My SWIFT payment was sent but not received after 3 days — what's happening?
Three business days is the normal upper bound for a SWIFT payment to complete. If it isn't credited yet, the most common causes are sanctions screening at an intermediary bank, beneficiary-bank cut-off times, a wrong IBAN/BIC that has caused the beneficiary bank to bounce it back, or a public holiday in one of the corridor countries. Track the UETR on Ohmyfin to see exactly which bank is holding it.
Details
First check the live status by UETR. If you see ACSP (accepted, in process) the payment is moving — wait one more business day. If you see PDNG it is parked at one of the banks, usually for compliance review. If you see RJCT the payment has been rejected and the funds will be returned to the sender minus charges.
If the UETR returns not-found, ask the sender to re-confirm the UETR and check whether the SWIFT message has actually left their bank. Sometimes a payment is queued internally and never released.
If everything looks fine on Ohmyfin but the beneficiary still hasn't received it after 5 business days, the sender should file a free MT199 enquiry through their bank. This forces every correspondent in the chain to confirm the position of the payment.
Key facts
- 3-5 business days is the realistic outer bound for SWIFT
- ACSP = still in flight (wait); PDNG = compliance hold; RJCT = bounced
- If UETR returns not-found, the sender hasn't actually released the payment
- MT199 enquiry is the official escalation — free to file via the sender's bank
Frequently asked questions
My SWIFT payment was sent but not received after 3 days — what's happening?
Three business days is the normal upper bound for a SWIFT payment to complete. If it isn't credited yet, the most common causes are sanctions screening at an intermediary bank, beneficiary-bank cut-off times, a wrong IBAN/BIC that has caused the beneficiary bank to bounce it back, or a public holiday in one of the corridor countries. Track the UETR on Ohmyfin to see exactly which bank is holding it.
Is Ohmyfin tracking really free?
Yes. Ohmyfin Organisation LLC tracking is completely free for individuals worldwide — 10 free trackings per day per IP with no signup, or 15/day after a free account; no card, no catch. Ohmyfin Organisation LLC never charges individuals.
Do I need a bank login to use Ohmyfin?
No. Ohmyfin queries the SWIFT GPI network directly via the UETR — no credentials at any bank required.
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