit in South Africa? This guide is for you.

We’ll cover everything you need to know about incoming transfers, including how to collect Worldremit money as a cash pick up in South Africa, and how long it takes to receive money from WorldRemit into your bank account.

We will also introduce you to Wise, an international money transfer service, that allows you to receive money in South Africa from abroad at the mid-market exchange rate and transparent fees!

Learn more about Wise

Documents needed to register for a WorldRemit Wallet

To start receiving money with WorldRemit, you need to register for a WorldRemit Wallet. Once WorldRemit has processed your incoming transfer, it will appear in your Wallet in the correct currency.

To register for a WorldRemit Wallet (more on that later!), you must upload an image from a valid photo ID to verify your identity.⁶ You may also need to verify your address with a proof of address.

Acceptable forms of ID in South Africa

To verify your identity with WorldRemit in South Africa, you will need to upload the following:⁷

If you need to verify your address, you can use one of the below documents.⁸ Note that the document must not be older than 6 months:

• Telephone bill
• Electricity/gas bill
• Water bill

Using your WorldRemit Wallet to receive money

If you’ve already registered and activated your WorldRemit Wallet, your incoming transfer will appear in your Wallet in the selected payment method as soon as it’s been processed.

If someone has sent you money, but you haven’t registered for a WorldRemit Wallet, you need to sign up for one. You have 14 days to register for a Wallet – otherwise, the money is automatically returned to the sender.⁹

How to register for a WorldRemit Wallet in South Africa

It’s easy to register for a WorldRemit Wallet to start receiving money from abroad – and free to do so. Just follow the steps below:¹⁰

• Download the WorldRemit app from the App Store or Google Play.
• Sign up using your email address, and create a password and PIN code.
• Activate your Wallet on the Wallet tab by entering your personal details. If you’ve already received an SMS notifying you of a pending money transfer, use the same phone number to sign up.
• Enter the secret six-digit code sent to you via SMS from WorldRemit.
• Upload a valid photo ID to verify your identity.

Tracking your incoming transfer

Being able to track a transfer is an important part of knowing how to receive money from WorldRemit in South Africa. You can view the status of a transfer by going to the ‘My Transfers’ section on your account.¹¹ WorldRemit will also notify you of the transfer progress at every step via email and SMS.

When it comes to how many hours it takes to receive money from WorldRemit, international transfers are fast. 90% of money transfers sent to South Africa for cash pick up or sent to a mobile money account are available within minutes.¹² Debit card deposits are even quicker.

Note that the estimated time also depends on the sender’s country, the delivery method chosen and how the transfer is paid. Third-party operating hours in South Africa can also affect how quickly the transaction is processed.¹³

Collection limits and restrictions

The maximum amount of money someone can send you as a bank transfer with WorldRemit depends on the sender and receiver’s countries, the chosen payment option and the transaction limits of the local WorldRemit partner in South Africa.¹⁴ You can find more information on the selected country pages on the WorldRemit website.

The maximum amount of money you can receive as a cash pick up from WorldRemit in South Africa is displayed in the table below:¹⁵

With Sikhona cash pick ups, there is also a limit of ZAR 5,000.00 per person per day and ZAR 25,000.00 per person per month. Collection limits may also be lower depending on the country the money is coming from.

Wise for International Transfers to South Africa at the mid-market exchange rate

If you’re a South African expat living abroad or someone wanting to send money to South Africa, Wise can help you save money¹ when making international money transfers back to South Africa.

Some banks and money transfer services use the mid-market rate when they trade between themselves, but they rarely pass it on to you. Instead, they often mark up the rate to make extra money.¹³

It is recommended to check the exchange rate offered by your bank against the mid-market rate, which is similar to the exchange rate shown on Google. Say no to hidden fees!

The mid-market exchange rate is the rate that banks use to transfer money between them and is considered the ‘fair rate’ in the market. Find out what you would pay for an international money transfer with Wise:

Wise customers don’t have to pay an additional markup fee but only a small transparent fee to make an international transaction¹. That’s because Wise uses the mid-market rate for overseas payments!

With Wise, South African expats can save money¹ on an international money transfer by providing low fees and also do away with the markup on the mid-market exchange rate when making international payments to South Africa.

WorldRemit cash pickup locations in South Africa

You can collect WorldRemit payments sent as a cash pick up at Mukuru, or any branch of Sikhona via an ATM or at any retail store.¹⁶

Documents needed to collect a cash pick up

If you are collecting a WorldRemit international transfer as a cash pick up in South Africa, you will need to take specific documents to verify your identity.¹⁷

Collecting at Mukuru:

For transactions below ZAR20,000.00, you must present a valid photo ID. This can be a South African passport, national ID card, driving licence, foreign passport with visa or refugee card.

For transactions above ZAR20,000.00 and up to the maximum limit of ZAR50,000.00, you need to present a valid photo ID. You must also take the following documents with you:

• Recipient's proof of address
• A copy of the sender's ID
• A selfie photo of the sender holding their ID
• Sender's proof of address in their home country
• Sender’s contact number
• Confirmation of your relationship
• Purpose of funds

Collecting at Sikhona:

When collecting a cash pick up from an ATM, you will receive a voucher number and PIN code via SMS. Choose ‘Collect instant money’ and enter this number and code. There is no charge for collecting your transfer from an ATM.

If you’re collecting a cash pick up in a retail store, you need to give the voucher number and pin code you will receive via SMS to the clerk. You also need to present a valid form of ID, for example, a South African passport, national ID card, driving licence, foreign passport with visa or refugee card.

Worldremit fees to receive money in South Africa

It’s free to receive money with WorldRemit in South Africa.¹⁸ You can also withdraw your money for free, provided the withdrawal is in the same currency as the wallet balance. There is a small conversion charge for withdrawals that are cross-currency.¹⁹ Before you make your withdrawal, all associated costs are clearly shown.

Current exchange rates

You can check WorldRemit’s live currency exchange rates for free using their currency converter online. Senders will see any WorldRemit fees and the exchange rate for their international transfer when they begin the transfer process.

Payment methods available

Senders can choose from a variety of payment methods to send someone funds in South Africa, including:²⁰

• Bank transfer
• Cash pick up (locations for pick up are listed earlier in this article)
• Debit card deposit
• Airtime top up

Wise as an alternative for receiving money in South Africa

With transparent fees and no margin on the exchange rate¹, Wise is a great alternative for receiving international transfers in South Africa. Wise always uses the mid-market exchange rate (similar to the rate you see on Google) for international payments, and also provides the total cost before you make the transfer so you know exactly how much you’re paying!

Send money to South Africa

Sources

1. Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
2. Transaction speed claimed depends on funds availability, approval by Wise’s proprietary verification system and systems availability of our partners’ banking system, and may not be available for all transactions.
3. Eligibility is subject to verification of customers identity. Wise may request additional documents to verify a customer's identity.
4. Please note that certain products or features may not be available in all regions. Please visit www.wise.com to check for availability and learn more about our offerings.
5. Make transfers in ZAR
6. ID for WorldRemit wallet
7. Documents to verify identity
8. Proof of address
9. Set up account within 14 days
10. Setting up a WorldRemit wallet
11. Track your transfer
12. How long does a transfer take
13. Factors affecting transfer time
14. Maximum amount you can send via bank transfer
15. Cash pick up limits
16. Pick up locations
17. ID to collect cash
18. Free to receive money
19. Changing currency
20. Payment methods