**Policy Summary: RBI/2022-23/176**
**Subject:** Issuance of Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs) to Foreign Nationals/Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) Visiting India.
**Issuing Authority:** Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Department of Payment and Settlement Systems.
**Date:** February 10, 2023
**Target Audience:** All Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) Issuers (Banks and Non-banks) and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
**Purpose:** To announce the decision to allow access to Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to foreign nationals and NRIs visiting India, as stated in the Statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies dated February 08, 2023.
**Key Provisions:**
* Initially, the UPI facility will be available to travelers from G20 countries at select international airports for merchant payments (P2M) during their stay in India.
* The initiative will be progressively expanded to include all entry points across the country.
* The Master Directions on Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs) dated August 27, 2021 (updated as of November 12, 2021) have been updated by inserting paragraph 10.3.
**Effective Date:** Immediately.
**Legal Basis:** This circular is issued under Section 10(2) read with Section 18 of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (Act 51 of 2007).
**Contact Information:** P. Vasudevan, Chief General Manager, Department of Payment and Settlement Systems, Central Office, 14th Floor, Central Office Building, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Fort, Mumbai - 400001. Tel: 91-22-2260 1000; Fax: 91-22-2265 9566; Email: cgmdpsscorbi.org.in
Key Entities Referenced
Mumbai, Maharashtra: Location of the Central Office of the Department of Payment and Settlement Systems.
Prepaid Payment Instrument PPI: A payment instrument that stores value electronically, allowing users to make payments up to the value stored.
Foreign Nationals NonResident Indians NRIs: Individuals who are not citizens of India or are Indian citizens residing outside of India.
Unified Payments Interface UPI: A real-time payment system that facilitates instant fund transfers between two bank accounts using a mobile platform.
G20 countries: A group of twenty major economies of the world.
National Payments Corporation of India NPCI: An organization that operates retail payments and settlement systems in India.
Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007: An act of the Indian Parliament that provides for the regulation and supervision of payment systems in India.
P Vasudevan: Chief General Manager at Reserve Bank of India.
RBI/2022-23/176
CO.DPSS.POLC.No.S–1907/02.14.006/2022-23 February 10, 2023
All Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) Issuers (Banks and Non-banks)
and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)
Madam / Dear Sir,
Issuance of PPIs to Foreign Nationals / Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) visiting India
As announced in the Statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies dated February
08, 2023, it has been decided to allow access to Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to foreign
nationals and NRIs visiting India. To start with, this facility will be extended to travellers from
the G-20 countries at select international airports for their merchant payments (P2M) while
they are in the country. Going forward, this will be enabled across all entry points in the
country. The Master Directions on Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs) dated August 27,
2021 (updated as on November 12, 2021) has been updated by inserting paragraph 10.3
therein.
2. These instructions shall come into effect immediately.
3. This circular is issued under Section 10 (2) read with Section 18 of the Payment and
Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (Act 51 of 2007).
Yours faithfully,
(P Vasudevan)
Chief General Manager
भुगतान और िनपटान �णाली िवभाग, क��ीय कायार्लय, 14 वी मंिजल, क��ीय कायार्लय भवन,शहीद भगत �संह माग,र् फोटर्, मुम्बई - 400001
फोनTel: (91-22) 2260 1000; फैक्स Fax: (91-22) 2265 9566; ईमेल-e-mail : cgmdpssco@rbi.org.in
Department of Payment and Settlement Systems, Central Office, 14th Floor, Central Office Building, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Fort, Mumbai -400001
�हदं ी आसान ह,ै इसका �योग बढ़ाइए