UPI for NRIs: Secure UPI payment app for NRIs - ICICI Bank’s iMobile app

UPI enables ICICI Bank Account Holders to send and receive money from their smartphones with a single identifier i.e. Virtual Payment Address (VPA), using their registered Indian or overseas mobile number from select geographies, i.e. Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UAE, UK and USA.

UPI can be used for transactions in Indian Rupees (INR) for:

• Sending money/ making payments to Indian merchants or UPI or VPA IDs
• Scanning any UPI QR code to send money
• Sending money to any Indian mobile number (if the mobile number is enabled for UPI)
• Sending money to an Indian Bank Accountow can an NRI set up a UPI or VPA ID?.

Yes, NRIs can use UPI from their registered overseas mobile number from the approved geographies, i.e. Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UAE, UK and USA for INR transactions in India.

NRIs can set up a UPI or VPA ID using their ICICI Bank registered Indian mobile number or overseas mobile number from the approved geographies, i.e. Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UAE, UK and USA.

ICICI Bank NRI customers can register themselves for UPI by following these steps:

Log in to ICICI Bank’s iMobile app  → UPI Payments  → Claim UPI ID  → Link your Bank Account  → Set UPI PIN → Authenticate yourself using Aadhaar or Debit Card based OTP Authentication  → Success

According to National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) guidelines, the per day UPI transaction limit for P2P (Person to Person) based transactions is set at ₹1 lakh (₹1,00,000) cumulative transaction value or a maximum of 20 transactions and ₹5 lakh (₹5,00,000) cumulative transaction value or a maximum of 20 transactions for P2M (Person to Merchant) based transactions.

The UPI transaction limit per day has been defined by each bank in the UPI network and varies from bank to bank. ICICI Bank’s transaction limit for UPI is ₹1,00,000 per day.

However, in the case of a new UPI or VPA ID registration, the limit is ₹5,000 for the first 24 hours (Android devices) and for the first 72 hours (iOS devices). After the designated duration the limit is reset to ₹1,00,000.

As various security processes are incorporated into the UPI payment ecosystem, NRIs can securely use UPI for their INR transactions.

The UPI or VPA ID is a unique identifier of a customer’s identity. The UPI PIN is set up by the customer and must be always kept confidential.

To process a transaction through UPI, entering the UPI PIN is mandatory, which is a 4-digit PIN set up by the customer to authenticate transactions.

As and when a customer registers for UPI, his/her mobile number is verified through SMS authentication. The application then automatically links the customer’s UPI Account to his/her registered mobile number.

In the instance that a customer’s mobile phone gets stolen/lost, the customer can block his/her mobile number as a precaution against identity theft by calling the Customer Care of their telecommunication service provider.

Currently, there are no charges for using UPI applicable for NRIs. However, this is subject to change as per NPCI guidelines.

Yes, an NRI can link multiple bank accounts to a single UPI or VPA ID.

There are various reasons for a UPI transaction failure, including but not limited to:

• Maintenance and system related upgradation, leading to downtime of Remitter bank’s system or Beneficiary bank’s system or the NPCI system
• Incorrect UPI PIN
• Incorrect Beneficiary UPI or VPA ID
• Beneficiary does not have an active UPI or VPA ID linked with any account

In case of failed UPI transactions, the money (if debited) will be credited back to the Remitter’s account instantly. In case of timed-out transactions, the amount will be settled within 2 working days.

For more details, you may contact our 24x7 Customer Care. Click here to know the Customer Care numbers.  

During the call with our Customer Care, please share the following details:

• Transaction ID
• Your VPA ID
• Beneficiary VPA ID (in case of payment request) or Remitter VPA ID (in case of collection request)
• Date and time of transaction.

Yes, NRIs can carry out the following UPI transactions from outside India:

• Sending money/ making payments to Indian merchants or UPI or VPA IDs
• Scanning any Indian QR code to send money to the QR code/ associated VPA
• Sending money to any Indian mobile number (if the mobile number is enabled for UPI)
• Sending money to an Indian Bank Account.

Yes, NRIs can use UPI for transactions in India. NRIs can generate a UPI or VPA ID on ICICI Bank iMobile application by using their ICICI Bank registered Indian mobile number or overseas mobile number from approved geographies, i.e. Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UAE, UK and USA.

No, UPI transactions from NRO Account to NRE Account are not permitted

The lists of permissible transactions are:

• NRE to NRE Account
• NRE to NRO Account
• NRE to Resident Account
• NRO to NRO Account
• NRO to Resident Account.

• Send Money/ Pay Indian merchants or UPI or VPA IDs Steps: iMobile login → UPI Payments → Pay UPI ID or number → Enter amount → Pre confirmation → Enter PIN → Success
• Scan any Indian QR Code Steps: iMobile login → UPI Payments → Scan QR Code → Enter amount → Confirm to Pay → Enter PIN → Success
• Send money to contacts (Only Indian numbers are allowed as Beneficiary details) Steps: iMobile login → UPI Payments → Pay Mobile Number → Type/select any mobile number or UPI number → Pre confirmation → Enter PIN → Success
• Send Money to Account Steps: iMobile login → UPI Payments → Pay to self/ bank account → Enter details of Beneficiary → Pre confirmation → Enter PIN → Success

No, currently UPI transactions are allowed in Indian Rupee (INR) only.

In case of successful UPI transactions, the funds get credited into the beneficiary’s Account instantaneously.

No, all transactions carried out through UPI are instantaneous and cannot be cancelled or reversed once the correct UPI authorisation PIN has been entered. Please check the pre-confirmation screen or option thoroughly prior to authorising any UPI transaction.

No, in case an Account Holder is not registered on UPI, they can still receive money through UPI. You can use the option ‘Pay to self or Bank Account’ and then enter the Bank Account details of the beneficiary.

It depends on the particular third party UPI application provider.

No, to process UPI transactions, a customer is not required to activate an international roaming facility. The ICICI Bank iMobile application is functional on Wi-Fi, through which an NRI can initiate and process UPI payments. However, if the NRI customer changes his/her overseas SIM to an Indian SIM upon arrival in India and in case the customer had previously enabled UPI using his/her international number, then the application will ask the customer to create a new UPI ID using his/her Indian mobile number.

Yes, an NRI can directly transfer money to a beneficiary account using UPI by following the process below.

Steps: iMobile login → UPI Payments → Pay to self/ bank account → Enter details of Beneficiary → Pre confirmation → Enter PIN → Success

Send Money to Account

Yes, any customer registered on UPI can make payment to the Beneficiary’s account, even if the beneficiary is not registered on UPI. This feature works as below:

Steps: iMobile login → UPI Payments → Pay to self/ bank account → Enter details of Beneficiary → Pre confirmation → Enter PIN → Success

As per NPCI, if a customer is making a payment towards educational or medical service that is verified or registered with NPCI, then the UPI transfer limit is up to ₹5 lakh (₹5,00,000.00).

No. Upon registration, an NRI can carry out UPI transactions using the same device and UPI or VPA ID, through the linked mobile number.

NRIs can easily make UPI payments using Wi-Fi in case of cellular network issues when international roaming is inactive.

You can access your UPI associated transactions for all your NRI Accounts using a single VPA or UPI ID.

The service provided under UPI is instant and available 24x7, even on public/bank holidays. Customers can transfer funds in simple steps by providing the UPI/VPA ID of the Beneficiary. Also, there is no pre–registration required for any Beneficiary.

For any transaction, you will see a status instantly on your screen. If for some reason, the transaction is delayed or pending, the result will be posted on your transaction history page along with a UTR number or bank reference number. Additionally, you will also receive an SMS or e-mail from your Bank if the transaction is successful.

UPI services are available 24 hours of the day, all days of the week, throughout the year. There are no holiday restrictions on UPI transactions.

Currently, a payment can only be made to contacts having a valid Indian mobile number, and that too can be made only if the respective contact has a valid UPI or VPA ID linked to a bank account. Please check with your contact if they have a valid UPI or VPA ID linked with a bank account.

Alternatively, you can directly send money to their Indian bank account using ‘Pay to self or Bank Account’ option or by scanning their UPI QR Code or making a payment to the Beneficiary’s UPI ID.

When you enter a contact, the Account Holder’s name (as mentioned in the bank’s system) will be displayed. This is for the customer to cross-check that the beneficiary and the bank account to which the customer wants to send money belong to the same person. In case of any discrepancy, please re-confirm the UPI ID of the beneficiary. Money transfers through UPI on ICICI Bank’s iMobile app cannot be reversed.

Currently, payment to a contact is only available to Indian numbers and that too can be made only if the contact has a valid UPI or VPA ID associated with an Indian Bank Account.

Alternatively, you can directly send money to their Indian Bank Account using ‘Pay to self or Bank Account’ option or by scanning their UPI QR Code or making a payment to the beneficiary’s UPI ID.

Yes, NRIs can now access ‘UPI Mandate’ using international mobile numbers.

Yes, if your UPI ID remains inactive for 12 months, it will get deactivated and inward credit will be blocked through UPI for the linked account. You may initiate a PIN based UPI transaction through ICICI Bank’s iMobile app to activate or unblock the inward credit.