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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-02-24</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001553910</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Henry Francis Aaron</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>GC &amp; Corporate Secretary</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-02-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3007</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>12.77</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>276435</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-02-25</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>14645</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>12.79</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>261790</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents the number of shares withheld for the payment of tax liabilities in connection with the vesting of 7,168 time-based RSUs that were granted on February 24, 2014.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The price was determined based on the closing price of $12.77 per share of MoneyGram International, Inc.'s common stock on February 24, 2017.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Includes 193,360 shares that may be issued upon vesting of previously granted performance-based and time-based RSUs.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Represents the number of shares withheld for the payment of tax liabilities in connection with the vesting of 17,445 time-based RSUs and 17,462 performance-based RSUs that were granted on February 25, 2015.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">The price was determined based on the closing price of $12.79 per share of MoneyGram International, Inc.'s common stock on February 27, 2017, the next business day after the vesting date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Includes 158,453 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</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-02-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
