Can NRIs use UPI from abroad?

Yes — through five practical routes: an NRO account linked to UPI via an Indian-issued debit card, SBNRI's NRI-focused UPI service, NPCI International (live for NRIs with bank accounts in the UK, Singapore, UAE, Australia, Canada, France, Mauritius and a few others), keeping an active Indian SIM with international roaming, or setting up UPI during a visit and continuing to use it from abroad.

Why doesn't my US credit card work in India?

It works, but only at a small fraction of merchants. India's credit-card conversion rate is around 40 percent at point of sale; UPI converts at over 80 percent. Most small merchants, all auto-rickshaws, most local restaurants, and most utility billers accept UPI but not Visa or Mastercard. Even where US cards are accepted, dynamic currency conversion and FX markup can add 3 to 5 percent to every transaction.

What is the cheapest way for an NRI to pay for things in India?

UPI from an NRO account is effectively free per transaction. There is no FX markup because the rupees are already in India. The only cost is the FX conversion when you funded the NRO account in the first place — which is a one-time decision you can optimise via Wise, Aspora, or XE.

Does GPay work in India for NRIs?

GPay India is different from GPay outside India. To use GPay India for UPI payments you need an Indian phone number, a UPI-linked Indian bank account (NRE, NRO, or savings), and the Indian version of the app. The international GPay app does not support UPI.

What is NPCI International?

NPCI International is the cross-border arm of NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India). It enables NRIs in select countries (UK, Singapore, UAE, Australia, Canada, France, Mauritius, Bhutan, Nepal, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia) to link their international bank accounts to UPI and pay Indian merchants directly. Coverage is rolling out per corridor; check your partner bank for current support.

★ NRI Money · UPI for NRIs · Route 3

NPCI International — pay UPI from your foreign bank account

NPCI International (NIPL) is the cross-border arm of NPCI. You link your foreign bank account to UPI through a partner bank in your country. Pay Indian merchants direct from your overseas balance — no Indian SIM, no NRE/NRO required first.

⬅ All 5 routes

What this route is

You link your foreign bank account to UPI via a partner bank in your country. Pay Indian merchants direct from your overseas balance — no Indian SIM, no NRO/NRE required first. The FX conversion happens inside the rail at a near-mid-market rate.

Country-by-country coverage (May 2026)

UK: Lyca Mobile, NSDL Payments Bank
UAE: Mashreq Bank, NEOPAY
Singapore: DBS, Liquid Group
Australia: Recent (2025) — selected partners
Canada: RBL Bank corridor partners
France, Mauritius, Bhutan, Nepal, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia: Various partners — corridor by corridor

Check the partner-bank's UPI International support page before assuming it works in your country. Coverage expands quarterly.

Setup steps

Confirm coverage in your country via the NPCI Global page.
Open an account with a participating partner bank (e.g. Lyca in UK, Mashreq in UAE).
Enable UPI International in their app.
Pay Indian merchants via QR code or UPI ID — the FX conversion is handled in-rail.

When to use this vs direct NRO

NPCI International is great if you don't want an NRO account at all — say, you're in the UK on a short-term work visa and don't plan to maintain Indian-bank infrastructure. The trade-off: per-transaction FX cost is higher than direct NRO (which has zero per-transaction FX because the rupees are already in India).

Direct NRO wins on cost. NPCI International wins on simplicity if you don't already have NRO + Indian SIM.

Next route

Indian SIM + GPay · Set up during your next visit →

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