maybe your vpn is on

I just did moneygram a few days ago. If you have any questions or want me to explain the whole process, let me know.

Hey Will.

Yes, you can transfer the money.

I would strongly recommend against Western Union style services as they are widely known to be stupidly expensive and rip you off on exchange rates.

Instead, what you want to ask for is this: 国际汇款 ("guoji huikuan") or 'International Transfer'. The term for this is usually 'SWIFT Transfer' or 'International Wire' in the west.

When you organize such a transfer, you need to first ask your bank in the US for their SWIFT network address.

Then, go in to your branch and get the form to fill in.

You can send the money in multiple currencies, but probably since RMB is not supposed to exist in US banks, the best option would be to send it in USD. To send it in USD, you may have to add a USD account linked to your existing account. This might take over an hour.

Finally, you want to execute the transfer. Wiring money out of China is to some extent, I think it's fair to say, actively discouraged by the government and they have a special bureau called the 外汇管理局 ("waihui guanli ju") or 'Foreign Transfer Management Bureau' who just love to demand information about what it is you are trying to do. Now, given the amount you mentioned (not huge) and your legitimate status here and records of employment, it should not be an issue for them that you are sending money, but they may ask for some type of record or statement. Be prepared for this. Sometimes they take a couple of days to approve things before a transfer will be executed.

Finally, a SWIFT transfer will normally take 3-5 business days to go through. During this time, it is nigh-on impossible to get an update on the status of the transfer. This is normal.

If all of the above sounds like a hassle, it is, but it will work out cheaper than the alternatives, with the possible exception of buying Bitcoin and selling it in the US!

Many banks will not even do this in China and many in the US will not accept these wire transfers and if they do there are often intermediary banks involved which will cause more delay and they will also take a cut of your money. Wire transfers are best for LARGE sums because it is a hassle.

@goldie122
How much does it cost to send let's say $500.00 via moneygram? Does the recipient have to pay any fees?

It is a 13USD fee. I'm not sure at what amount the fee increases. To send 5000, I know it costs 25USD. The Bank of China didn't charge any fees. The recipient pays nothing.

That's pretty good.

Yes, the fee sounds reasonable but the exchange rates are a rip ... nearly criminal. Check out how much arrived versus the real exchange rate.

No. You must exchange the money to USD at the bank before you can send the moneygram. The exchange rate was about 6.5%... the normal rate and she received exactly what I sent, what was written on the moneygram form I filled out.

no trouble at all as long as the amount is no more than 50,000USD