Sending Money to Overseas Citizens Services
8AM - 8PM weekdays; 9AM - 3PM Saturdays
202-647-5225

The following are instructions for sending money to a U.S. citizen in an emergency financial situation abroad. When you use this service, a Department of State employee establishes a trust account in the recipient’s name in order to forward funds overseas. There is a $30 processing fee, charged annually per fiscal year (Oct. 1 - Sep. 30) in the case of long-term trust accounts. We do not accept personal checks. Your money order or cashier’s check must be made payable to the Department of State. Upon receipt, we send a telegram to the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad authorizing next workday disbursement. The recipient must contact the Embassy or Consulate to arrange receipt. If you fail to provide the recipient’s name and overseas location, it will delay the transfer of funds. The Embassy or Consulate normally disburses funds in the foreign country’s currency and not in U.S. dollars.

WESTERN UNION: If you have a major credit card, you may telephone Western Union at 1-800-325-6000, 1-800-325-4176 or 1-800-752-6077. You may also access Western Union on line at www.westernunion.com. You may also visit your local Western Union agent to purchase a "money transfer." You cannot do Western Union transactions by phone or the Internet in Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New York and Oklahoma.

In all cases, you should make the transfer for the desired amount, plus $30 (our fee), payable to Overseas Citizens Services. Western Union also charges a fee based on the amount you are sending. A message with your name, address, and telephone number, as well as the name and overseas location of the recipient, must accompany the money transfer. Western Union offers a variety of services. To send money via OCS Trust, you should tell Western Union to make the transfer "quick collect." Note: In addition to an address, Western Union will ask for a code city, and an account number: The money transfer and message are sent to: Overseas Citizens Services (OCS), Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20520. The code city is: "Overseasemergency, DC." The account number is "0" or your phone number (phone number is preferred).

Funds normally reach our office within several hours. A staff member is in the office to receive funds during the hours listed at the top of the page. We will notify the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate by telegram that it is authorized to disburse funds to the recipient. However, it is important to understand that the funds are disbursed only during normal office hours, not on weekends or local holidays when the Embassy or Consulate is closed.

BANKWIRE: It may take 1 to 7 days to process a bankwire transaction. If you choose this option, tell your bank that you want to wire the desired amount plus $42 to Bank of America, Department of State Branch, 2201 C St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20520 at 202-624-4750 via ABA Number: 114000653; Account Number: 7476363838; Account Name: PUPID State Department; The transaction should state: OCS/Trust for benefit of (recipient’s name), US Embassy/Consulate (city, country); and include your name and telephone number. The wire instructions must include the recipient’s full name and overseas location. Bank of America notifies our office when it has received the funds. The $42 fee includes our $30 fee and Bank of America’s $12 wire fee.

OVERNIGHT MAIL: Obtain a cashiers check or money order for the desired amount, plus $30 (our fee), made payable to Overseas Citizens Services. Attach a letter with your name, address, and telephone number, as well as the name and location of the overseas recipient. Mail to: Overseas Citizens Services, Department of State, SA-29, 4th Floor, 2201 C St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20520. Delivery of overnight mail to OCS may take 3 to 4 days.

REGULAR MAIL: Regular mail can take 3 to 4 weeks to reach OCS due to on-going irradiation procedures. We strongly discourage this method for emergency use.

06/01/04