Sending Money for Dashain: Avoid These Dates — October Holidays, Bank Closures and Remittance Scams

Who this applies to

• Anyone who sends money for living costs or gifts to family before Dashain or Tihar.
• Bank holidays in Nepal especially affect money that goes into a Nepali bank account (bank transfer, or account deposit through a remittance app).
• For cash pickup, the pickup branch must be open. It is good if your family checks the branch's opening days in advance.

Steps

1. First, choose the date. If your family needs to spend the money before Tika (October 21), try to send it by October 15 (Thursday) at the latest. On October 16 (Friday), Nepali bank counters open only for half a day, and the holidays start on the 17th.
2. Compare two or three places to send from. Compare three things: (1) the fee, (2) the exchange rate (how many Nepali rupees you get at the same time), (3) how long it takes to arrive. Enter the same amount at each place and compare how many rupees your family actually receives.
3. Check that the company is registered. You must be able to find the name of the remittance app or company in "소액해외송금업자 등록현황" (list of registered small-amount overseas remittance companies) on 금융감독원 FINE (fine.fss.or.kr). If it is not on the list, do not use it. Banks are of course fine to use.
4. Read the conditions of festival promotions. Promotions like "0 won fee" or "better exchange rate" are often only for the first transfer, only up to a certain amount, or only for certain ways of receiving money. Read the conditions and compare using the actual amount received from step 2.
5. Check the receiver's details again. Ask your family to send photos of the receiver's name spelling (same as passport or citizenship certificate), bank name, branch and account number, and compare them. During the festival, it takes a long time to get back money sent to the wrong account.
6. After sending, send the receipt (transaction number) to your family. If the money arrives late, contact the company with the transaction number.
7. Your family must check the arrival themselves. They should check in the bank app or at the branch. Before the money arrives, do not believe someone who says "I got the money" and send more.

What to prepare

• Your own 외국인등록증 (Alien Registration Card) (always send money in your own name)
• Receiver's name, bank, branch and account number (compare with the photos your family sent)
• Remittance app or bank account (check business days and processing time)
• Comparison table: fee, exchange rate and amount received at 2–3 places, using the same amount

Be careful

• Hwanchigi (illegal money exchange) is against the law. People or brokers who say "I'll give you a good exchange rate" or "Send won to a Korean account and I'll give rupees in Nepal" are breaking the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act. People who use them can also be investigated. If your money is stolen, it is hard to get protection. Always use a bank or a registered small-amount overseas remittance company.
• Messenger scams pretending to be family or friends: Before festivals, there are more messages saying "My phone is broken" or "I need money for the hospital quickly" and asking you to send money to another person's account. Always call the number you already knew and check their voice. If they avoid your call, treat it as a scam.
• If you sent money by mistake or were scammed, ask right away to stop the payment (지급정지, payment freeze). Immediately contact the police at 112 or 금융감독원 at 1332, and the customer center of the bank or company you sent money through. The faster you act, the better your chance of getting the money back.
• Do not send money in another person's name. If you borrow a friend's account to send money, you may have problems with limits, taxes and where the money came from.
• Limit: From January 2026, the designated bank system was removed. The limit for sending money without documents is now 100,000 US dollars per year, for banks and remittance companies combined. Normal money for living costs is within this limit. For more than this, or for special purposes, ask your bank.
• When payday and the festival come at the same time, remittance apps may take longer than usual. Leave one or two extra days.

Frequently asked questions

Q. If I send money with a remittance app on October 9 (Friday), when will it arrive? A. It is a public holiday in Korea, so bank processing stops. Some companies use their own money to process it the same day. Others process it on October 12 (Monday). Before sending, check the "expected arrival" shown in the app.

Q. Will money go into a Nepali account during the Dashain holidays? A. During the Nepali bank holidays (October 17–23), account deposits may be delayed until after the holidays. Some banks keep processing electronic transfers, but this is not guaranteed. The best way to know is for your family to ask their own bank directly.

Q. Can I wait until the exchange rate gets better? A. Nobody can predict exchange rates. First, match the date when your family needs to spend the money. If the money is delayed by the holidays, the loss is bigger than the exchange rate difference.

Q. My younger brother/sister contacted me from a new number and says it is urgent. A. Call their old number, or check with other family members. Do not send money before you check. If you already sent it, call 112 or 1332 and the remittance company right away and ask them to stop the payment.

Where to get help

Organization	Phone / Website	What they do
금융감독원 FINE (파인)	fine.fss.or.kr	Check if a small-amount overseas remittance company is registered
금융감독원 Call Center	1332	Advice on remittance scams, payment freeze and help for victims
Police	112	Report scams, ask for payment freeze
외국인종합안내센터 (Immigration Contact Center)	1345	Information about life in Korea in many languages
Nepal Rastra Bank	nrb.org.np	List of Nepali bank holidays