ICICI Bank this week announced that it has enabled its non-resident Indian (NRI) customers to use their international mobile number to make Unified Payment Interface (UPI) payments instantly in India. The leading Indian private sector bank claims this facility will significantly enhance the convenience of making everyday payments to India, a common requirement among the Indian diaspora populations around the world.
With the iMobile Pay facility, NRI customers can make payments for their utility bills, merchant and e-commerce transactions with their international mobile number registered with their Non-Resident External (NRE) or Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) bank account held with ICICI Bank in India.
This service, now available through the bank’s mobile banking app known as iMobile Pay, removes the earlier requirement for NRIs to register an Indian mobile number with their banks to make UPI payments.
Sidharatha Mishra, Head – Digital Channels and Partnerships at ICICI Bank, said: “We are delighted to partner with NPCI to launch the UPI facility on international mobile number 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. This launch reinforces our commitment to provide our NRI customers with innovative solutions, for them to have a safe, secure and hassle-free payment experience.
“We are witnessing a positive response from our NRI customers who have started using this facility. With this initiative, we intend to leverage on NPCI’s UPI Infrastructure in strengthening and transforming the digital payments ecosystem globally”.
To bring forth this facility, ICICI Bank has leveraged on the international infrastructure laid down by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for convenient usage of UPI across countries. The Bank offers this facility across the US, UK, UAE, Canada, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
NRI customers of the Bank can make UPI payments by scanning any Indian QR code, sending money to a UPI ID or any Indian mobile number or Indian bank account.
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To activate the UPI facility on an international mobile number using iMobile Pay:
Step 1: Log in to iMobile Pay app
Step 2: Click on ‘UPI Payments’
Step 3: Verify Mobile Number
Step 4: Click on Manage –> My Profile
*Info: iMobile Pay