Can a client pay me by credit card from abroad?
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Short answer
Yes. The FEMA (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026 require export receipts to come through an Authorised Dealer bank in the manner RBI permits and do not bar cards, so a foreign client can pay by card through a bank or an RBI-authorised payment aggregator.1 If a cross-border payment aggregator (PA-CB) processes the payment, each transaction is capped at ₹25 lakh.2
Card payment suits clients who would rather not set up a bank wire: a parent in Dubai paying an online tutor, a startup in Austin paying a UI designer, or a small firm in Leeds paying a bookkeeper. It is allowed, but the money has to come through a regulated channel and your normal export duties still apply.
Do RBI rules allow export payment by card?
Yes. Under the Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026 (the 2026 Regulations), in force from 1 October 2026, export receipts must come through an Authorised Dealer (AD) bank in the manner RBI specifies, and the bank credits you after satisfying itself the transaction is genuine.1 The regulations do not name or bar card payments.1
Which channels can take the card payment?
A foreign card payment usually reaches you through one of three routes, which RBI's Master Direction on Regulation of Payment Aggregator treats differently:2
| Channel | RBI position |
|---|---|
| Your bank's merchant acquiring | Banks do not need payment aggregator authorisation |
| Payment Aggregator, Cross Border (PA-CB) with inward authorisation | Needs RBI authorisation; ₹25 lakh per transaction |
| Domestic aggregator accepting international cards, where the card network settles the foreign exchange and the aggregator receives rupees | Not PA-CB activity |
Before signing up with a non-bank provider, check its name on RBI's list; see how to check RBI authorisation. Published card fees for each provider are compared in accepting international card payments.
What paperwork still applies?
The payment method does not change the export rules. You still:1
- File an Export Declaration Form (EDF) within 30 days from the end of the month of invoicing, or for non-software services, on or before the date payment is received.1
- Realise the invoice value within nine months of the invoice date, or twelve months if invoiced or settled in rupees.1
- Get the EDPMS entry closed. A PA-CB must give your bank the documents needed to close it.2
What risk is specific to card payments?
Card payments can be reversed through a chargeback after you have delivered the work. If that happens, the reversed amount is money not realised, and you ask your AD bank for a reduction in export value; for export values up to ₹10 lakh, your declaration is enough.1 Keep the dispute record. See chargebacks on international payments.
For the full rules, including refunds and settlement, read export payment by card under RBI rules. If your situation is unusual, confirm with a chartered accountant or your bank.
How did we verify this?
We checked this page against the sources below on 28 October 2026. Read our methodology or report an error.
- [1]RBI: Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026, Notification No. FEMA 23(R)/2026-RB, amended up to 22 September 2026 (regulations 3, 4, 5 and 6)
- [2]RBI: Master Direction on Regulation of Payment Aggregator, 15 September 2025, paragraphs 4(i), 11 and 13
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a merchant account to accept a card from a foreign client?+
You need a channel that can acquire the card payment: your bank's merchant service or a payment aggregator. A non-bank cross-border aggregator needs RBI authorisation.2
What happens if the client disputes the card payment?+
The reversed amount is not realised. Your AD bank can allow a reduction in export value under regulation 6, on your declaration alone for export values up to ₹10 lakh.1
Is there a lighter KYC for small exporters?+
Yes. RBI allows a payment aggregator to use a simpler due diligence process for merchants whose annual export turnover does not exceed ₹5 lakh.2
Do I still file an EDF for a card payment?+
Yes. From 1 October 2026 every service exporter files an Export Declaration Form within 30 days from the end of the month of invoicing, or, for non-software services, on or before the date payment is received.1
This page is general information for Indian service exporters, not tax or legal advice. Rules change and outcomes depend on your facts, so confirm with a chartered accountant before acting.
Keep reading
Can an Indian exporter accept payment by card from a foreign client?
What RBI and FEMA rules say when a foreign client pays an Indian service exporter by credit or debit card, including PA-CB, refunds, chargebacks and the EDF.
PaymentsHow can an Indian business accept international card payments?
How Indian exporters accept Visa, Mastercard and Amex cards from foreign clients: RBI PA-CB rules, published card fees by provider, eligibility, settlement and FIRA.
PaymentsHow do chargebacks work on international payments received in India?
How chargebacks on foreign card payments work for Indian exporters: Visa dispute categories and time limits, RBI rules, provider dispute fees, and how to respond.
RBI and FEMAWhat is the PA-CB transaction limit for export payments?
RBI caps each cross-border payment aggregator (PA-CB) transaction at ₹25 lakh. What that means for invoices, how it compares with old OPGSP limits, and options.