To activate UPI International, open your UPI app (e.g., Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, BHIM), navigate to your profile/bank account settings, select 'UPI International' or 'UPI Global,' and enable it by entering your UPI PIN. This authorizes payments in foreign currency at enabled merchant locations.
Open Google Pay app . Scan the International QR code. Tap Activate UPI International. Enter your PIN.
UPI Global Acceptance allows Indian users to make QR code-based payments at select international merchant stores using UPI-powered apps. Launched by NPCI, this feature lets users pay directly from their Indian bank account while abroad—securely, instantly, and in local currency.
How to Activate UPI One World?
Yes, you can use the BHIM app outside India. According to the official BHIM website FAQs, users can send and collect money for their local accounts while abroad. The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system, upon which BHIM operates, now has global acceptance.
The UPI linkage must be through an NRE or NRO account. Your international mobile number (the one you currently use abroad) must be linked to your NRE/NRO account with your bank. The verification SMS is sent to this linked number during setup.
Yes, NRIs can use their international mobile numbers for BHIM UPI app registration. This service is available for INR transactions in India for NRIs from approved geographies, including Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UAE, UK, and USA.
3: BHIM UPI has the added advantage of being backed by the government, so it is regarded as safer and secure compared to Google Pay. Though Google Pay has enhanced security features like biometric authentication as well as PIN or pattern, extensive data syncing makes it less secure.
How to Activate UPI for NRI Users
Unified Payment Interface (UPI) is currently accepted in eight countries— Bhutan, Singapore, Qatar, Mauritius, Nepal, UAE, Sri Lanka and France. Acceptability of India's digital payment network overseas enables Indian tourists to make UPI payments for transactions abroad.
It uses USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) technology, which works on basic phones too. This service helps people across India do banking just by dialling *99# from their mobile.
Open Google Pay app . Scan the International QR code. Tap Activate UPI International. Enter your PIN.
Using UPI to make payments abroad
To get started, you will need to activate international payments on UPI apps that support international payments, such as PhonePe, Google Pay, and Bhim UPI app. Here's our guide to UPI International with PhonePe - one of the first UPI apps to support global payments.
Non-Resident Indians can simplify managing finances in India using UPI. This guide covers eligibility, required accounts (NRE/NRO), and a list of major Indian banks supporting UPI, including State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, and Axis Bank.
Disadvantages include a daily transaction limit of ₹1,00,000 (though some banks may impose lower limits) and fewer features compared to private UPI applications that offer rewards or cashback.
UPI vs BHIM
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is a real-time payment system through which money can be transferred from one bank to another. Whereas BHIM (Bharat Interface for Money) is the mobile application through which the money transfer takes place.
India's UPI ecosystem continues to redefine digital payments — clocking billions of transactions every month. And leading the charge are a few giants who dominate the space. PhonePe reigns supreme with 8.96 Bn transactions, followed by Google Pay at 6.83 Bn and Paytm at 1.39 Bn.
As of now, residents of 10 countries can use UPI with their international (non-Indian) number. Hence, you can use this facility if you live in the UK, the USA, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, or the UAE.
UPI set up process for NRIs
The most popular ones are BHIM UPI, Google Pay, and PhonePe. Select one app, and download and install it on your phone.
New rules for NRIs in India focus on stricter tax residency criteria from April 2026, increasing the stay threshold to 120 days for high-income NRIs (over ₹15 lakh Indian income) to become Resident but Not Ordinarily Resident (RNOR) and introducing "deemed residency" for high-income Indians in tax havens; also, higher TCS thresholds for LRS remittances (to ₹10L) and removal of TCS for education loans are recent changes from Budget 2025-26, alongside increased reporting of foreign assets.
*99# is a USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) based mobile banking service from NPCI that brings together diverse ecosystem partners such as Banks & TSPs (Telecom Service Providers). Using *99# service, a customer can access financial services by dialling *99# from his/her mobile registered with the bank.
What are the essential steps to prepare before you leave India?
Earlier, UPI required only Indian (+91) mobile numbers. However, in January 2023, the NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) allowed NRIs from selected countries to use international mobile numbers linked to NRE/NRO accounts for UPI activation.