Withdraw to local bank takes longer time than usual

[nathanhunt]

I am worried about my last payment. I made it on last Wednesday. Normally, it comes to my account not later than Friday. Now, I am still not get my money.

I know and understand that it must take time. However, it is longer than usual. Are there anyone still waiting like me?

[g_vasilevski]

Hi Natapon,

Please keep in mind that It can take between 2 to 5 business days for the funds to be loaded on your bank account. If you have not received the funds after 8 business days let us know, and our team will initiate a trace on your transaction. Thank you!

[nathanhunt]

I have mailed to Upwork to get help, also call from my country to US for this issue. Every answer just only 'Please wait, we are checking'.

I am curious that why it's taking so long to get answer about the status of withdrawal. I have sent my statement of bank account around 12 hrs ago to proof that I still don't receive money. Until now, I still have to wait for the next answer from Upwork.

Is it difficult to just check the status of money transfer? I don't think so.

Even some evidences to proof that there is a money transfer from Upwork rather than a record on the report of Upwork website. I still cannot see it. 

My withdrawal amount is not so big, but it is important for my family. I always said that it is understandable to takes time. However, right now, it is something likes the money is at somewhere in the world, and nobody know. 

Can you make it clearer about this situation? 

[AveryO]

Hi Natapon, 

It looks like the team has gotten back to you today, with more information about your withdrawal. We apologise if this is taking time. You can come back here if you don't hear back again from the team, and we'll follow up the team for you. 

[petra_r]

Why do you keep posting about the same thing and **Edited for Community Guidelines**?

You withdrew last Wednesday. That was not even 4 business days ago.

The normal expected time it should take is 2 to 5 business days.

If your withdrawal is not received within 8 business days, Upwork can initiate a trace, which does not ever speed up a withdrawal.

**Edited for Community Guidelines** so please be so kind and wait until 8 business days have gone by (without weekends or holidays)  - at which point you may contact Support.

[nathanhunt]

@Petra I know and understand. But what I need is just evidence to proof that Upwork send me a money.

I ask and track everywhere to know where is my money now. So I can process and mange everthing correctly.

You answer cannot help anything. I will stop asking here because nothing can help me from yourside.

[nathanhunt]

By the way, thank you to @Pretra that lists all of my post about withdrawal problems. This shows that direct to local bank must has some problems compare to Upwork in the past.

If you can just provide the status of withdrawal, I won't have to post here. But because I ask for status of my money ( which Upwork has already charged for fee ) everywhere, and not get any answer that inform me the status. Is it my fault to ask for status of my money?

This is my last question here. Now it is 4 days, and I am still waiting. I will wait until tomorrow. Hopefully, my money will come in the period as @Petra inform.

[petra_r]

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Natapon P wrote:
By the way, thank you to @Pretra that lists all of my post about withdrawal problems. This shows that direct to local bank must has some problems compare to Upwork in the past.

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No, it does no such thing, it simply shows that you keep being told the same thing over and over again and your money always arrives.

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Natapon P wrote:
Now it is 4 days, and I am still waiting. I will wait until tomorrow

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As you have been told (over and over again) you have to wait until 8 business days (!!) have passed, then(and not before) you can contact Support and request that they initiate a trace.

8 business days are over next Tuesday (4rth of July being a holiday and 2 x weekends.)

What you don't understand is that once the money is in the banking system, it is on its way to you and Upwork can't speed it up or tell you where it is.

[nathanhunt]

Thank you for the greatest answer that shows a good service mind. I can conclude from your answer that it is my fault to ask about status of my money. Great!

[nathanhunt]

Now it is about 5-6 days. I still cannot get my money. Also, the team just tell me that there is a issue with partner in Thailand.

I asked several times about time frame and exact reason. No response from the team.

I cannot do anything, just wait?

[tlsanders]

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Natapon P wrote:

I am worried about my last payment. I made it on last Wednesday. Normally, it comes to my account not later than Friday. Now, I am still not get my money.

I've noticed that the last few times I've transferred money, too. It used to almost always show up the next day and sometimes took two days. Now, two days has become the minimum and it's usually three or even four.

[nathanhunt]

Right now, slow is not my problem, because it passed the deadline I should pay for something.

The problem is that there is no any info to state that where is it, or when will it come? Upwork team cannot assist me more than telling me to wait for investigation ( which takes for 2-3 days already ).

[shyaroslav]

@Petra, you are not associated with UpWork, just a **edited for Community Guidelines**, right?

If you do not have any solution or valuable information (evidently you don't) it may be a good idea to stay off keyboard instead if quoting policies and posting generic bla-bla-answers.

Meanwhile there is in fact a problem with Thai local banks withdrawal.

The UpWork uses money transfer company - TransFast to deliver the money to recipient.

TransFast has its own bank accounts in countries where it offers services.

Step 1 - Upwork gives an order to TransFast to send the money

Step 2 - TransFast accepts, processes and gives an order to a local bank to transfer the funds from TransFast's Thai account to final recipient's account

Step 3 - Local Bank fulfills the transfer.

So basically the withdrawal to local bank account has nothing to do with "bank system" as mentioned above, interbank transfers are real-time in Thailand.

The delays are only possible at steps 1 or 2. It means that the staff does not process the orders quick.

In most cases the funds are on the account on the next day if you request the withdrawal before 1am UTC. It shows how fast they *can* work.

The problem is the time varies unpredictably, it may take up to 2-6 days or even longer. It is highly irritating - knowing they can work fast but not being reliably sure you get your money on time you plan it. I would say the payment department needs to improve its processes.

@Natapon - As an alternative solution you may use PayPal, the UpWork-Paypal withdrawal is immediate, and PayPal to local bank takes fixed 4 working days always. The exchange rate seems better as well.

[nathanhunt]

Thank you @Yaroslav. This is what I want to see in the community. I will not withdraw using direct to local bank anymore because of this unpredictable system.

Hopefully, Upwork team will fix and give me some progress soon ( says, today ). I cannot plan anything because of this.

[petra_r]

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Natapon P wrote:

Hopefully, Upwork team will fix and give me some progress soon ( says, today ). I cannot plan anything because of this.

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Today is the 4rth of July (big US holiday) so nothing meaningful will happen.

At any rate, whether you like it or not, fact is that all that "tracing" and "investigating" virtually never achieves a thing (which is why I keep pointing out that you are wasting your time) and the money turns up in your bank account (usually) or back in your Upwork account (very rarely) long before any results of any bank trace turn up.

PayPal is virtually instant, as is Payoneer, and both have a far better exchange rate too.

If you need money to be reliably available on a specific day / date then using direct to local bank transfer is not a good idea because of that "it may take a day or 2 or 5 or 6 or longer" factor.

None of that changes the fact that your money will almost invariably turn up long before the results of any "investigation" - hence all that posting and contacting support just wastes your (and their) time and that is all there is to it.

[tlsanders]

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Natapon P wrote:
Right now, slow is not my problem, because it passed the deadline I should pay for something.

The problem is that there is no any info to state that where is it, or when will it come? Upwork team cannot assist me more than telling me to wait for investigation ( which takes for 2-3 days already ).

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It seems like you don't understand how this works. You're impatient and frustrated because you don't understand why Upwork won't just give you a simple answer, but the reason is that they don't have access to any additional information right now. The money left their hands. It hasn't made it to your account yet. You both know that. The 8 business days required to initiate a trace haven't passed yet, and Upwork can't access the additional information you're looking for until it can initiate that trace.

What is happening right now is a little like you mailed a check to someone and it usually only takes two days to get there in the mail, but this time five days have passed and it didn't show up. No matter how many times the other person calls you and asks you why it hasn't arrived yet and where it is and when they can expect it, you don't have any answer to give except "I gave it to the postman."

[nathanhunt]

I totally understand what you are explaining.

But if I were them, and they ask me about the progress of payment or transfering. I will do more than they do right now.

Assume that you have no money, this money is the last thing in your life, you will just wait without doing anything?

[shyaroslav]

Tiffany,

In any case if you keep kicking the postman - he will move faster next time, I believe this is what the final target is.

The problem itself is unpredictable processing time, which definitely can be improved by communication with "postman" (ie TransFast)

[nathanhunt]

Of course, I know that, and I have already done that.
But Transfast said `Only SENDER can contact and get detail`. That’s why I have to come back here.

Right now, Transfast cannot help me, and Upwork cannot do anything. So what can I do?

[petra_r]

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Natapon P wrote:
. So what can I do?

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Wait until the money arrives. It will not arrive any sooner or later no matter what you do.

[AveryO]

Hi Natapon, 

I understand how this can be frustrating, and I apologise for the inconvenience. You may check your current ticket with more updates from the team about your withdrawal. 

Thank you for your patience!