In a new initiative for making payments easier for the Non-Resident Indians, ICICI Bank has launched a new facility which enables them to use their international phone numbers to make quick UPI payments. The initiative, announced on May 6, will be available on ICICI's mobile banking app, 'iMobile Pay.' This marks an ease in the process for the NRIs as they earlier had to register an Indian mobile for doing similar transactions.
Upon the launch, Sidharatha Mishra, Head of Digital Channels and Partnerships at ICICI Bank, said, “We are delighted to partner with NPCI to launch the UPI facility on international mobile numbers through iMobile Pay. With this facility, our NRI customers residing in 10 countries do not need to switch to an Indian mobile number to pay using UPI. We are witnessing a positive response from our NRI customers who have started using this facility. With this initiative, we intend to leverage NPCI’s UPI Infrastructure to strengthen and transform the digital payments ecosystem globally."
ICICI Bank uses the worldwide framework built by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to provide simple access to UPI services in ten countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, UAE, Canada, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
NRIs in these countries may now be able to easily complete transactions by scanning any Indian QR code and sending funds to a UPI ID, Indian cellphone number, or even a bank account.
How can NRIs make UPI payments using the ICICI mobile? Here's a step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Log in to the iMobile app
Step 2: Go to ‘UPI Payments’
Step 3: You will need to verify your mobile number, verify it at this step
Step 4: Go to Manage and click on 'My Profile'
Step 5: Create a fresh UPI ID
Step 6: Select the account and submit
With the help of this facility, NRIs can manage several payments, like their utility bills, and merchant services or even pay for online commerce transactions directly with their international phone number that is linked to their NRE or NRO accounts at ICICI bank in India
