The Pakistan Remittance Initiative (PRI) helps people send money to Pakistan quickly, reliably, and without high costs. It was started by the government of Pakistan to make money transfers easier for Pakistanis living in other countries.
This initiative is designed to grow formal remittance Pakistan flows by improving speed, transparency, and access. Think of it as a framework that aligns trusted senders and receiving institutions, so your transfer is smooth from start to finish.
What is PRI and how does it help?
Here are key facts about the Pakistan Remittance Initiative (PRI):
- If you send more than 200 USD (or the same amount in the sender’s currency), there are no transfer fees.
- The person receiving the money in Pakistan gets the full amount. No money is taken out.
- PRI wants people to use safe and official ways to send money.
- PRI is run by the State Bank of Pakistan, the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, and the Ministry of Finance.
Which companies are part of PRI?
Not all companies are part of PRI. Only some banks and money transfer companies work with the program. Western Union is proud to be one of them.
If you use Western Union to send more than 200 USD to a bank account in Pakistan, you pay no transfer fees.
With Western Union, the Pakistan Remittance Initiative (PRI) fits right into your usual flow. Start in our app, on westernunion.com or find a nearby agent location, select Pakistan as your destination, choose bank deposits, enter your recipient’s details, and complete your payment.
Why Is PRI a good thing?
- For people sending and receiving money:
It saves money, no fees on amounts over 200 USD.
It’s safe – Your money is sent through official and trusted systems, so there’s less chance of problems.
- For Pakistan’s economy:
When people send money to Pakistan, it helps the country. PRI makes it easier for Pakistanis living abroad to support their families back home.
Western Union is proud to partner with PRI to offer no-fee transfers over $200, making your transfers more valuable. So, the next time you want to send money to your friends and family in Pakistan, remember that PRI and Western Union are here to help you do it the easy way, without extra costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Eligibility includes non-resident Pakistanis sending personal remittances to individuals in Pakistan. Specific incentives vary by country, sending partner and transfer type. When you send from the United States to Pakistan, make sure to check our tool for the latest conversion of USD to PKR.
When sending from the United States to Pakistan, all payment methods are accepted except for credit cards and Google Pay.
This initiative does not affect the receiver; recipients typically need valid ID and a payout method—bank account, mobile wallet, or cash pickup—at a participating institution to collect the funds. We’ll weave the transfer fees when you send more than 200 USD to bank accounts in Pakistan, allowing you to send more to those who matter the most.
The Pakistan Remittance Initiative is only applicable when sending personal remittances to Pakistan, business transactions are excepted from this initiative.
With Western Union, the Pakistan Remittance Initiative (PRI) fits right into your usual flow.
1. Start in our app, on our website or going to a nearby agent location.
2. Select Pakistan as your receiving country
3. Choose from bank deposits, sending directly to mobile wallets, or for cash pickup, and complete your money transfer
4. Enter your recipient’s details.
5. You will be provided with a Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN track your transfer in real time. You can share this reference number with your receiver.
