Does anyone know the best way in Kunming to wire transfer or money gram etc.

Which country are you sending to? I can recommend a good money transfer company in Sydney. I've never used them to handle amounts less than $10,000.00 Aus, but I think they would facilitate smaller sums.

The SIMPLEST way is to deposit funds to an international bank account - such as HSBC (who now has an office in Kunming) and have them issue TWO ATM cards - one here, one at home (assuming this is a personal transfer). That way you can avoid the usurious wire transfer or moneygram fees and get a fairly decent exchange rate through HSBC.

HSBC also has higher withdrawal allowances (user defined) up to a max of over CNY 30k per withdrawal...I think - been a loooong time since I've done that.

If you work and pay tax here then you can go to the bank where your salary is paid, and with your Tax Receipts send the money to your overseas account.

We were able to wire $30,000 to US the other day at BOC. It was pretty straight forward. We went a BOC on the west side with a Chinese friend and told the manager we want to wire money overseas so she took us upstairs to a special teller. They told me the best way is to transfer the CNY to my friend's account, exchange it to USD in his account, then wire it out using his name. So that is what we did, they charged about ￥350 in fees and the money already hit our account this evening. Chinese citizens have a $50,000/year cap in what they can wire out so they told him it would count against that.

Have anybody tried moneygram? They have a bunch of branches here but Im not sure if it will work like any other money gram I have used outside of china: Get there, fill the paperwork, give them the money and the name of the receiver and thats it. Do I need the tax papers for that as well?????

@laotou
I'm interested in the HSBC way you suggested, but i can't seem to find the location of HSBC here.

The HSBC in Kunming doesn't advertise Retail banking services, but they will provide you with them. They are located on the 11th floor on Beijing road in the really nice looking building nearby the SOHO apartment complexes. The building should have a large ABC branch on the bottom floor next to it. No HSBC ATM is available, but you can get cash from them just like a teller.

www.google.com/[...]

HSBC Kunming Branch(Corporate Banking Services, Advance Services)

Address: Unit A, 11F, JunFa Centre, 987 Beijing Road, Kunming,Yunnan, PR China, 650225
Telephone: [86] (871) 838 8888
Fax: [86] (871) 838 8808