Non-Resident Indians in 12 approved countries can now seamlessly use India’s Unified Payments Interface without requiring an active Indian SIM card.
NEW DELHI, July 1, 2026 – Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) can now resolve a major financial hurdle by accessing India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) directly via their international mobile numbers. The facility, authorized by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), eliminates the longstanding requirement for an active Indian SIM card or international roaming packs to conduct real-time domestic transactions.
The digital payment ecosystem in India has taken a major leap toward global financial inclusivity. NRIs residing in select international locations can now link their international phone numbers to their Non-Resident External (NRE) or Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) accounts to execute instant UPI payments, pay utility bills, and scan Indian merchant QR codes.
The NPCI has rolled out this facility across 12 approved countries hosting large Indian diaspora populations. NRIs possessing active mobile numbers from the following regions are eligible:
- United States (+1)
- United Kingdom (+44)
- United Arab Emirates (+971)
- Canada (+1)
- Australia (+61)
- Singapore (+65)
- Saudi Arabia (+966)
- Qatar (+974)
- Oman (+968)
- Hong Kong (+852)
- Malaysia (+60)
- France (+33)
How the System Works
Previously, accessing UPI required an active Indian mobile number (+91) to complete device binding via SMS. Under the guidelines, international mobile numbers registered with member banks can receive the secure One-Time Password (OTP) internationally to authenticate the user’s smartphone.Transactions are processed in Indian Rupees (INR) and remain subject to the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) regulations.
Step-by-Step Activation Process
- Update Bank Records: The NRI must first ensure their international mobile number is formally updated and registered under their NRE/NRO account with their respective Indian bank.
- App Setup: Download a compatible UPI-enabled payment application (such as BHIM, PhonePe, Google Pay, or bank-specific mobile applications like ICICI iMobile or IDFC FIRST Bank app).
- Device Binding: Select the country code and enter the international mobile number. The application will initiate an automated verification SMS.
- Account Linking: Select the respective Indian bank. The ecosystem will automatically fetch the NRE/NRO accounts mapped to that international number.
- PIN Generation: Set up a secure 4 or 6-digit UPI PIN using the last six digits and expiry date of the corresponding debit card.
Transaction Limits: To ensure strict cybersecurity, newly created NRI UPI profiles undergo an initial 24-hour cooling period, during which transactions are capped at ₹5,000. Following the cooling phase, the standard daily transaction limit scales up to ₹1 lakh across a maximum of 24 transactions per day.
