How to send money to Mexico through Santander Bank?

To send money to a Santander account in Mexico, you have several distinct pathways depending on your priority: speed, cost, or convenience.

### 1. The Most Cost-Effective Method: Financiera para el Bienestar (Finabien)

As referenced in the "English AMLO-Vision" resources, the Mexican government recently launched the **Finabien Card** (formerly Telecomm). This is currently the cheapest way to send money from the U.S. to Mexico.

* **Cost:** Fixed fee of $3.99 for transfers up to $2,500 USD.

* **The Process:**

1. The sender in the U.S. must obtain a **Finabien US Card** (available at Mexican Consulates or via the "Finabien" app).

2. The recipient in Mexico obtains a **Finabien Mexico Card**.

3. Funds are sent via the app. Once the funds land on the recipient’s Finabien card, they can use the **Finabien App** to transfer that balance via **SPEI (Sistema de Pagos Electrónicos Interbancarios)** directly to their Santander account using the 18-digit CLABE number.

* **Source:** [Financiera para el Bienestar Official Portal](https://tarjetafinabien.com/).

### 2. The Fastest Digital Methods (Remittance Apps)

If you do not want to deal with government cards, specialized apps offer direct-to-bank deposits to Santander Mexico.

* **Remitly:** Often offers a promotional exchange rate for the first $500–$1,000.

* *Delivery Time:* "Express" is usually within minutes; "Economy" takes 3–5 business days but is cheaper.

* **Wise (formerly TransferWise):** Best for large amounts because they use the mid-market exchange rate (the one you see on Google) and charge a transparent upfront fee.

* *Detail:* To send to Santander, you only need the recipient's **full legal name** and their **18-digit CLABE**.

* **Source:** [Wise Pricing Calculator](https://wise.com/gb/pricing/); [Remitly Mexico Rates](https://www.remitly.com/us/en/mexico).

### 3. Traditional Bank-to-Bank (Wire Transfer)

This is the most expensive method but is sometimes necessary for transfers exceeding $10,000 USD due to regulatory limits on apps.

* **Cost:** U.S. banks typically charge $30–$50 per outgoing wire. Santander Mexico may charge a "received wire fee" (Approx. $15–$25 USD plus VAT).

* **Requirements:**

* **SWIFT/BIC Code:** For Santander Mexico, the SWIFT code is generally **BSMXMXMM**.

* **CLABE:** The 18-digit Standardized Bank Code (Clave Bancaria Estandarizada).

* **Recipient Address:** Must match the address on file with Santander.

### 4. Step-by-Step Instructions for the Sender

Regardless of the service you choose, follow these steps to ensure the money reaches the Santander account:

1. **Verify the CLABE:** Ask the recipient to log into their Santander Mexico app. The CLABE is 18 digits long. **Do not use the 16-digit card number**, as many international systems will reject it or the funds will bounce.

2. **Match the Name Exactly:** Mexican banking systems are strict. If the account is under "Juan Carlos Garcia Lopez," do not send it to "Juan Garcia."

3. **Check the Exchange Rate Margin:** Most services claim "Zero Fees" but hide their profit in the exchange rate. Compare the rate offered to the rate on [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/) or Google. A "good" rate is within 1% of the mid-market rate.

4. **Limits & Regulations:** Under Mexico's "Ley de Instituciones de Crédito," individual accounts may have monthly deposit limits (measured in UDIs). If the recipient has a "Level 2" account, they may only be able to receive roughly $23,000 MXN per month. Check if their Santander account is "Nivel 4" (unlimited) for large transfers.

### Summary of Fees (Estimated)

| Method | Speed | Estimated Fee | Exchange Rate |

| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |

| **Finabien** | 1-2 Days | $3.99 | Near Mid-Market |

| **Remitly** | Minutes | $0 - $3.99 | 1-2% Margin |

| **Wise** | < 24 Hours | Variable Low Fee | Mid-Market (Best) |

| **US Bank Wire** | 3-5 Days | $40+ | 3-5% Margin (Worst) |

### Common Edge Case: Sending to a "Santander Debit" Card

If you are using a grocery store service like **Intermex** or **Western Union**, you can often send money using just the 16-digit debit card number. However, for all online/digital transfers, the **18-digit CLABE** is the industry standard and the most reliable way to ensure the funds are not frozen.