UPI payments abroad: Countries accepting UPI payments and activation guide

The Ministry of External Affairs recently declared the availability of Unified Payment Interface (UPI) services in Sri Lanka and Mauritius. Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in a virtual event to inaugurate UPI and Rupay card services in these countries. Additionally, earlier this month, NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) and Lyra disclosed the adoption of UPI in France. This means a lot of things are happening around the UPI payments to simplify international travel.

In the last two years, numerous nations have begun to acknowledge payments via UPI applications. Here's a list of countries where Indians can use UPI for making payments.

NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), the global subsidiary of the National Payment Corporation of India, has collaborated with the Royal Monetary Authority (RMA) of Bhutan to facilitate and implement BHIM UPI QR-based payments in Bhutan on July 13, 2021.

As per the NPCI press release from the same date, "The introduction of BHIM UPI in Bhutan represents a significant achievement in financial integration between the two economies. The partnership between NIPL and RMA will facilitate the acceptance of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-powered BHIM App in Bhutan."

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), International Payments Ltd (NIPL), and the Central Bank of Oman (CBO) was executed on October 4, 2022. As per the press release from the Embassy of India in Oman, "This MoU facilitates the acceptance of Indian RuPay cards issued by banks in India across all OmanNet network ATMs, POS, and E-commerce sites. It also establishes reciprocal acceptance of Oman cards/MPCSS within the networks of NPCI in India. Additionally, the MoU paves the way for forming partnerships to enable real-time cross-border remittances between India and Oman using UPI rails."

An Indian traveler in Mauritius can utilize UPI for transactions with local businesses due to this connectivity. Likewise, a tourist from Mauritius using the Instant Payment System (IPS) app can achieve the same in India.

Furthermore, the adoption of RuPay technology will enable banks in Mauritius to issue RuPay cards locally through the MauCAS card network.

The digital payment integration with Sri Lanka allows Indian travelers to utilize their UPI apps for making QR code-based payments at various merchant locations in Sri Lanka.

Nepali users now have the capability to perform a bank transfer to India using a Unified Payment Interface (UPI) ID through mobile banking.

As per the RBI press release dated February 15, 2024, "The Reserve Bank of India and Nepal Rastra Bank have formally agreed and exchanged Terms of Reference for the integration of fast payment systems between India and Nepal, specifically, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) of India and the National Payments Interface (NPI) of Nepal. This integration aims to facilitate cross-border remittances between the two countries, allowing users to make instant, cost-effective fund transfers."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan inaugurated Unified Payment Interface (UPI) services in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

The renowned Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, has officially adopted India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) service.

As stated in the NPCI press release dated February 2, 2024, "NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), in collaboration with Lyra, a leading French provider of secure e-commerce and proximity payments, has introduced the acceptance of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payment method in France, commencing with the iconic Eiffel Tower."

NIPL has entered into an agreement with Liquid Group to facilitate QR-based UPI payments in 10 countries, encompassing Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, Cambodia, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

- Open the UPI app and navigate to the home screen
- Click on your profile picture
- In the Payment Settings section, choose UPI International
- Locate the Activate button next to the preferred bank account for international UPI payments and click on it.
- Confirm the activation by entering your UPI PIN.

- Open the Google Pay app
- Tap on "Scan QR code."
- Scan the QR code provided by the international merchant.
- Enter the amount in the payable foreign currency.
- Choose the bank account you want to use for international payment.
- Confirm the payment by entering your UPI PIN.

Note: Similar to domestic UPI payments, international transactions may incur bank fees and be subject to foreign exchange conversion rates.