Format Description

SWIFT MT202:
General Financial Institution Transfer
COLOPHON

Title Format Description SWIFT MT202

Version, date 1.2, June 2015

On behalf of Corporate Client Channels

Contact address Rabobank Nederland,

Croeselaan 18,
Postbus 2626
3500 HG Utrecht

Rabobank, 2015

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form by print, photo print, microfilm or
any other means without written permission by Rabobank.
Contents

SWIFT MT202: General Financial Institution Transfer 2

1. Introduction 2

2. General information 2

3. Format Specification 2

4. Text Block 3

Appendix 1: Change log 8

1
SWIFT MT202: General Financial Institution Transfer

1. Introduction
This document indicates the Rabobank specific requirements for fields within the MT202 standard
format structure.

2. General information
This message is sent by or on behalf of the ordering institution directly, or through
correspondent(s), to the financial institution of the beneficiary institution.
It is used to order the movement of funds to the beneficiary institution.
This message may also be sent to a financial institution servicing multiple accounts for the Sender
to transfer funds between these accounts.

The MT202 can be used to initiate a general financial institution transfer.

3. Format Specification
The MT202 should be formatted according to the standards indicated in the user handbook on
www.swift.com. However, for a number of fields Rabobank applies specific rules which are indicated
in the “Text Block”. If there are no comments filled for a specific field, the standard SWIFT
description applies.

Application Header
The Application Header (Block 2) appears on all input messages (Service Identifier 01). The input
Application Header describes the type of message, its addressee, and which optional sending
parameters can be used.

If the payment must be handled with urgent priority, the Message Priority in the Application Header
must then be filled with the value “U”. If not, use value “N”. Extra costs may be charged.

Example:
{2:O2020942131120ABCDNL123C84836927491311200942U}

2
4. Text Block

Format, Content, Option

Subfield/ Mandatory []=optional

Field Fieldname !=fixed length a=alfabetic Comments / Rabobank specific
Option /Optional
x=alfanumeric d=numeric
with decimal
c=values codelist

If this instruction leads to an outgoing MT202 by

Rabobank: the reference in field 20 from the MT202 sent
20 M Sender’s Reference 16x to Rabobank is provided in field 21 of the outgoing
MT202 sent by Rabobank.

21 M Related Reference 16x This field is ignored.

Value date
The value date may be future dated at a maximum of 30
calendar days ahead or has a maximum of 2 days in the
past. When the provided date exceeds the maximum, the
message will be rejected.
Value Date/Currency/
32 A M 6!n3!a15d When the value date lies one or two days in the past, the
Amount
value date is converted to the current date.

Amount
Decimal separator is a comma. The comma is mandatory
and is included in the max. length.

3
 Format, Content, Option

Subfield/ Mandatory []=optional

Field Fieldname !=fixed length a=alfabetic Comments / Rabobank specific
Option /Optional
x=alfanumeric d=numeric
with decimal
c=values codelist

Option A This field is ignored.

Party Identifier [/1!a][/34x]
Identifier Code 4!a2!a2!c[3!c]
52a A or D O Ordering Institution
Option D
Party Identifier [/1!a][/34x]
Name and Address 4*35x

Option A This is a optional field but mandatory for the Rabobank.

Party Identifier [/1!a][/34x]
Identifier Code 4!a2!a2!c[3!c] Within all the options: Always supply the account number
(IBAN is highly recommended) as “Party Identifier”or else
Option B this message is rejected.
53a A, B or D M Sender’s Correspondent Party Identifier [/1!a][/34x]
Location [35x] For SEPA payments at least an IBAN and name of the
ordering customer must be filled (=Option D).
Option D
Party Identifier [/1!a][/34x]
Name and Address 4*35x

4
 Format, Content, Option

Subfield/ Mandatory []=optional

Field Fieldname !=fixed length a=alfabetic Comments / Rabobank specific
Option /Optional
x=alfanumeric d=numeric
with decimal
c=values codelist

Option A This field is ignored.

Party Identifier [/1!a][/34x]
Identifier Code 4!a2!a2!c[3!c]

Option B
Receiver’s Party Identifier [/1!a][/34x]
54a A, B or D O
Correspondent Location [35x]

Option D
Party Identifier [/1!a][/34x]
Name and Address 4*35x

This field is ignored.

Option A
Party Identifier [/1!a][/34x]
Identifier Code 4!a2!a2!c[3!c]
56a A or D O Intermediary
Option D
Party Identifier [/1!a][/34x]
Name and Address 4*35x

5
 Format, Content, Option

Subfield/ Mandatory []=optional

Field Fieldname !=fixed length a=alfabetic Comments / Rabobank specific
Option /Optional
x=alfanumeric d=numeric
with decimal
c=values codelist

Option A This is an optional field, but mandatory for the Rabobank.

Party Identifier [/1!a][/34x]
Identifier Code 4!a2!a2!c[3!c] Option A is highly recommended..

Option B
If there is no BIC available, use option D. It’s mandatory
57a A, B or D M Account with Institution Party Identifier [/1!a][/34x]
to provide at least 3 lines filled with name and address.
Location [35x]
At the end of the last line (line 3 or 4), the country ISO
code must be provided, preceded by a single space.
Option D
Party Identifier [/1!a][/34x]
Name and Address 4*35x

6
 Format, Content, Option

Subfield/ Mandatory []=optional

Field Fieldname !=fixed length a=alfabetic Comments / Rabobank specific
Option /Optional
x=alfanumeric d=numeric
with decimal
c=values codelist

Within the EEA an IBAN is always mandatory in case of

EEA currencies. Outside the EEA an IBAN is
recommended when the country of the beneficiary uses
the IBAN standard. In some IBAN-countries (especially in
the Middle East) an IBAN is mandatory too.
Option A In all other countries an account number is
Party Identifier [/1!a][/34x] recommended.
Identifier Code 4!a2!a2!c[3!c]
58a A or D M Beneficiary Institution The A option is highly recommended.
Option D
Party Identifier [/1!a][/34x] If D option is used, at least 3 lines must be provided with
Name and Address 4*35x beneficiary name, address, place and country.
Please note: the last line must end with the ISO country
code of the benefiairy preceded by a single space.

Always provide the “Party Identifier” or else the message

is rejected.

Using this field is discouraged.

Sender to Receiver The information is passed on unchanged to the

72 O 6*35x
Information
beneficiary bank.

7
Appendix 1: Change log

Title: Format Description SWIFT MT202

Version: 1.2
Date: 01-06-2015
By: Corporate Client Channels
Address: Rabobank Nederland, Zakelijke Klantkanalen
Leidseveer 35, 3511 SB Utrecht
P.O. box 17100
3500 HG Utrecht

Date Version Change Change reason

01-06-2015 1.2 Chapter 2, purpose of the MT202 added Clarification

01-06-2015 1.2 Chapter 3, example added. Clarification

01-06-2015 1.2 Field 32, a value date of maximum 2 days in the Change
past is accepted.
01-06-2015 1.2 Field 52a is ignored. Clarification

01-06-2015 1.2 Field 54a is ignored Clarification

01-06-2015 1.2 Field 56a is ignored. Correction

01-06-2015 1.2 Field 57a is mandatory for Rabobank. Clarification.

01-06-2015 1.2 If there is no BIC, use 57D and it’s mandatory to Clarification.
provide at least 3 lines of name and address
including ISO country code.
01-06-2015 1.2 58A is recommended. If there is no BIC, use 58D Clarification.
and it’s mandatory to provide at least 3 lines of
name and address including ISO country code.
01-06-2015 1.2 Although field 72 is discouraged, the message Correction.
will not be rejected in case of payments within
EEA in EURO.