How to Send Money from Australia to Indonesia: Step-by-Step Guide

Q: Can someone help me with my first transfer?

Yes. Message the Kangaroo Service customer service team on WhatsApp at +61 425 813 751 and a real person will guide you through it.

Woman in a green apron checking her phone in a kitchen, beside the four steps to send money from Australia to Indonesia

Sending money home for the first time can feel like a lot of steps. It isn’t. Once your account is verified, a transfer from Australia to Indonesia comes down to four things: request a quote, confirm it, pay, and your family receives the money.

This guide walks through each step, what you need before you start, and the small mistakes that slow a transfer down.

What you need before you start

You need a verified Kangaroo Service account. If you don’t have one yet, our step-by-step sign-up guide covers it. To verify your identity you will need:

A driver’s licence or a passport
Proof of address, such as a utility bill, bank statement or council rates notice

You must be 18 or older, and your account is for your own transfers only. We verify every customer because we are required to. Kangaroo Service is AUSTRAC registered & licensed by Bank Indonesia. If you would like to know what that means for you, read Is Kangaroo Service safe?

For your recipient, have these ready:

Their full name, exactly as it appears on their bank account
Their bank name and account number
Their address in Indonesia. We need this so the transfer can be traced correctly from sender to recipient, which anti-money-laundering rules require of every transfer.

The four steps

1. Request a quote

Use the rate calculator or log in to your account. You can work it either way: enter the amount you want to send in Australian dollars, or enter the amount in rupiah you want your family to receive. The quote shows the exchange rate, the fee and the final amount before you commit to anything.

2. Confirm

When you are happy with the quote, confirm it and add your recipient’s details.

Once you accept a rate, it is locked for 3 hours. If your payment has not reached us within that time, the transfer is cancelled and you will need to request a new quote.

3. Pay

You pay by standard bank transfer from your own Australian bank account into your personal Kangaroo Service payment account. We call this your Automatcher account. It is unique to you, which is how our system recognises your payment without anyone matching it by hand. You will receive an automatic confirmation when your funds arrive.

A tip for your first transfer: your Automatcher account is brand new, so the first time you pay into it your bank may hold the payment for a check before releasing it. This is normal for a new payee, but it can take the payment past the 3-hour window. Our advice for a first transfer is to send your funds first and wait for the confirmation that they have arrived. They are held as a balance on your Kangaroo Service account, and when you then confirm a quote, the balance settles it straight away. After the first payment, your bank will recognise the account and later payments usually clear faster.

4. Payout

Once your payment is matched to your transfer, we send the money to your recipient’s bank account in Indonesia. Most transfers reach your recipient the same day. You can follow progress with the transfer tracker, and we email you a receipt once the funds have been paid out.

Prefer to have someone walk you through it?

You don’t have to do this alone. Our customer service team can help you through a transfer on WhatsApp, in English or Bahasa Indonesia. A real person replies.

Message us on WhatsApp: +61 425 813 751

Support hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Melbourne time.

How your family receives the money

We pay out to bank accounts at most major banks in Indonesia, including BCA, BRI, Mandiri, BNI, BSI, CIMB Niaga, Permata, BTN, Danamon and Bank Jago. The full list of supported banks is in our FAQ, and if you can’t see your recipient’s bank there, ask us before you send.

We guarantee your recipient receives exactly the amount quoted: no correspondent bank deductions, no fees taken in transit.

What affects how long it takes

Most of the timing is in your hands. These are the things that make the difference:

When your payment reaches us. We can only send once your funds have arrived. A payment made late in the evening or over a weekend may not reach us until the next business day.
Your first transfer. If your identity verification is still being completed, your first transfer waits for it. Finish verification before you need to send urgently.
Assisted transfers outside support hours. A transfer booked with our team outside support hours is treated as a transfer for the next business day.
Public holidays. Holidays in Australia or Indonesia can affect bank processing at either end.
Extra information. For larger or unusual transfers we may ask for supporting documents, such as proof of source of funds. Sending these promptly keeps things moving.

What it costs

The fee and the exchange rate are both shown in your quote before you confirm, so you always know the total cost and the exact amount your recipient will receive. Fees and limits can differ by destination, so use the rate calculator to see the current figures for Indonesia.

The calculator also shows the minimum and maximum you can send in a single transfer. If you are planning a large one-off transfer, contact us first and we can tell you what we will need in advance.

Five mistakes that delay a transfer

The recipient’s name doesn’t match their account. Use the name exactly as their bank has it, not a nickname.
Confirming a quote before your first payment has cleared. On your first transfer, send your funds first and confirm the quote once they have arrived. After that, pay straight after you confirm so your payment arrives while your rate is still locked.
Paying into the wrong account. Always use your own Automatcher account details. They are unique to you.
Paying from someone else’s bank account. Your Kangaroo Service account is for your own transfers, so pay from an account in your own name.
Leaving verification until the day you need to send. Sign up and verify now, even if your first transfer is weeks away.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to send money from Australia to Indonesia?

A verified Kangaroo Service account (driver’s licence or passport, plus proof of address), and your recipient’s full name, address, bank name and Indonesian bank account number.

Which Indonesian banks can I send to?

Most major Indonesian banks, including BCA, BRI, Mandiri and BNI, along with many regional and smaller banks. See the full list.

How long is my exchange rate valid?

Your rate is locked for 3 hours once you accept it. If your payment has not reached us in that time, the transfer is cancelled and you can request a new quote.

How do I pay for my transfer?

By standard bank transfer from your own Australian bank account into your personal Automatcher account. You receive an automatic confirmation when your funds arrive.

Will my recipient receive the full amount?