How to send money to Guatemala in 2026: dollars without exchange or quetzales in 1-3 business days, to family on the day of sending

Guatemala receives transfers in dollars and quetzales to a single 28-character account number. We explain how this number is built, why the currency law allows holding dollars, how much families received in 2025 and 2026, and what tax is paid on foreign income and when buying a home.

In detail

Yes, in 2026 money is sent to Guatemala by bank transfer in dollars or quetzales to an account with a single 28-character number. The law on free currency circulation allows dollar accounts at the country's banks, so a large amount arrives without exchange. Money from abroad is not taxed in Guatemala: income tax is charged only on what is earned inside the country.

The table was checked on 8 October 2026 against the website of the Bank of Guatemala. The central bank rate on 7 October 2026 was 7.64254 quetzales per dollar; amounts on this page are in dollars.

The 28-character account number: what it encodes

Since 1 January 2012 Guatemalan banks have kept account numbers under a single central bank standard built like an international number. The first two letters are the country code, followed by two check digits, four letters of the bank code and 20 characters of the account itself: a currency code, a product code and a 16-digit number. Banks were given 30 months for the switch, and the new-style number is shown in the bank's app and on the account statement.

The currency code inside the number tells you straight away where the money will arrive: to a dollar account or a quetzal account. It is best to copy the number in full from the recipient's app; then the check digits catch an accidental typo before sending.

For a transfer from abroad the number is supplemented with the bank's international transfer code, the recipient's full name as recorded at the bank and the payment purpose. If the name in the transfer differs from the account holder's name, the Guatemalan bank holds the credit until it is clarified.

Dollars or quetzales: what the currency law allows

The Law on Free Negotiation of Currencies, Decree 94-2000, allows owning, transferring, buying and selling foreign currency without approvals. In a separate provision the law allows foreign currency deposits and accounts at banks in Guatemala and abroad. So dollars are credited to a dollar account as they are, and the recipient decides whether to sell them or keep them.

The quetzal rate barely moves: from 1 to 8 October 2026 the central bank gave between 7.634 and 7.643 quetzales per dollar. A quetzal account is handy for purchases and utility bills, and a dollar account for savings and large amounts. Need a transfer without extra exchange? Our manager will suggest the best way to send for your amount and account currency.

Transfers to family: the 2025 record and the US levy

Money for family is the main flow into Guatemala. According to the central bank, in 2025 the country received $25.5 billion in remittances, 18.7% more than in 2024, and in January-September 2026 $20 billion, another 5.5% more. The recipient pays no tax on this money.

Since 1 January 2026 the US has applied a 1% levy on transfers abroad under section 4475 of the tax code. A transfer from a US bank account or with a US-issued card is exempt from the levy, so it is better for families to send money exactly these ways.

Tax on money from abroad: the territorial principle

The Income Tax Law, Decree 10-2012, taxes only income earned in the territory of Guatemala (Article 3). Salaries, pensions, dividends and interest from abroad are not taxed in the country, and a transfer of your own savings creates no tax for either a resident or a foreigner. Income inside the country is taxed: rent from a flat, interest on a deposit at a local bank, salary from a local employer. Life in the capital is covered on the page Guatemala City.

A house in Antigua: what you pay when buying

A foreigner buys housing in Guatemala in their own name, and no residence permit is needed for it. The constitutional exception (Article 123) is the 15 km strip along the land borders, where land is owned by citizens by birth.

The tax depends on whether the home is new. The first sale of a house or flat by a developer is subject to 12% VAT, and a resale to a 3% stamp duty on the contract price; the tax authority confirmed this order in ruling 3-2025 of 3 November 2025. It makes sense to send the money for the deal in advance, so the bank checks it before signing at the notary. Found a house? A specialist will plan the transfer for the deal date.

From $10,000 and up: which papers a Guatemalan bank asks for

Guatemalan banks check clients under the Law against Money Laundering, Decree 67-2001, and in 2026 the questions grow with the amount. Source of funds documents are easier to collect before the transfer.

Bringing $100,000 or more to Guatemala for a house or a move? A specialist will tell you which documents the bank will accept and how to split the transfer over time. Choosing a country for a move with capital is on the capital relocation page.

From Guatemala to the north and along the isthmus

• Mexico: a neighbouring country with the peso and its own instant payment system.
• El Salvador: the US dollar, transfers in seconds.
• Costa Rica: a 22-character account number and colones.
• Panama: the dollar as the local currency.
• Canada: transfers for studies and a move.
• Belize: the Belize dollar at 2 to 1 against the US dollar.

All directions for a move with money are collected on the capital relocation page.

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