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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

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

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001662007</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>McGurk Wayne F.</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>EVP, Chief Information Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-02-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>53067</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>156434</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-02-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>246</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>12.72</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>156035</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-02-23</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7816</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>12.75</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>147646</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F8"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents the number of shares of common stock issuable upon vesting of 35,378 time-based RSUs and the target number of shares of common stock eligible to be issued upon vesting of  17,689 performance-based RSUs. 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 if certain performance goals are achieved, with up to 50% of the performance-based RSUs vesting over such three year period if a target level of constant currency Adjusted EBITDA is achieved for the year ended December 31, 2017 and up to 50% of the performance-based RSUs vesting over such three year period if a target level of constant currency revenue is achieved for the year ended December 31, 2017, subject to potential adjustments to take into account certain impacts of a proposed merger.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 98,701 shares that may be issued upon vesting of previously granted performance-based and time-based RSUs.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents the number of shares withheld for the payment of tax liabilities in connection with the vesting of 899 performance-based RSUs that were granted on February 24, 2014.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The price was determined based on the closing price of $12.72 per share of MoneyGram International, Inc.'s common stock on February 22, 2017.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Includes 150,716 shares that may be issued upon vesting of previously granted performance-based and time-based RSUs.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Represents the number of shares withheld for the payment of tax liabilities in connection with the vesting of 23,967 time-based RSUs and 4,607 performance-based RSUs that were granted on February 23, 2016.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">The price was determined based on the closing price of $12.75 per share of MoneyGram International, Inc.'s common stock on February 23, 2017.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">Includes 121,569 shares that may be issued upon vesting of previously granted performance-based and time-based RSUs.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

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