To send a bank transfer to India with MAJORITY, pick India in the app, choose bank transfer, enter the recipient's Indian account number and IFSC, and confirm.
Quick answer
Bank transfer is one of the delivery methods on the US-to-India destination, alongside cash pickup and mobile wallet. You open the app, select India, choose bank transfer, enter your recipient's Indian bank account number, the IFSC code from their branch, and their full legal name as it appears on the account, then confirm. The funds arrive in Indian rupees (INR) in 30 minutes to 5 business days, depending on the receiving bank.
What you need to know
- Bank transfer is the right choice when your recipient already has an Indian bank account and wants the money deposited directly rather than picking it up in cash.
- You need three pieces of information from your recipient: their Indian bank account number, the IFSC code from their branch, and their full legal name exactly as it appears on the account.
- The funds arrive in Indian rupees at the live USD-to-INR exchange rate the app quotes before you confirm.
- Bank transfers to India typically arrive in 30 minutes to 5 business days, depending on the receiving bank.
- With the membership at $5.99 per month, money transfers to supported countries are fee-free at the member tier regardless of delivery method, so there is no per-transfer charge stacked on top of the membership.
- The INR amount your recipient will receive is shown in the app before you confirm the transfer, so you can compare the quoted figure against the live USD-to-INR rate before sending.
What information you need from your recipient
Before you start the transfer in the app, collect these details from your recipient. Confirming them in writing (chat, email, or text) is the easiest way to avoid a typo in the account number or the bank code.
- Indian bank account number. The full account number as it appears on their statement or in their bank's app. Indian account numbers vary in length by bank (typically 9 to 18 digits), so do not trim leading zeros.
- IFSC code. The bank-branch code for the exact branch where the account is held. The recipient can find it printed on their checkbook or passbook, inside their bank's mobile app, or by searching the Reserve Bank of India's public IFSC lookup.
- Full legal name. Exactly as it appears on the account. Small mismatches between the name you enter and the name on the account can delay or block the deposit.
- Account-holder phone number. A working Indian mobile number is useful because the receiving bank usually sends an SMS notification when the funds are credited.
If any of these is wrong, the receiving bank may reject the deposit and the funds will be returned to you, usually within a few business days. The cleanest fix is to confirm the account number and the IFSC with your recipient before you confirm the transfer in the app.
How to send a bank transfer to India, step by step
These are the steps from your side as the sender, from the moment you open the app to the moment the funds arrive in your recipient's Indian bank account.
- Open the app and sign in.
- Tap Send money and select India as the destination country.
- Enter the amount you want to send in US dollars. The app shows the live USD-to-INR exchange rate, the INR amount your recipient will receive, and the estimated delivery time before you confirm.
- Choose Bank transfer as the delivery method.
- Enter your recipient's account number exactly as they gave it to you, with no spaces or trimmed digits.
- Enter the IFSC code for their branch.
- Enter the recipient's full legal name as it appears on the account.
- Add the recipient's phone number so their bank can send them an SMS notification when the funds land.
- Review the summary: exchange rate, INR amount the recipient will receive, account number, IFSC, recipient name, and any applicable cost. Confirm the transfer.
- Track the status in the app under your transfers tab. The status moves from Pending to Completed when the funds are credited to the recipient's account.
How the exchange rate and any cost are shown
Before you confirm a bank transfer to India, the app shows the live USD-to-INR exchange rate it is using for that transfer, the total INR amount your recipient will receive, and the estimated delivery time. With the membership at $5.99 per month, money transfers in supported countries are fee-free at the member tier regardless of delivery method, so no per-transfer fee is added on top of the membership.
That means the comparison you should run before confirming is short:
- The INR amount the app quotes for your USD send amount.
- The live mid-market USD-to-INR rate, available on any major financial data site.
- The gap between those two figures, which is the exchange-rate margin.
If the gap looks reasonable for the moment you are sending, confirm the transfer. If it looks unusually wide, you can hold off and check the rate again later, since rates move during the day.
How long does a bank transfer to India take?
A bank transfer to an Indian bank account typically arrives in 30 minutes to 5 business days, depending on the receiving bank.
- Large commercial banks with broad branch networks usually post incoming international credits faster, because they have mature processing for them.
- Smaller banks, regional rural banks, and cooperative banks can take longer, particularly if they batch incoming international credits.
- Transfers initiated outside Indian business hours can land more slowly when they need to clear a settlement window the next morning.
For context, the other delivery methods on the India destination have different timing:
- Cash pickup at a participating partner location is typically available the same day.
- Mobile wallet deposit is typically available within minutes to hours, where available.
If your recipient holds an account at a major Indian commercial bank, bank transfer is usually the simplest option. If they need the funds the same day and only hold a smaller-bank account, cash pickup can sometimes be faster.
What ID does my recipient need on the receiving side?
A bank transfer is deposited directly into the recipient's account, so they do not need to present an ID at a counter to receive the funds. Their identity is already verified by the bank that holds the account.
If they want to withdraw the cash later from an ATM or in branch, their bank's own ID requirements apply at that point. Common Indian identity documents the bank may ask for include Aadhaar, PAN card, voter ID, or passport, depending on what the account was opened with.
What ID you need on the US side to send
To send the transfer from the US, you need an active MAJORITY account. When you opened that account, you provided a government-issued ID (a passport, a driver's license, a matrícula consular, or another accepted ID) and completed identity verification. No additional documentation is needed on the day you send a bank transfer to India, beyond signing into the app with your usual credentials and confirming the transfer.
If your account asks for additional verification on a particular transfer (for example, an unusually large amount), the app will prompt you in-flow. Following those prompts is the fastest way to clear the transfer.
What to do next
- Confirm with your recipient that they have an active Indian bank account they want the funds deposited into.
- Ask them for the full account number, the IFSC code for their branch, their full legal name as it appears on the account, and a working Indian phone number.
- Open the app, select India, choose bank transfer, and enter the details.
- Review the INR amount your recipient will receive and the estimated delivery time before you confirm.
- Track the status in the app and stay reachable in case the receiving bank requests anything from your recipient.
How MAJORITY can help
MAJORITY is a financial membership for migrants and newcomers in the US, and India is a supported money-transfer destination. The membership is $5.99 per month and includes money transfers at the member tier in supported countries, with the INR amount the recipient will receive shown in the app before each transfer is confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
How do I send a bank transfer to India from the US?
Open the app, tap Send money, select India, choose bank transfer, enter the recipient's Indian account number, the IFSC code from their branch, their full legal name, and their phone number, then confirm. The funds arrive in Indian rupees at the exchange rate the app quoted before you confirmed.
What information do I need from my recipient in India?
You need their full Indian bank account number, the IFSC code for their branch, their full legal name exactly as it appears on the account, and a working Indian phone number for the arrival notification. Confirm these in writing to avoid typos.
How long does an international bank transfer to India take?
A bank transfer to an Indian bank account typically arrives in 30 minutes to 5 business days, depending on the receiving bank. Larger commercial banks usually post the funds toward the faster end of that range, while smaller banks and cooperatives can take longer.
Where does my recipient find their IFSC code?
The IFSC code is public information for each Indian bank branch. Your recipient can find it printed on their checkbook or passbook, inside their bank's mobile app, or by searching the Reserve Bank of India's public IFSC lookup. Different branches of the same bank have different IFSC codes, so the code must match the exact branch where the account is held.
What does an international bank transfer to India cost?
With the membership at $5.99 per month, money transfers to supported countries are fee-free at the member tier, regardless of delivery method. The exchange rate applied to the USD-to-INR conversion, along with any applicable cost, is shown in the app before you confirm the transfer.
What happens if I enter the wrong IFSC or account number?
The receiving bank may reject the deposit, and the funds are usually returned to you within a few business days. To avoid this, ask your recipient to send you their account number and IFSC in writing and double-check them in the app before confirming.
Disclosures
The MAJORITY app facilitates banking services through Axiom Bank, N.A. ("Axiom"), Member FDIC. The funds deposited in the account held at Axiom, Member FDIC, are FDIC-insured on a pass-through basis up to $250,000 per depositor in the event Axiom fails and subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions. Non-deposit products or services such as money transfers and telecom services are not FDIC-insured.
MAJORITY Visa® Debit Card is issued by Axiom Bank, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc.