You have initiated a transfer to a foreign supplier, and nothing is arriving. Or worse: your bank informs you that it has been rejected, without any clear explanation. This is almost never a coincidence, and in the majority of cases, the cause can be identified in a matter of minutes. Here are the most common reasons, and what you need to do to resolve the situation.
A rejected transfer is almost never an accident
An international transfer can be blocked, delayed or rejected for several well-identified reasons, almost always linked to incorrect information, a regulatory check or a technical limit on the bank's side. Understanding which one applies to your case often allows you to resolve the problem in a few exchanges, rather than remaining in uncertainty for days.
Incorrect beneficiary details
This is by far the most common cause: a mistyped IBAN, an incorrect SWIFT/BIC code, or a beneficiary name that does not exactly match the one registered on the account. Some banks automatically reject the transfer as soon as a consistency check fails, without always specifying which one. Before re-sending the funds, check these three elements one by one with your provider, ideally by asking them for a recent bank details statement rather than an old document.
Compliance and anti-money laundering checks
Banks and payment intermediaries are legally required to check every transaction against international sanctions lists and anti-money laundering rules. A sensitive destination country, an unusual amount compared to your normal activity, or a name that resembles that of a sanctioned person or entity can trigger a manual check. This is not an accusation: it is a systematic check that can add one to three business days, sometimes with a request for supporting documentation (invoice, commercial contract).
Delays linked to correspondent banks
An international transfer rarely travels directly from bank to bank: it often passes through one or more correspondent banks, each carrying out its own checks before forwarding the funds to the next. A simple public holiday in the intermediary country, a time difference or a temporary technical outage can suspend the transaction for several hours without any error being the cause. This is also why the timeframe announced by your bank ("1 to 3 business days") is an estimate, not a guarantee.
What to do in practice when a transfer is blocked
Contact your bank or payment intermediary, providing them with the transfer reference: ask explicitly whether it is a definitive rejection or a simple check in progress
Check and confirm in writing the beneficiary's bank details before attempting a new send, rather than re-sending the funds identically
If supporting documentation is requested (invoice, contract), send it quickly and clearly: this is often the only step blocking the lifting of the check
How OSolto limits these risks
OSolto, a payment intermediary authorised by the ACPR and registered with ORIAS, carries out these compliance checks smoothly and supports you in the event of a verification, with a dedicated contact person rather than a generic call centre. The bank details of your regular beneficiaries are recorded and verified once, which reduces the risk of input errors on your recurring transfers.
A blocked transfer or recurring payments to secure? Discuss with an OSolto expert.
FAQ: blocked or rejected international transfer
How long can a compliance check take? Generally one to three business days, but it can be quicker if you send the requested supporting documents immediately.
Does a rejected transfer incur fees? This depends on your bank: some charge rejection fees, others do not if the error was not yours. Check your provider's tariff conditions before re-sending the funds.
