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The short answer
Enter the 10-digit MTCN from your receipt or the app's History page on Western Union Canada's Track a Transfer page. If you have lost it, choose "Don't know the MTCN?" and enter your phone number or the sender's and receiver's names plus the date. Western Union says statuses usually update within two hours; contact it if a transfer stays "In progress" for more than 48 hours.
Find your MTCN
Western Union Canada describes the MTCN (money transfer control number) as "a unique 10-digit tracking number assigned to your transfer". You will find it:
- On the paper receipt if you sent from an agent location in Canada.
- On the confirmation screen and email if you sent online or in the app.
- On the transfer History page when you sign in.
Western Union asks you not to share it "with anyone except your receiver or a Western Union representative". For a cash pickup in Nigeria, the MTCN works like a key: anyone with it and matching ID can collect. Send it to your receiver privately, not in a family group chat.
Track it, step by step
- Open Western Union Canada's website or app and choose Track a Transfer.
- Enter the 10-digit MTCN and continue.
- Read the status and any message underneath it.
- If you do not have the MTCN, select "Don't know the MTCN?", then enter the sender's phone number, or the sender's and receiver's names, and the date of the transfer.
Western Union says it notifies the sender when the status changes. It does not say it notifies the receiver, so tell your family when the money is ready.
What each status means
| Status | Western Union Canada's description (Oct 2026) | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| In progress | Processed and on its way | Wait; if more than 48 hours, contact Western Union |
| Available | Ready for pickup; the receiver needs government-issued ID and the MTCN at an agent | Tell the receiver to collect |
| Received | Picked up at an agent location | Confirm with the receiver |
| Paid | Credited to the receiver's mobile wallet or bank account | Ask the receiver to check their alert |
| Delivered | Credited to the receiver's bank account | Ask the receiver to check their balance |
| On hold | "Taking us longer than usual because we are verifying a few things" | Check email and app for a request |
| Canceled | Cancelled by you or Western Union; usually refunded within 7 business days | Watch your original payment method |
| Refunded | Returned to the original form of payment | Check your card or bank statement |
When the status does not move
Western Union Canada says status is typically updated within two hours. For a bank deposit, its Nigeria page says bank transfer times "can be anywhere from minutes up to one banking day". If a transfer has been "In progress" for more than 48 hours, Western Union asks you to contact it. Its tracking FAQ lists no phone number and directs you to the Contact us page on its Canadian site.
If it is on hold
"On hold" means checks are under way. Look for a message asking for ID, the purpose of the transfer or your relationship with the receiver, and answer it through official channels. Our guide to a frozen remittance account covers what to send.
If it was cancelled
Western Union's reasons include an identity it could not confirm, money sent to a business account instead of a personal one, insufficient funds, a problem at your bank, incorrect receiver details, or money not collected within 42 days. You can send a new transfer once the cause is fixed. See cancelling a transfer to Nigeria for refund timing.
Bank deposit or cash pickup: what tracking tells you
The status means slightly different things depending on how the money is paid out. For cash pickup, "Available" is the moment that matters: the money is waiting at any agent, and your receiver can go. "Received" confirms collection. For a bank deposit there is no pickup step, so the useful statuses are "In progress" and "Delivered" or "Paid". If Western Union shows Delivered but the receiver sees nothing, ask them to check the exact account and bank you entered and to look at their bank alerts and statement rather than only the app balance. Banks sometimes credit first and send the alert later.
If the details were wrong, a deposit may bounce back to Western Union, which can lead to a cancellation and refund. Our guide to an app showing delivered with nothing in the Nigerian account walks through the checks.
Keep a record
Save the receipt or a screenshot of the final status with the MTCN, the date, the amount sent and the naira amount. You may need it later to prove support to family, for a dispute, or for your own budgeting.
Getting the receiver ready
For cash pickup, the receiver should bring government-issued ID and the MTCN. Western Union Nigeria also asks for the expected amount and the sender's full name and sending country. Our guide to the ID a receiver needs lists accepted documents. Be wary of anyone who calls the receiver claiming to be from Western Union and asking for the MTCN; see money transfer scams targeting the diaspora.
Where Pryme fits
Pryme shows each payment's status in the app and keeps a receipt you can share. See how sending works.
Questions people ask
Where is my MTCN on a Western Union receipt?
It is the 10-digit tracking number printed on the receipt; online, it is on the confirmation and in your History page.
Can I track Western Union without the MTCN?
Yes. Choose "Don't know the MTCN?" and enter your phone number or both names, plus the transfer date.
What does Available mean on Western Union?
The money is ready to collect at an agent; the receiver needs government-issued ID and the MTCN.
How long can money wait for pickup?
Western Union lists non-collection within 42 days as a reason for cancellation, so the receiver should collect well before then.
Sources
- Western Union Canada: Track your transfer (FAQ) · accessed Oct 2026
- Western Union Canada: Send money to Nigeria · accessed Oct 2026
- Western Union Nigeria: Receive money (FAQ) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.