Sending Euros from Germany to Turkey

Many people living in Germany regularly send euros to their family in Turkey, to their own account or to a business. Although this transaction looks similar to a euro transfer within Germany, it actually belongs to quite a different world: because Turkey is not within SEPA scope, the sending is processed not as SEPA but as SWIFT (an international transfer). In this guide we explain in detail the methods of sending euros from Germany to Turkey, the real cost items, the role of the exchange-rate margin, the estimated time and the amount reaching the recipient.

Why SWIFT, not SEPA?

SEPA standardises euro payments only between countries within its geographic scope. Germany is within this scope, but Turkey is not; therefore a euro transfer between the two countries cannot come under SEPA's rules and runs over SWIFT, the international transfer network. The practical consequence of this is that SEPA's intra-euro advantages (no intermediary bank, low fee, speed) do not apply on this corridor. Instead, the rules of the SWIFT world apply: intermediary (correspondent) banks can come into play, the time can lengthen, and charge-sharing options such as OUR/SHA/BEN can affect the amount reaching the recipient. For the current status of Turkey's SEPA process, see the Turkey SEPA page.

Methods

There are several ways to send euros from Germany to Turkey, and each has a different cost structure:

• Bank transfer (SWIFT): A direct international transfer from your German bank. It is reliable but may involve an intermediary bank charge and an exchange-rate margin.
• Sending to a euro account: If the recipient has a euro (foreign currency) account in Turkey, the amount can land as euros; conversion to TRY is done only when the recipient wishes and at that moment's rate.
• Fintech / payment providers: Some providers can offer a competitive rate on this corridor; but their conditions, fees and suitability should be assessed according to your own situation.

Which method is more suitable depends on the amount, the recipient's account type (euro or TRY) and current rates. The right comparison is made by looking not at the brand but at "the amount the recipient receives".

Cost items

The total cost on this corridor usually consists of three main items, and seeing them separately answers the question "where did my money go?":

Item	Description	Whose pocket
Sending bank fee	Your German bank's international transfer fee	Sender
Intermediary (correspondent) bank charge	Deduction by the intermediary banks in the SWIFT chain	Depends on charge-sharing
Exchange-rate margin (EUR→TRY)	The hidden cost in the conversion if the recipient account is in TRY	Recipient (usually)
Receiving bank fee	The Turkish bank's possible fee for the incoming transfer	Recipient

The biggest of these items is often the exchange-rate margin; especially if the recipient's account is in TRY, the margin applied as the incoming euros are converted into TRY becomes the determinant of the total cost. You can find what the exchange-rate margin is and how to reduce it on the what is a bank exchange-rate margin page.

Exchange-rate margin: the biggest item on this corridor

Euros sent from Germany, when they land in the recipient's TRY account, are converted into TRY by the Turkish bank, and an exchange-rate margin is applied in this conversion. The margin is the difference between the bank rate and the market rate, and because it is not shown as a separate line, it often goes unnoticed. For example, if the margin is 2%, on a EUR 1,000 transfer the margin cost alone corresponds to EUR 20 — plus the fees. The most effective way to reduce this cost is for the recipient to use a euro account and convert euros into TRY only when needed, at a favourable rate. To measure the exchange-rate margin with your own figures, you can use the exchange-rate margin tool.

Time: how long does it take?

Unlike SEPA, SWIFT transfers usually take longer — often 1 to 5 business days. The time varies by the number of intermediary banks, compliance (AML) checks and the banks' processing schedules. Weekends and public holidays can lengthen the time. So if you are planning an urgent payment, it is important to account for this time. If your transfer arrived later than you expected, you can assess the possible reasons and steps with the Why hasn't my transfer arrived tool.

How much reaches the recipient?

The difference between "the amount I sent" and "the amount the recipient receives" is the total of the cost items above. To estimate the amount reaching the recipient in advance, you can enter the euros you send, the possible deductions and (if the recipient account is in TRY) the bank rate into the Incoming EUR transfer calculator. And to assess the whole scenario (route, fees, rate, amount reaching the recipient) on one screen, the SEPA Route & Real Cost Calculator is your most comprehensive helper.

Practical recommendations

1. Consider it if the recipient can use a euro account. Sending as euros leaves the TRY conversion under the recipient's control and lets them manage the margin.
2. Calculate the total cost in advance. Look not at "free" or "low fee" phrases, but at the amount reaching the recipient.
3. Check charge-sharing. If it is important that the recipient receives the full amount, the OUR option may be suitable.
4. Verify the IBAN and payee name. Wrong information leads to a return and extra cost; before sending, use the IBAN validation tool.
5. Compare the alternatives. Compare bank, fintech and euro-account options on "the amount reaching the recipient".

How does charge-sharing (OUR/SHA/BEN) affect the amount reaching the recipient?

The OUR/SHA/BEN options you encounter in SWIFT transactions directly determine how much reaches the recipient when sending from Germany to Turkey. Under OUR, the sender bears all charges; the recipient receives largely the full amount excluding currency conversion — but the total the sender pays rises. Under SHA (shared), the sender pays their own bank's charge, while the intermediary and receiving bank charges are deducted from the transfer; this is the most common option in SWIFT. Under BEN, all charges are deducted from the transfer and the recipient receives the least. If you want the money you send to your family to reach them as fully as possible, the OUR option (if available) can be preferred; but this increases the total you pay. To see the numerical effect of these options, you can use the how much reaches the recipient tool.

The most common scenarios for Turks in Germany

For Turks living in Germany, this corridor is part of everyday life, and a few typical scenarios stand out. For those sending family support, regularity and a low total cost matter; on transfers that recur every month, even a small margin difference grows by year-end, which is why it is valuable for the recipient to use a euro account. For those transferring savings to their own account in Turkey, holding euros as euros and converting to TRY at a suitable time is usually the most sensible. For those making large one-off payments such as property, education or health in Turkey, because the amount is high the exchange-rate margin becomes the biggest item in absolute terms; in this case, seriously comparing several providers is directly reflected in the money. In every scenario the common principle is the same: calculate the total cost and the amount reaching the recipient before sending.

In all these scenarios, being accustomed to the cheapness of a SEPA transfer within Germany can be misleading; because sending to Turkey is in a different cost world. Seeing this difference clearly enables realistic budget planning. Developments in Turkey's SEPA process could change this corridor in future; you can follow the current status on the Turkey SEPA and When will Turkey join SEPA pages.

Example scenario

A user in Germany sends EUR 1,000 to their family in Turkey. The recipient's account is in TRY. The transaction is made as SWIFT: the sending bank charges a fee, the intermediary bank can make a small deduction, and an exchange-rate margin of around 2% is applied as the incoming euros are converted into TRY. In the end, the recipient receives somewhat less than the TRY equivalent of the EUR 1,000 sent. If the recipient had used a euro account, they could have received the euros as euros and converted to TRY at a time of their own choosing, managing the margin better. You can see the numerical detail of this scenario with your own figures in the real cost tool.

Summary

Sending euros from Germany to Turkey is a SWIFT, not a SEPA, transaction because Turkey is outside SEPA. This brings with it the sending bank fee, a possible intermediary bank charge and — often the biggest item — the EUR→TRY exchange-rate margin. The most effective ways to reduce the cost are for the recipient to use a euro account and to calculate the total cost before every transfer. Because the exact amount varies by bank and corridor, instead of a made-up figure we recommend seeing the estimated amount reaching the recipient by entering your own data into our tools.