Start by confirming the payment actually left their account
Before you assume something went wrong, find out whether your client's bank has actually sent the money. A payment can be delayed at the sending end — their bank may be holding it for review, their account may have a restriction, or they may have scheduled it for a future date without realizing.
Ask your client to log into their own banking portal or app and look for the transaction. They should be able to see whether it shows as pending, sent, or rejected. If it shows as sent, ask them for the exact date and time it left their account, plus the amount and currency. If it shows as rejected or failed, their bank will usually give a reason — insufficient funds, incorrect recipient details, or a compliance hold are the most common.
Once you know the payment actually left their account, you have a concrete starting point. If it hasn't left yet, the delay is on their end and they need to contact their own bank or resubmit the payment.
Key Takeaways
- Ask your client to check their banking portal first — many delays happen because the payment never actually left their account.
- International payments typically take three to five business days after leaving the sender's bank, but can take longer if banks are in different time zones or if either bank flags the transaction for review.
- You need the exact sending date, amount, currency, and your client's bank name to trace a payment with your own bank.
- If a payment has been in transit for more than a week, contact your bank's international payments team with the full details so they can file a trace.
- Ask your client to provide a bank-issued proof of payment (a screenshot or PDF of the transaction confirmation) so you both have the same information.
Understand how long international payments actually take
An international payment does not arrive the next day. After your client's bank sends the money, it travels through one or more intermediary banks — sometimes called correspondent banks — before reaching your bank. Each step takes time, and the banks involved may be in different time zones.
A typical international payment takes three to five business days from the moment it leaves the sender's bank. Some routes are faster — a payment from Canada to the United States might arrive in two days. Other routes are slower — a payment from Southeast Asia to Europe might take a week or more, especially if the two banks do not have a direct relationship and the money has to pass through multiple intermediaries.
Weekends and bank holidays add time. If your client sends a payment on Friday afternoon, it may not actually enter the banking system until Monday morning. If either country has a holiday during the transit window, add another day.
Gather the information your bank will need
Before you contact your bank, collect the details from your client. You will need the sending bank's name, the exact date and time the payment was sent, the amount in the original currency, and your client's full name as it appears on their account. You will also need your own bank account number and routing information so your bank knows which account to look for the incoming payment.
Ask your client for a screenshot or PDF of the payment confirmation from their banking portal or app. This is not the same as a receipt — it is the bank's own record showing the payment was sent. This document proves the payment left their account and gives your bank a reference number to trace.
If your client used a service like Wise, PayPal, or another money transfer platform instead of a direct bank transfer, the process is different. Those services have their own tracking systems, and you should ask your client to check the status in their account with that service first.
Contact your bank if the payment has not arrived after five business days
If the payment left your client's account more than five business days ago and you still have not received it, contact your bank's international payments department. Do not call the general customer service line — ask specifically for the team that handles incoming international transfers. Some banks have a dedicated number for this; others require you to visit a branch.
Tell them you are waiting for an incoming international payment and provide all the details you collected: the sender's bank name, the sending date, the amount, the currency, and the reference number from your client's bank confirmation. Your bank can then file a trace, which means they will contact the sending bank and any intermediary banks to find out where the money is.
A trace usually takes five to ten business days. Your bank will contact you when they have an answer. Sometimes the money is found stuck in an intermediary bank and can be released. Sometimes it was rejected and bounced back to your client's account. Sometimes there was an error in the account number or routing information and the money went to the wrong place.
Check whether your bank flagged the payment for compliance review
Large payments, payments from certain countries, or payments that do not match your usual pattern can trigger a compliance review at your bank. During this review, your bank holds the money while they verify it is not connected to fraud, money laundering, or sanctions violations. This is a legal requirement, not a choice your bank makes.
A compliance review can add three to ten business days to the arrival time. Your bank may contact you to ask questions about the payment — who the sender is, what the payment is for, what your relationship is to the sender. Answer these questions as soon as you can. The faster you respond, the faster the review completes.
You can also call your bank proactively and ask whether an incoming payment is under review. They may not be able to tell you details, but they can usually confirm whether a hold is in place.
Ask your client to check their sending bank for rejection codes
If your client's bank shows the payment as rejected or failed, the bank should provide a reason code. Common codes include insufficient funds, incorrect recipient details, or a compliance hold at the sending bank. Some banks also reject payments if the amount exceeds daily limits or if the recipient country is on a restricted list.
If the reason is incorrect recipient details, you and your client need to verify the information together. Check your account number, routing number, and the spelling of your name. Even a single digit wrong in the account number will cause rejection. If you are not sure your details are correct, contact your own bank and ask them to confirm what information should appear on an incoming wire transfer.
If the reason is a compliance hold at the sending bank, your client may need to contact their bank's compliance department and explain the purpose of the payment. This is more common with larger amounts or payments to countries the sending bank considers higher-risk.
Consider alternative payment methods if the delay continues
If a direct bank transfer is taking too long or keeps failing, ask your client whether they can send the payment through a different method. Money transfer services like Wise, OFX, or Remitly often have faster delivery times for certain routes and may have lower fees. Some of these services also provide better tracking — you can see exactly where the money is in real time.
Credit card payments or PayPal are faster but usually come with higher fees that either you or your client will pay. Check your own payment processor to see what options are available and what the costs are.
If your client is in a country where traditional banking is difficult, they may have access to mobile money services or cryptocurrency platforms. These have different risks and fees, so discuss the trade-offs before choosing this route.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I wait before contacting my bank about a missing payment?
Wait at least five business days after your client confirms the payment left their account. International payments regularly take this long, and contacting your bank earlier usually results in them telling you to wait longer. If it has been five business days and the money has not arrived, contact your bank's international payments team with the full details.
What if my client's bank says the payment was sent but my bank says they never received it?
This usually means the payment is stuck in an intermediary bank or was rejected somewhere in the chain. File a trace with your bank — they can contact the sending bank and any intermediaries to find out what happened. This takes five to ten business days. In the meantime, ask your client whether their bank can see the payment's status in the banking system.
Can my client cancel the payment and send it again?
Once a payment has left the sending bank, your client usually cannot cancel it. If the payment is still pending in their account (not yet sent), they can cancel and resend. If it has already been sent, they have to wait for it to either arrive or be rejected and returned. Ask your client to check their banking portal to see the payment's status.
Why would my bank hold an international payment for compliance review?
Banks are required by law to review payments that meet certain criteria — large amounts, payments from certain countries, or payments that do not match your usual activity. This is not a sign of fraud; it is a standard legal process. Answering any questions your bank asks will speed up the review.
Is there a fee if my bank has to file a trace?
Some banks charge a fee to file a trace, usually between $15 and $50. Ask your bank whether there is a fee before you request the trace. The fee is separate from any fees your client's bank charged to send the payment.