Proof of source of funds for a foreign bank: which documents are accepted
Proof of source of funds is a set of documents linking the money in your account to its source: salary, a property sale, an inheritance or a business. In 2026 banks check one-off transactions from $15,000 under FATF standards. You need three parts: a source document, statements tracing the money and a translation into the bank's language.
In short
- The bank checks not the amount but the link between the money in the account and its source.
- Each source has its own document: income certificate, sale agreement, certificate of inheritance, dividend resolution.
- Besides the source you need statements tracing the money with no gaps in dates.
- Public documents for another country are certified with an apostille, and everything is translated into the bank's language.
- Banks keep client documents for at least 5 years after the account is closed.
In detail
A bank does not check the size of the amount - it checks the chain: where the money came from, which accounts it passed through and why it is arriving here. If the chain is unbroken, the check takes days. If there is a gap, it is closed with statements and an explanation, and the check takes longer. Below: what banks accept for each source, how to translate and certify documents, and how to pass the check the first time. How the whole transfer works is covered on the capital relocation page.
Which documents banks accept: a table by source of money
For each source of money the bank expects its own document, and a certificate of another kind does not replace it. If there are several sources, you collect documents for each one, and the amounts must match the deposits into the account.
Data for 2026.
| Source of money | Documents banks accept | What the document must show | Translation and certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salary | income certificate from the employer or tax returns for 2-3 years, employment contract, statements showing salary deposits | employee name, position, monthly income for the period, signature of the manager and company stamp; on the statement - account holder name, account number and salary credits | translation; a certificate from the tax authority - with an apostille |
| Self-employment or own business income | tax returns, business account statements, contracts with major clients | name or business name, tax number, income for each year, mark showing the return was accepted; on the statement - payments from clients | translation; returns - with the tax authority's mark |
| Sale of property | sale and purchase agreement, land registry extract showing the transfer of title, statement showing the proceeds arriving, document on the original purchase of the property | signatures of the parties, address and description of the property, price and date of the deal; on the statement - owner name, account number and receipt of the contract amount | notarised copy of the agreement with translation, registry extract - with an apostille |
| Sale of a business or a stake | share sale agreement, company registry extract, company accounts, proof of tax paid | parties to the deal, size of the stake, price and date; in the registry extract - the new owner; proceeds arriving in the seller's account | translation, registry extract - with an apostille |
| Dividends | dividend resolution, company accounts, proof of tax paid, statements showing the credits | date of the resolution, amount per share, recipient's name, tax withheld or paid; credit to the recipient's account | translation; corporate documents - notarised copies |
| Inheritance | certificate of inheritance, documents on the sale of inherited property if the money comes from it | heir's name, the estate and shares, date, notary's signature and seal | notarised copy of the certificate with an apostille and translation |
| Gift | deed of gift, the donor's income documents, statement showing the transfer from the donor | donor and recipient, amount or property, date and signatures; for the donor - the income the gift was made from | translation, deed - notarised copy |
| Deposits and interest | statements for the whole term of the deposit, deposit agreement, bank certificate of interest | holder's name, account number, movements over the full term, interest accrued, bank stamp or electronic signature | translation; banks often accept a bank certificate in English |
| Securities | broker reports on purchases and sales, statement showing withdrawal to a bank account, tax documents | account holder's name, brokerage agreement number, trades with dates and amounts, withdrawal to the bank account | translation of the reports |
Banks accept money from a loan with the loan agreement, a statement showing the money received and the borrower's income documents showing how the loan will be repaid. Savings that were not held in an account are accepted together with income documents for the years in which they were saved.
Get the document checklist
Leave a contact in the chat and we will send a list for your situation.
Source of funds vs source of wealth: the difference
Source of funds answers where the specific amount you are sending now comes from. Source of wealth explains how you built your assets over your lifetime. For large amounts and at private banks you are asked both, and the answers must be consistent.
Data for 2026.
| Question | Source of funds | Source of wealth |
|---|---|---|
| What it asks | where this money in the account came from | how the owner's total assets were built |
| Period covered | 6-24 months before the payment | the whole career, often 10-20 years |
| Example answer | sale of a flat in March 2026, the money is in a bank account | founded a company in 2012, sold a stake in 2023 |
| Proof | agreement, statements, payment orders | company accounts, tax returns, share sale agreements |
A common mistake is to close only the first question: show the flat sale agreement but not explain what money the flat was bought with. For the bank that part of the chain is still open, and it sends a new request. More on checks in citizenship programmes - in the article source of funds: how to pass the check.
Translating and certifying documents for a foreign bank
Documents are translated into the bank's language, or into English if the bank accepts it. The translation is done by a translator and the translator's signature is certified by a notary, or the translation is done by a sworn translator of the destination country - the bank decides which it needs.
Public documents for use in another country - certificates, court decisions, registry extracts, notarial acts - are certified with an apostille under the 1961 Hague Convention when both countries are party to it. The apostille is issued by an authority of the country that issued the document. For countries outside the convention, consular legalisation is required. Statements from banks and brokers are accepted with the bank's stamp or electronic signature, without an apostille.
How to build a source of funds pack: step by step
- Name the source of every part of the amount and work out how much came from each.
- Collect the source document from the table above: agreement, certificate, deed.
- Rebuild the path of the money: statements for every account from the moment the income arrived to the account the transfer is sent from.
- Check dates and amounts: they must match across the agreement, the statements and the payments.
- Translate and certify the documents the way the destination country's bank requires.
- Write a short explanation of one page: where the money came from, when it was received and why it is being transferred.
- Give the pack to the bank before the transfer, not after a request.
What preparing the pack costs
Bank and tax authority certificates are free or cheap, translation is paid per page at the translator's rate, and notarisation and the apostille cost the fees of the country that issued the document. The most expensive part is not translation but a second round of checks: every new request from the bank means more weeks while the money waits.
How long to keep source of funds documents
Banks must keep client documents for at least 5 years after the account is closed or a one-off transaction is completed - FATF standards and European Union law require this. Keep your own set for longer: documents on the sale of a flat will be needed when you buy the next one, during a tax audit and when you open an account at another bank.
Keep originals, certified copies and translations together, and keep digital copies separately from the bank where your account is held.
What helps you pass the check the first time
- The amount in the source document matches the credit to the account.
- The whole chain is visible: there is a statement for every account the money passed through.
- Money from a third party arrives with an agreement or a written explanation.
- Deposits into the account are backed by documents showing where the money came from.
- Documents are translated and certified the way the destination country's bank requires.
- The client's explanation matches the documents.
- The money is sent from a bank that works with the recipient's bank.
A pack for your source of money and your bank our manager will put together before the transfer, so the check passes the first time.
Source of funds documents in 10 countries
10 popular countries check the source of funds under FATF standards, and each has its own set of documents and review times - country guides in 2026:
- UAE - dollars with no exchange-rate risk
- Switzerland - francs, euros or dollars
- Cyprus - the bank expects a link to the island
- Germany - instant transfers in euros
- Kazakhstan - tenge to your own account
- Armenia - an account in one visit
- Georgia - one account in three currencies
- Serbia - an account in dinars and euros
- Turkey - a tax number comes first
- USA - deposits insured up to $250,000
All countries and transfer routes are on the capital relocation page. Your country is not on the list? Our manager will check what your bank requires.
Rules of the sending country
Source of funds documents are issued by the country where the money was earned, and its rules shape the pack. If a document from that country needs an apostille, order it in advance: it takes days or weeks.
If some documents from the country where the money was earned are hard to obtain, there are more lawful ways to prove the source than it seems: tell our manager about your situation, and they will find an option your bank will accept.
How Murblz prepares a source of funds pack
Murblz specialists work out which sources make up the amount, draw up a list of documents to match the destination bank's requirements, rebuild the path of the money from statements, arrange translation and the apostille and write the explanation for the bank. We hand over the pack before the transfer and support the answers to the bank's requests until the money is credited. If the source is only partly proven, we say straight away which documents will close the gap.
Sending money by country
What else the destination bank will ask besides source of funds documents is covered country by country:
- Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Belarus, Tajikistan, Moldova
- Europe: Czech Republic, France, Austria
- Asia: Hong Kong, Malaysia
- Middle East: Bahrain, Saudi Arabia
- Americas: Mexico, Argentina
FAQ
Which documents do I need to prove the source of money to a bank?
Do documents need to be translated for a foreign bank?
How many years of income do I need to prove?
Will a bank accept savings that were not held in an account?
How do I prove money given to me by a relative?
Can the bank's document check be made faster?
How long should I keep source of funds documents?
What should I do if the bank asks where the money came from?
We will suggest the best way to send your money
We will choose a transfer method for your amount and country, prepare the documents on the origin of the money for the bank, make the transfer through licensed partners and follow it until the money is credited. Ask your question in the chat - the manager will suggest the best terms and the cost. The legal side with banks and government bodies is handled by Murblz specialists and locally licensed partners.
Details and cost are with the manager in the chat. Describe your situation and we will reply right away.
Check transfer termsHow we handle a transfer: 4 stages → · Rules of the countries checked