SWIFT code for intermediary bank in oDesk

Question

Swift

In oDesk, when withdrawing to my account, I enter the 11-digit code of my Sberbank branch. oDesk gives the name of the bank correctly, but states that it still needs a SWIFT code for the intermediary bank. First time I see this. What is meant?

To clarify: I have known my SWIFT code for a long time and so far there have been no problems with it. But this is the first time they ask me about an intermediate bank. Their certificate refers to the local currency as opposed to US dollars, they say, an intermediate bank is needed if you want to receive in dollars . But my account is already in dollars, it has been working flawlessly for about five years, I can’t get it in rubles with all my desire (and I don’t have such a desire). Of course, I wrote to them in support, but you know this support ...

Answer 1

These are the international rules. And it doesn’t matter that the account is in dollars: in Russia, rubles are in circulation, which means that a correspondent bank is needed.
The list of correspondent banks of Sberbank is very easy to google, it is a little more difficult to find it on the site ( choose the correct one ), or it turns out on a piece of paper in the bank itself.

Answer 2

wire transfers in the USA are carried out between banks that are registered and have representative offices in the USA.
In your case, Sberbank does not have a representative office in the United States and, accordingly, cannot be directly connected to wire transfers of the Federal Reserve System.
A correspondent bank is a US resident bank in which Sberbank has an account. The correspondent bank, having some kind of agreement with Sberbank, transfers money to Sberbank.

Answer 3

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWIFT
www.sbrf.ru/common/img/uploaded/files/pdf/person/transfers/SWIFT-kody_filialov_Sberbanka_Rossii.pdf
But if I were you, I would still call my branch and clarify. :)

Answer 4

If I remember correctly, an intermediary bank (correspondent bank in Russian) is needed if your bank is not directly connected to the SWIFT system or does not have the right to such operations. In the case of Sberbank, I think it is irrelevant, leave it blank.