India expands UPI wallet to include all inbound travelers

Foreign travelers visiting India will now be able to make digital payments through UPI, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) said.

The ‘UPI One World’ wallet, previously available only to visitors from G20 countries, has been expanded to include inbound travelers from all nations.

This service launched just in time for the World Heritage Committee’s 46th session – hosted by India for the first time – and will allow visitors to experience India’s popular real-time payment system, UPI (Unified Payments Interface).

“This move aims to enhance the experience for visitors by equipping them with UPI, the most preferred payment choice among Indians,” said an NPCI spokesperson. 

NPCI also said that the initiative will simplify financial management for international visitors as they will be able to load funds and transfer the remaining balance back to their original payment source, adhering to foreign exchange regulations.

“By enabling foreign travelers to experience the real-time payments system developed by India, we are taking a significant stride towards creating a more interconnected global digital payments ecosystem,” the spokesperson added.

Some countries, however, will be excluded from the service “as per regulatory guidance,” NPCI added. 

The delegates at the ongoing World Heritage Committee, and inbound travelers, can simply scan QR at merchant locations and make payments. 

The wallet can be obtained through authorized PPI issuers at airports, hotels, money exchange locations, and other designated points.

 A full KYC (Know Your Customer) process will ensure security, requiring only a passport and valid visa. 

For the World Heritage Committee meeting, wallets will also be available at Bharat Mandapam, the event venue. 

Once issued, the wallet can be loaded with funds in cash or through other payment methods.

The service is a collaborative effort between NPCI, IDFC First Bank, and Transcorp International Limited, under the guidance of the Reserve Bank of India.

The payment interface processed 14 billion transactions in June alone, valued at ₹20.07 trillion (approximately $240 billion), making it the most-used payment system in India as it accounted for 80% of all such transactions in 2023.