Send money to Romania from Spain
Romania is in the European Union: besides cash transfer agents, a SEPA euro transfer to a Romanian account is cheap or free — an alternative that does not exist in other corridors.
The Romanian community competes with the Moroccan one as Spain's largest, with major hubs in Madrid, Castellón, Zaragoza and Catalonia. As EU citizens they enjoy full mobility and many keep accounts in both countries, making this the most "banked" corridor of all: cash is losing ground to transfers and apps.
Options for sending money to Romania
In cash, from an agent location
The most used method: you bring cash to an agent (Western Union, Ria, MoneyGram), provide the recipient's details, and within minutes it is available for collection in Romania. Spain has thousands of agents, many in call shops and neighbourhood stores:
With an app or online service
Services such as Wise, Remitly, WorldRemit or the Western Union and Ria apps let you send from your phone by card or bank transfer. They tend to offer good exchange rates and first-transfer promotions, and the recipient can receive to an account or collect cash in Romania.
International bank transfer
An international transfer from your bank is usually the most expensive and slowest option to Romania (issuing fees, correspondent fees and exchange margin). For this corridor an agent or a specialised app is almost always better value.
How the recipient gets the money in Romania
For cash, transfers are paid out at bank branches (Banca Transilvania, BRD, BCR), post offices (Poșta Română) and partner agents. To an account, the recipient can receive lei (RON) or euros if their account is in EUR; many Romanian accounts support both currencies.
Tip: If the recipient has a bank account, consider a SEPA euro transfer (no conversion) or a digital app with a good EUR→RON rate. Cash transfers remain useful when the recipient has no account or needs the money within minutes.
What you need to send
To send money you need a valid ID (passport, DNI or NIE) and the recipient's details. To collect money you will also be asked for the transaction number (MTCN / PIN). The amount is paid out in cash at the agent location.
How much it costs to send money
The real cost has two parts: the transfer fee and the margin on the exchange rate. Combined, the total cost typically sits between 2% and 6% of the amount, although it varies by operator, amount and payment method. Always compare how much the recipient will get in their currency, not just the advertised fee.
Frequently asked questions about sending money to Romania
How long does money take to arrive in Romania?
Cash: minutes. A SEPA euro transfer usually arrives in 1 business day (or seconds with SEPA Instant if both banks support it).
In which currency does money arrive in Romania?
It depends on the method: cash is normally paid in lei (RON); to an account it can arrive in RON or stay in euros if the account is in EUR (common in Romania).
What does the recipient need to collect money in Romania?
Their identity card (carte de identitate) or passport and the transaction code. For account transfers, the Romanian IBAN (starts with RO).