<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0206</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-02-22</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001273931</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MONEYGRAM INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MGI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001698939</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Gardiner Laura</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2828 NORTH HARWOOD STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>15TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75201</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief HR Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>597</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>902</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7076</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10631</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>14.60</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2022-06-29</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1333</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>16.48</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2023-02-26</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2293</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>20.08</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2024-02-24</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1719</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents the number of shares of common stock issuable upon vesting of the remaining 212 time-based RSUs and the target number of shares of common stock eligible to be issued upon vesting of 414 performance-based RSUs that were granted on February 24, 2014.   The remaining time-based RSUs vest on the third anniversary of the grant date.  A portion of the remaining performance-based RSUs vest on the third anniversary of the grant date as a result of the issuer achieving for the three years ending Dec. 31, 2016.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents the number of shares of common stock issuable upon vesting of the remaining 2,648 time-based RSUs and the target number of shares of common stock eligible to be issued upon vesting of 2,647 performance-based RSUs. The remaining time-based RSUs vest in equal installments on the second and third anniversary of the grant date. The performance-based RSUs also vest in equal installments on the second and third anniversary of the grant date as a result of the issuer achieving certain performance goals for the year ended December 31, 2015.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents the number of shares of common stock issuable upon vesting of 8,859 time-based RSUs and the target number of shares of common stock eligible to be issued upon vesting of 1,772 performance-based RSUs that were granted on February 23, 2016. The time-based RSUs vest in 3 equal installments on each anniversary of the grant date. The performance-based RSUs vest in three equal installments on each anniversary of the grant date as a result of the issuer achieving certain performance goals for the year ended December 31, 2016.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Fully vested, non-qualified stock option granted pursuant to the MoneyGram International, Inc. 2005 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as amended, pursuant to a Stock Option Agreement dated June 29, 2012.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Non-qualified stock option granted pursuant to the MoneyGram International, Inc. 2005 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as amended, pursuant to a Stock Option Agreement dated February 26, 2013.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Options vest in four equal installments over four years on each anniversary of the grant date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">Non-qualified stock option granted pursuant to the MoneyGram International, Inc. 2005 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as amended, pursuant to a Stock Option Agreement dated February 24, 2014.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">Options vest in three equal installments over three years on each anniversary of the grant date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>Exhibit List: Exhibit 24 - Power of Attorney</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Francis Aaron Henry, attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-02-24</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
