How UAE residents can use UPI to transfer money to India

Indian citizens living in the UAE have experienced the convenience of UPI first-hand on their trips back home.

The Unified Payments Interface allows users to transfer money to each other instantly. Users can send and receive money from people and merchants and even allows one to pay bills. These transfers are not limited by time, and are available 24x7.

Aside from that, these payments can be made by simply scanning a QR code or putting in the receiver's phone number or UPI ID eliminating the need of bank details when making the transfer.

In February 2024, during a visit from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to UAE, an agreement was signed, allowing Non Resident Indians (NRIs) to make UPI transactions.

Several banks in India allow Non-Resident Indians from the UAE to link their UPI account to an international mobile number; they are:

Currently, payments from and to only these specific bank accounts are facilitated:

In case you wish to send money from a UAE-based account in an Indian bank to an Indian account, you can do so through UPI too. There are multiple ways that one can transfer money using UPI. Some banks allow users to either do so directly through the bank's app itself. Else, one can use any of the approved digital payment apps to make the transfer.

The banks that allow for UPI transfer through their apps are listed below:

The digital payments apps for NRIs to make UPI transfers are:

In order to make instant payments within India from your NRE/NRO or regular account, here's what you have to do:

First, you must ensure your bank account's KYC has been completed. Your UAE phone number should also be linked to your bank account.

Then, you can either use your bank's app or your preferred digital payments app to register. Once you put in your phone number and other relevant details you will be able to make instantaneous transfers using just your phone.