PayPal transfer to bank pending or not arrived? Why it's held or returned, and what to do

It says 'Complete' but the bank shows nothing

PayPal's wording is that a 'Complete' status means your transfer 'has been processed and sent out of PayPal'. It says nothing about the money having landed. The rest depends on your bank's clearing time.

Once it has passed, PayPal's advice is to contact your bank for assistance and to check your email for updates from PayPal. Have the amount and date from 'Activity' in front of you when you call. If the bank has a problem with the transfer, PayPal says the bank notifies it within one week and PayPal emails you, so a failed transfer can take that long to show up as failed.

'Pending Review': why PayPal is holding it

If you see 'Pending Review', or an email saying your withdrawal is being reviewed, the money hasn't left PayPal yet. PayPal says it automatically reviews every withdrawal before release, and that 'We may hold some withdrawals for up to 72 hours for further review.' Its 'Where's my withdrawal?' page says these reviews typically clear within 24 hours but may take up to 72 hours.

PayPal lists these triggers: unusual account activity, such as larger than usual incoming payments before the withdrawal; a login from an unsecured or unfamiliar network or device; incomplete account verification or a recent account limitation; and mismatched or incorrect details on the linked bank account or debit card. When the review ends, the status changes to 'Completed' and the regular transfer times start from there, so review time comes on top of the times above.

• Check your email. PayPal says it emails you if a withdrawal is held, with any next steps, and again if action is needed or the status changes. To be safe, log in to PayPal directly rather than through a link in the email.
• Open 'Wallet' and confirm the linked bank or debit card details are correct and verified.
• Look at your recent activity. If something looks unusual, PayPal says to update your account details or contact PayPal.
• If it has gone past 72 hours and no email has asked you for anything, contact PayPal through the 'Message Center' on its help site.

Withdrawal returned: wrong or incomplete bank details

If the bank can't process a transfer because of incorrect or incomplete information, the money comes back to PayPal. PayPal's US help says you will be notified within one week and the money should be back in your balance within that time, minus applicable return fees. That fee is why less can come back than you sent. PayPal's withdrawal help says a fee may apply but doesn't give an amount there, so see PayPal's fees page for your country.

Don't send it again until you have fixed the details, or the next transfer can fail the same way. PayPal's fix for wrong details is to remove the bank and link it again:

• Go to 'Wallet', click the bank, and choose 'Remove bank'.
• If it won't remove, PayPal gives two reasons: 'There's a payment or transfer that is pending or still processing', or a limitation on your account. For a pending transfer, allow several days and try again. A limitation has to be resolved first.
• To add it back, go to 'Wallet', click 'Link a card or bank', then 'Link a bank account', and find your bank. Log in for an instant link, or enter the details by hand and click 'Agree and Link'.

Your name doesn't match your bank account

PayPal's international help is direct: 'The name registered on your PayPal account must match the name registered on your bank account.' It sends your registered name with your bank information on each transfer request, and it says it is not responsible for incorrect bank information provided by customers. For business accounts, the business name is what gets matched. Rules differ by country. In India, for example, PayPal says that under RBI rules withdrawals may fail, or the bank account may be held or removed, until a mismatch is fixed.

• Ask your bank what it requires for electronic transfers. PayPal says that if the bank requires a match, you may need to change the name on the bank account.
• To change the name on PayPal, go to 'Settings', click 'Edit' beside 'Name', and follow the steps.
• If the name on your bank account has changed, PayPal says to remove the bank from your PayPal account, link it again, and confirm it again.
• In India, the bank's status tells you what to do. 'Unverified' means the name check isn't finished, which can take up to 48 hours. 'Action Required' means upload a bank statement or cancelled cheque. 'Unable to Verify' means remove and re-add the account with correct details, or add a different bank account in your PayPal name.

A new account, a new bank, or a transfer that won't start

PayPal's review page doesn't list 'new account' as a reason by itself, so treat any fixed waiting period you read elsewhere with suspicion. What it does list can apply to new accounts: incomplete verification and incoming payments that are larger than usual. For a newly linked bank, finish the confirmation. PayPal's confirmation page says you need a confirmed bank to make payments and doesn't address withdrawals either way, but an unfinished confirmation is one more thing you can rule out.

To confirm, go to 'Wallet' and click the bank. If instant confirmation is available, it appears on the next screen. Otherwise PayPal sends two small deposits of $0.01 to $0.99 USD each. Check your statement within 3 business days, then enter the exact amounts in 'Wallet' and click 'Submit'.

If the transfer won't even start, the message on screen narrows it down:

• 'We're not able to complete this transaction at the moment' or 'We can't complete this transaction right now': PayPal's listed causes are an account restriction, a card or bank that doesn't support instant transfers, or bank details that don't match your bank's records.
• 'You're transferring more than your weekly limit allows. Try a smaller amount.': check your limits on PayPal's fees page and send less.
• If it still fails, PayPal suggests linking an eligible debit card for an instant transfer, linking a bank account for an instant or standard transfer, getting a PayPal Debit Card, or requesting a mailed check. These options are from its US help.

Can you cancel it? No, but you have two ways back

PayPal is firm on this: 'Withdrawals can't be canceled under any circumstances.' Its help explains that the automated system processes them immediately, and there is no cancel button to look for.

• The transfer isn't complete yet: PayPal says your bank may be able to reverse it, depending on the bank's policies. Ask the bank.
• The transfer has completed: wait for it to arrive, then add the money back to PayPal from a linked bank account or debit card.
• The transfer fails by itself, for example because of incorrect information: the money may return to your PayPal balance automatically, and a return fee might apply.

Prevent it next time

Most of this comes down to clean details and a little lead time.

• Check the linked bank before you transfer: right account, correct numbers, and the same name as your PayPal account.
• Finish account verification and bank confirmation before you need the money.
• Allow for a review. If a bill is due, count up to 72 hours plus the normal transfer time, especially after an unusually large payment or a login from a new device.
• In the US, start standard transfers before 7:00 PM ET on a business day. If it's urgent and your bank or card is eligible, Instant Transfer is the faster option, for a fee.
• Don't start a second withdrawal to chase the first. Check 'Activity' and your email first.

Not relying on one processor

A OneSol page on Pro can take payments through your own Stripe, PayPal, Razorpay or Square account, so all your money doesn't have to come through one processor.