Transfer money from Sri Lanka

CLAIREBARE

My son is returning to the UK after working for 2 years in Sri Lanka. He has around £3000 in a Sri Lankan account. Does anyone have any advice on the best way to transfer that money to the UK? He's been told to draw it out at the airport, change it to dollars, and bring it back as cash. That sounds a bit odd? Any advice would be much appreciated. 

eDicky

Are these funds in the form of Sri Lankan rupees in a bank account, or what..?

Who gave the advice mentioned? It would seem better to convert the withdrawn cash to pounds, not dollars, if that turns out to be most practical way.

colsten

Try Western Union https://www.westernunion.com/lk/en/home.html

wmb194

CLAIREBARE said:

My son is returning to the UK after working for 2 years in Sri Lanka. He has around £3000 in a Sri Lankan account. Does anyone have any advice on the best way to transfer that money to the UK? He's been told to draw it out at the airport, change it to dollars, and bring it back as cash. That sounds a bit odd? Any advice would be much appreciated. 

That sort of advice is usually to do with getting around capital controls and it looks like Sri Lanka has some at the moment.
https://www.newsfirst.lk/2020/04/06/sri-lanka-tightens-foreign-exchange-controls-for-three-months/

CLAIREBARE

eDicky said:

Are these funds in the form of Sri Lankan rupees in a bank account, or what..?

Who gave the advice mentioned? It would seem better to convert the withdrawn cash to pounds, not dollars, if that turns out to be most practical way.

HNB bank told this to one of his colleagues who is also returning home to the UK. 

eDicky

At least while the extra exchange controls are in place, I would take that bank's advice to withdraw my cash, for simplicity instead of red tape and complication or even impossibility to remit in any way. However instead of buying dollars at the airport I would look for the best rates for £50 notes with money changers in the city.