Moving from China to the United States can be difficult to get used to, no matter your reasons for relocating. The move can be made even harder when you have relatives back home that you need to support, requiring you to make a money transfer to China often. Fortunately, you have a few options when it comes to sending remittance home to family from the United States.

Each method of sending money takes a different amount of time. If you do not have a set day on which your family needs the money, you can simply send a check in the mail. Family members can then head to the Bank of China to cash it. However, this method can take weeks to a month, so this is obviously not a good idea when your family needs money fast. Additionally, remember to calculate the exchange rate in China, as $1 equals 6.8 Renmibi Yuan.

Another popular method of transferring money to China is through wire transfer. This involves going to your bank with your relative's bank name, account number, and bank contact information. You will also need the SWIFT code for your family's bank, which is how your bank will quickly identify a foreign bank. A wire transfer is a fairly quick way to send money, as it typically takes only a few days for the transfer to go through. However, there are fees each time you send money, and they differ depending on the bank.

You can go to the Bank of China in New York and send money for $10 if it is an electronic transfer, and $20 if it is not. However, if you do not have an account with the Bank of China or even have one near you, most other banks can perform the transaction as well. HSBC can make a money transfer to China for $30 if you send it to a branch of the same bank in China, or $45 to send it to another bank. Wells Fargo charges about $5, and Citibank charges $12.

Clearly, such fees can get costly if you need to send money constantly to foreign countries. If you need to make a money transfer to China regularly, consider using a prepaid debit card. You would select a company to go through, send a debit card to your family, and then put money on it whenever you need to through the company's website. Adding money does incur a fee, usually of about $5 no matter the amount, so putting a lot of money on it at one time is more cost-effective than adding small amounts. There is also a tiny transaction fee each time your relative uses the card, usually less than a dollar per purchase. However, the convenience of the card usually counteracts small fees.

Perform some research before committing to a particular method of sending money to China. The one that involves the least amount of fees and difficulty is clearly the best. Both you and your family will appreciate an inexpensive, convenient way to make a money transfer to China.