# Ways to tie a Paypal account with a Mexican bank account?



## asunhenares

Greetings to all. 

This is my first post in the forum. I´m working as a freelance writer from Mexico (San Miguel de Allende) so I decided to open a Paypal account. I have been bank free for a year, after traveling for the past two. 

I opened a bank account easily with Banco Azteca and they gave a me a debit card. It has been impossible to verify. Paypal says I need the bank to authorize international transactions. Yesterday another bank clerk told me that Mexican cards cannot be used as debit and credit cards, that I´m going to have the same issue with any bank. I can't get a credit card because I have no history here.

I hold a Spanish passport and the FM3 until next March.

Has anyone gone through the same situation? How did you sort it out? 

Any other alternatives to Paypal that could be appealing to potential clients?

Or do I have to give out my account number and take the risk?


Thanks a lot for your help.


----------



## joaquinx

I have a PayPal account tied to a HSBC debit card here in Xalapa. I pay my Skype and NY Times subscription through it. Try opening an account at a real bank. Banco Azteca is not what we would call a "real" bank.


----------



## Queretaro

Same here. I have a paypal.com account in my wifes name with HSBC tied to 2 bank accounts at HSBC. I think they asked for the 18 digit CLABE in Paypal to get it connected. We have had it for over 5 years with no problems.


----------



## asunhenares

Thank you for your swift response. I´ll definitely check HSBC.


----------



## lordserch

Hi asunhenares !
You can use the following debit cards with PayPal: Banamex, Bancomer, HSBC and Santander. I personally use Banamex and have never had a problem.


----------



## tepetapan

Queretaro said:


> Same here. I have a paypal.com account in my wifes name with HSBC tied to 2 bank accounts at HSBC. I think they asked for the 18 digit CLABE in Paypal to get it connected. We have had it for over 5 years with no problems.


 Right. You will need to get your calve or clabe number when you sign up for your bank account. This will need to be used when setting up your PayPal account. After applying to PayPal they will send you a couple pesos with a code. This code needs to be retrieved from your statement and sent back to PayPal. This confirms your account and after a few days you will be up and running.
Retrieving the code is a pain if you do not have internet banking since you will have to go to the bank to see your statement....if and when it arrives. With on line banking you can just check your account every day or so and do it all from your computer.


----------



## joaquinx

tepetapan said:


> Right. You will need to get your calve or clabe number when you sign up for your bank account. This will need to be used when setting up your PayPal account. After applying to PayPal they will send you a couple pesos with a code. This code needs to be retrieved from your statement and sent back to PayPal. This confirms your account and after a few days you will be up and running.
> Retrieving the code is a pain if you do not have internet banking since you will have to go to the bank to see your statement....if and when it arrives. With on line banking you can just check your account every day or so and do it all from your computer.


You can also use your debit card number as I have done.


----------



## DNP

tepetapan said:


> Right. You will need to get your calve or clabe number when you sign up for your bank account. This will need to be used when setting up your PayPal account. After applying to PayPal they will send you a couple pesos with a code. This code needs to be retrieved from your statement and sent back to PayPal. This confirms your account and after a few days you will be up and running.
> Retrieving the code is a pain if you do not have internet banking since you will have to go to the bank to see your statement....if and when it arrives. With on line banking you can just check your account every day or so and do it all from your computer.


Would that be "clave" ?

WashDC/SMA


----------



## joaquinx

DNP said:


> Would that be "clave" ?
> 
> WashDC/SMA


HSBC calls it a CLABE!

Sent from my LG phone using Expat Forum


----------



## maesonna

”Clabe” looks like it would be a spelling mistake but actually it’s an acronym for “_*Cla*ve *B*ancaria *E*standardizada_.


----------



## RVGRINGO

B and V are somewhat interchangeable. The 'clave' or 'clabe' is the 'key' to your bank account; the access code which contains routing and account number.


----------



## Isla Verde

joaquinx said:


> HSBC calls it a CLABE!
> 
> Sent from my LG phone using Expat Forum


All banks call it "CLABE", not to be confused with "clave". See Maesonna's above post for an explanation of the former.


----------



## maesonna

maesonna said:


> ”Clabe” looks like it would be a spelling mistake but actually it’s an acronym for “_*Cla*ve *B*ancaria *E*standardizada_.


I forgot to add, if you ever have to translate CLABE into English, I suggest “standardized banking code.” I found it rather a reach to figure it out, until I discovered what “_CLABE_” stands for, then it was obvious!


----------



## Isla Verde

maesonna said:


> I forgot to add, if you ever have to translate CLABE into English, I suggest “standardized banking code.” I found it rather a reach to figure it out, until I discovered what “_CLABE_” stands for, then it was obvious!


When I was first asked for a CLABE a few years ago, I thought it was a misspelling of "clave"! Now I know what it stands for, thanks to you, Maesonna.


----------



## evafla

Please explain like to the child .
I found this treat very interesting , but I still can not figure out how to make transactions of withdraw and deposit between my Paypal account and bank in Mexico possible . (Bancomer)
What am I missing ? In Pay Pal I have only option to add US based bank , what I have , how to add Bancomer account ? I have Bancomer debit card , but I can not understand what part it plays with interaction with Pay Pal ?
Where do I start at the bank or with Pay Pal ?

Please explain .
thank you very much
e


----------



## AlanMexicali

evafla said:


> Please explain like to the child .
> I found this treat very interesting , but I still can not figure out how to make transactions of withdraw and deposit between my Paypal account and bank in Mexico possible . (Bancomer)
> What am I missing ? In Pay Pal I have only option to add US based bank , what I have , how to add Bancomer account ? I have Bancomer debit card , but I can not understand what part it plays with interaction with Pay Pal ?
> Where do I start at the bank or with Pay Pal ?
> 
> Please explain .
> thank you very much
> e


I haven´t figured out how to deposit money from my Mexican bank to my US bank without going into the bank here and going to customer service and getting an International wire transfer for about $450.00 pesos to my US bank and then getting a $15.00 US fee there for recieving the International wire transfer, so far.

About a year ago we went to a Banamex bank on the border in San Diego and talked to them about opening an account and doing a deposit in our Banamex bank in Mexico to the new account in the Banamex in San Diego and were told they are working on it but at that time it could not be done for free, only International wire transfers with the ususal fees. 

I have tried to transfer money from my one banks´s account in the US to another bank's account in the US [different banks] online while in Mexico, couldn´t do it. I called the bank in the US whose account I wanted to transfer the money to and was told I couldn´t do it by phone either. In other words I would have to send them a check or go in person to my other US bank and withdraw the money and take it to their teller window or add it to their ATM machine. It gets fustrating at times when dealing with all these banks that seem to want to fee you to death when living down here.

P.S. I will never have an account at any Bank of America again after they way they treated me 10 years ago. Boycotted for life!


----------



## joaquinx

evafla said:


> Please explain like to the child .
> I found this treat very interesting , but I still can not figure out how to make transactions of withdraw and deposit between my Paypal account and bank in Mexico possible . (Bancomer)
> What am I missing ? In Pay Pal I have only option to add US based bank , what I have , how to add Bancomer account ? I have Bancomer debit card , but I can not understand what part it plays with interaction with Pay Pal ?
> Where do I start at the bank or with Pay Pal ?
> 
> Please explain .
> thank you very much
> e


I have a choice to either add a Mexican or US bank. Perhaps it is because my PayPal address is in Mexico. (my logon to paypay is the US version if there is another)


----------



## evafla

joaquinx , from what country did you open your PayPal account ?

If you have Mexican address , I am guessing you opened it from Mexico ,
and they give you option to link US bank account ?

thanks
e


----------



## joaquinx

evafla said:


> joaquinx , from what country did you open your PayPal account ?
> 
> If you have Mexican address , I am guessing you opened it from Mexico ,
> and they give you option to link US bank account ?
> 
> thanks
> e


I opened a PayPal account while living here in Mexico with a Mexican address. I first opened it with a bank in the US and then later added a Mexican bank when I opened the account. Now, I only have the Mexican bank on PayPal, but I still have the option of adding either another Mexican bank or an US bank. 

As a side note, I have transferred funds from my US bank to my Mexican bank. It took 10 days before the funds were reflected in my Mexican bank and the exchange rate was horrid. Bank wire took 2 days, 35usd, and a rate better than PP.


----------



## evafla

Thank you very much e


----------



## Guategringo

As a side note, I have transferred funds from my US bank to my Mexican bank. It took 10 days before the funds were reflected in my Mexican bank and the exchange rate was horrid. Bank wire took 2 days, 35usd, and a rate better than PP.[/QUOTE]

Here in Guatemala, Paypal will not sign up an account directly to a bank account. They told me via the phone it was a money laundering issue with banks here. I too am a freelance writer and this is how I get my money. I am paid from clients into my paypal account, I then transfer that to my bank account in the U.S. from there I use an online site called xoom (www.xoom.com). There fees are reasonable $4.99 for less than $100 I believe and up to $20.00 for a $3,000 transfer. The money is usally in my account here in Guatemala in 20 minutes. Their fine print says they have 24 hours to credit it but I have used this weekly for the past 2 years and only once did it take the 24 hours!!!! This may be a way for people to transfer online directly from a U.S. banke to a Mexican bank.

By the way, you must use your debit card for it to be credited in 20 minutes, if you use your bank account it takes up to three days but is cheaper. 

Just some extra info for all those interested. Check it out Mexico has over 15,000 locations to pick up money. Elektra is one of them.


----------



## evafla

Guategringo, are you using xoom with Guatemalan IP ? e


----------



## Guategringo

evafla said:


> Guategringo, are you using xoom with Guatemalan IP ? e


Yes, I live here in Guatemala and use an IP address from Guatemala.


----------



## evafla

Guategringo , thank you much , and maybe see you in Guatemala , we are in Oaxaca at the moment , but few days from now heading south , and Guatemala is on the list .
If you would disclosure your location , would be a pleasure .
greetings e


----------



## Guategringo

evafla said:


> Guategringo , thank you much , and maybe see you in Guatemala , we are in Oaxaca at the moment , but few days from now heading south , and Guatemala is on the list .
> If you would disclosure your location , would be a pleasure .
> greetings e


With pleasure, will send private message with cell phone number in Guatemala.


----------

