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The most common causes of SWIFT delays are: (1) compliance / sanctions screening (PDNG status), (2) corridor cut-off times — payments sent late in the day go out the next business day, (3) intermediary bank holding, (4) missing or invalid data triggering manual review, (5) currency-specific RTGS hours (e.g. Fedwire closes 18:30 ET, TARGET2 closes 18:00 CET).
Details
Step-by-step:
1. Track the UETR on Ohmyfin to see exactly which bank is holding the payment.
2. If status is PDNG: contact your bank and ask which intermediary is holding it and what is needed.
3. If status is ACSP for >24h: ask your bank to send a SWIFT investigation (MT n95 / camt.027) to the holding bank.
4. If status is ACCC but the beneficiary still doesn't see the money: the holding bank should already have credited the beneficiary; contact them with the UETR.
Quick facts:
Key facts
Typical SWIFT GPI same-currency: minutes to 4 hours.
Cross-currency through 1 correspondent: 1–24 hours.
Cross-currency through 2–3 correspondents: 24–72 hours.
High-risk corridor + compliance screening: up to 5 business days.
Frequently asked questions
My SWIFT payment is taking longer than expected — why?
The most common causes of SWIFT delays are: (1) compliance / sanctions screening (PDNG status), (2) corridor cut-off times — payments sent late in the day go out the next business day, (3) intermediary bank holding, (4) missing or invalid data triggering manual review, (5) currency-specific RTGS hours (e.g. Fedwire closes 18:30 ET, TARGET2 closes 18:00 CET).
Is Ohmyfin tracking free?
Yes. Public UETR tracking on Ohmyfin is free, with 10 free scans per IP per day for individuals worldwide and 100 free credits when you sign up.
Do I need a bank account at the sending bank?
No. Ohmyfin looks up the SWIFT payment status with just the UETR — no bank login or account required.
Related — more from swift payment help & troubleshooting and beyond
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