What is an IBAN?
If you want to make a bank transfer with WorldRemit, we may ask you to provide an IBAN number for the account you want to send money to. The International Bank Account Number (IBAN), contains all the information we need to make sure your international bank transfer goes to the right account, wherever in the world you’re sending it to. The IBAN follows a standard structure and is very easy to find.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about IBAN numbers, including what they’re used for, how you can find them and which countries use them.
What is an IBAN used for?
An International Bank Account Number (IBAN) contains all the information needed to identify one specific bank account from the millions held all over the world. Without the correct IBAN number, your bank transfer may not get to the right destination.
IBAN numbers are written in a standard format across all the countries they’re used in. They contain letters and numbers that identify the country, bank, branch and account number. This code can be up to 34 characters long and is always structured in the same way.
How can I find my IBAN number?
You can find your IBAN number by checking your paper bank statements, logging into your online banking, calling into your local branch or even generating your own.
Paper bank statements
Many banks will include the IBAN number for the account somewhere on their paper statements. However, it might be that your intended recipient doesn’t receive paper statements. In that case, they should log into their online bank account and view their statements there.
Online banking
Most banks include the IBAN number for an account on their online bank statements. However, if they don’t, it should still be easy to find:
Run an internet search for your bank's name + 'IBAN number' and the results should tell you how to find your IBAN.
Type 'IBAN number' into the search box on your bank's website (if it has one).
Check your bank's FAQs, international payments and other related pages.
Call into your local branch
Your recipient can also pop into the local branch of their bank and ask them what their IBAN number is.
Generate your own
It’s also possible for you or your recipient to generate your own IBAN number using one of the IBAN calculators that are available online. You can find more information about this in the ‘How do I generate/validate an IBAN number?’ section below.
What does an IBAN number look like?
IBANs are written in a standard format across all of the countries that use them. You can see an example of the IBAN format below:
Country code - The code used to identify the country the account is held in
Check number - These digits validate the IBAN number and vary from account to account
Bank identifier - This identifies the bank the account is held with
Sort code & account number - These numbers will be the same in your IBAN, as they are in your own country
The IBAN can contain up to 34 letters and digits, although it may be less. This will depend on the country the account is held in.
How do I generate/validate an IBAN number?
As all IBANs have the same format, it's possible to generate your own IBAN number. Simply enter your country, sort code and account number into an IBAN calculator and it will generate your IBAN number for you.
If you want to double-check that an IBAN number you've been given by your recipient is correct, you can use an IBAN number checker. It will tell you whether the number you enter is an active IBAN. Even if you don't have the full IBAN number, the system will be able to autocomplete the missing details and validate the number.
What's the difference between IBAN, BIC and SWIFT codes?
When making a bank transfer, you could be asked for an IBAN number, SWIFT code or a BIC. A SWIFT code and Bank Identifier Code (BIC) are the same thing.
Unlike an IBAN number, which identifies the specific account involved in the transfer, a BIC or SWIFT code identifies the specific country, bank and branch your recipient's account is held with. A BIC or SWIFT code is made up of either 8 or 11 letters and numbers and will be arranged in the following way:
AAAABBCCDDD
AAAA: the 4-character bank code
BB: the 2-character country code
CC: the 2-character location code
DDD: the optional 3-character branch code
Find out more about BIC/SWIFT codes in our SWIFT code guide.
Which countries use IBAN?
Here is a list of the countries that use IBAN along with the length of their IBAN numbers and their country codes:
Albania
IBAN length: 28 characters
Country Code: AL
Algeria
IBAN length: 24 characters
Country Code DZ
Andorra
IBAN length: 24 characters
Country Code: AD
Angola
IBAN length: 25 characters
Country Code AO
Austria
IBAN length: 20 characters
Country Code: AT
Azerbaijan
IBAN length: 28 characters
Country Code: AZ
Bahrain
IBAN length: 22 characters
Country Code: BH
Belarus
IBAN length: 28 characters
Country Code: BY
Belgium
IBAN length: 16 characters
Country Code: BE
Benin
IBAN length: 28 characters
Country Code: BJ
Bosnia and Herzegovina
IBAN length: 20 characters
Country Code: BA
Brazil
IBAN length: 29 characters
Country Code: BR
British Virgin Islands
IBAN length: 24 characters
Country Code: VG
Bulgaria
IBAN length: 22 characters
Country Code: BG
Burkina Faso
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: BF
Burundi
IBAN length: 16 characters
Country Code: BI
Cameroon
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: CM
Cape Verde
IBAN length: 25 characters
Country Code: CV
Central African Republic
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: FR
Congo
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: CG
Costa Rica
IBAN length: 21 characters
Country Code: CR
Croatia
IBAN length: 21 characters
Country Code: HR
Cyprus
IBAN length: 28 characters
Country Code: CY
Czech Republic
IBAN length: 24 characters
Country Code: CZ
Denmark
IBAN length: 18 characters
Country Code: DK
Dominican Republic
IBAN length: 28 characters
Country Code: DO
Egypt
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: EG
Estonia
IBAN length: 20 characters
Country Code: EE
Faroe Islands
IBAN length: 18 characters
Country Code: FO
Finland
IBAN length: 18 characters
Country Code: FI
France
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: FR
French Guiana
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: FR
French Polynesia
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: FR
Gabon
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: GA
Georgia
IBAN length: 22 characters
Country Code: GE
Germany
IBAN length: 22 characters
Country Code: DE
Gibraltar
IBAN length: 23 characters
Country Code: GI
Greece
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: GR
Greenland
IBAN length: 18 characters
Country Code: GL
Guadeloupe
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: FR
Guatemala
IBAN length: 28 characters
Country Code: GT
Guernsey
IBAN length: 22 characters
Country Code: GG
Hungary
IBAN length: 28 characters
Country Code: HU
Iceland
IBAN length: 26 characters
Country Code: IS
Iran
IBAN length: 26 characters
Country Code: IR
Iraq
IBAN length: 23 characters
Country Code: IQ
Ireland
IBAN length: 22 characters
Country Code: IE
Isle of Man
IBAN length: 22 characters
Country Code: IM
Israel
IBAN length: 23 characters
Country Code: IL
Italy
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: IT
Ivory Coast
IBAN length: 28 characters
Country Code: CI
Jersey
IBAN length: 22 characters
Country Code: JE
Jordan
IBAN length: 30 characters
Country Code: JO
Kazakhstan
IBAN length: 20 characters
Country Code: KZ
Kosovo
IBAN length: 20 characters
Country Code: XK
Kuwait
IBAN length: 30 characters
Country Code: KW
Latvia
IBAN length: 21 characters
Country Code: LV
Lebanon
IBAN length: 28 characters
Country Code: LB
Liechtenstein
IBAN length: 21 characters
Country Code: LI
Lithuania
IBAN length: 20 characters
Country Code: LT
Luxemburg
IBAN length: 19 characters
Country Code: LU
North Macedonia
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: MK
Madagascar
IBAN length: 28 characters
Country Code: MG
Mali
IBAN length: 28 characters
Country Code: ML
Malta
IBAN length: 31 characters
Country Code: MT
Martinique
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: FR
Mauritania
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: MR
Mauritius
IBAN length: 30 characters
Country Code: MU
Moldova
IBAN length: 24 characters
Country Code: MD
Monaco
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: MC
Montenegro
IBAN length: 22 characters
Country Code: ME
Mozambique
IBAN length: 25 characters
Country Code: MZ
Netherlands
IBAN length: 18 characters
Country Code: NL
New Caledonia
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: FR
Norway
IBAN length: 15 characters
Country Code: NO
Pakistan
IBAN length: 24 characters
Country Code: PK
Palestine
IBAN length: 29 characters
Country Code: PS
Poland
IBAN length: 28 characters
Country Code: PL
Portugal
IBAN length: 25 characters
Country Code: PT
Qatar
IBAN length: 29 characters
Country Code: QA
Reunion
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: FR
Romania
IBAN length: 24 characters
Country Code: RO
Saint Lucia
IBAN length: 32 characters
Country Code: LC
Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: FR
San Marino
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: SM
Sao Tome and Principe
IBAN length: 25 characters
Country Code: ST
Saudi Arabia
IBAN length: 24 characters
Country Code: SA
Senegal
IBAN length: 28 characters
Country Code: SN
Serbia
IBAN length: 22 characters
Country Code: RS
Seychelles
IBAN length: 31 characters
Country Code: SC
Slovakia
IBAN length: 24 characters
Country Code: SK
Slovenia
IBAN length: 19 characters
Country Code: SI
Spain
IBAN length: 24 characters
Country Code: ES
Sweden
IBAN length: 24 characters
Country Code: SE
Switzerland
IBAN length: 21 characters
Country Code: CH
Timor-Leste
IBAN length: 23 characters
Country Code: TL
Tunisia
IBAN length: 24 characters
Country Code: TN
Turkey
IBAN length: 26 characters
Country Code: TR
Ukraine
IBAN length: 29 characters
Country Code: UA
United Arab Emirates
IBAN length: 23 characters
Country Code: AE
United Kingdom
IBAN length: 22 characters
Country Code: GB
Vatican City
IBAN length: 22 characters
Country Code: VA
Wallis and Futuna
IBAN length: 27 characters
Country Code: FR