Payments

PayPal or Wise: What RBI's FIRC Rules Mean for Getting Paid by a French Client

Author:: Editorial team, serviceexportguide.com
Verified by:: Editorial team
Published: 31 October 2026
Last modified: 31 October 2026
Fees checked on: 28 October 2026
Reading time: 6 min read

Short answer

A French client's payment for services from India must be realised within nine months of the invoice date under RBI's 2026 Regulations.¹² PayPal charges 4.40% plus 0.35 EUR per international sale and gives a free weekly digital FIRA.³⁴ Wise gives EUR account details and an e-FIRC per transfer.⁵ Euro transfers from France move over SEPA.⁶

Applies to	Rules involved	Platforms compared	Last verified
Indian freelancers and exporters paid in EUR by clients in France¹⁶	FEMA 2026 Regulations, regulations 3 to 5; PA Master Direction para 11(d); IGST Act section 2(6)¹⁷⁸	Skydo, Razorpay, Karbon Business, PayPal, Wise⁹¹⁰¹¹³⁵	31 October 2026

Invoice amountCurrencyHow the client pays

900 EUR = ₹93,742 at the reference rate for 13 November 2026 (European Central Bank data).

Estimated rupees received, on published fees

Sorted by estimated rupees received, highest first. Only providers that publish both their fee and their conversion markup for this currency and method can be estimated.

#	Provider and route	Best for	Fee (+GST)	Markup	You receive	Cost
1	Karbon BusinessLowest estimated costBank transfer to a Karbon virtual USD account	US bank transfers and marketplace payouts	₹937plus GST, rate not stated	0%	₹92,636 to ₹92,804	1.00 to 1.18%
2	RazorpayMoneySaver Export Account: bank transfer to virtual account details (Standard plan)	Local transfers from the US, UK and eurozone	₹1,000plus GST, rate not stated	0%	₹92,562 to ₹92,742	1.07 to 1.26%
3	WinvestaGlobal Collections Account, standard plan (up to 2,000 a month per currency)	Local transfers with a published per-payment fee	₹1,710	0%	₹92,032	1.82%
4	SkydoTransfer to Skydo local account details or international SWIFT account	Local bank transfers from major markets	₹2,113	0%	₹91,629	2.25%
5	PayoneerLocal bank transfer to Payoneer receiving account details	Marketplace payouts such as Amazon or Upwork	₹0no GST stated	1 to 4%	₹89,992 to ₹92,804	1.00 to 4.00%
6	PayPalInternational commercial transaction received into a PayPal account (PayPal checkout or invoice)	Clients paying by card or PayPal balance	₹4,161no GST stated	3 to 4%	₹85,997 to ₹86,893	7.31 to 8.26%

Not estimated because pricing is not fully published: Cashfree Payments, Dodo Payments, PingPong, Tazapay, TransFi, Wise.

Where a provider says GST applies to its fee but not at what rate, the range runs from no GST to 18%, the rate Skydo, Stripe and Winvesta state on their pages. Estimates use each provider's published fee, conversion markup, GST on fees and FIRA charge, checked 2026-10-28, against the reference rate. They exclude charges taken by intermediary banks and your own bank, and the rate a provider actually applies at the time of conversion. Check the provider's pricing page before you choose. The order is calculated only from these published numbers; no provider can pay to change its position, and there are no affiliate links.

Getting paid by a client in France usually comes down to PayPal or a euro bank transfer, often through Wise. One point on the title: the FIRC (Foreign Inward Remittance Certificate) or FIRA itself is issued by the bank or provider that credits the money, while RBI's Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026 set the realisation deadline and the Export Declaration Form (EDF).⁴⁵¹ This page covers both, and compares PayPal and Wise with the lowest-cost options for euros. Confirm details for your business with a chartered accountant.

How do PayPal and Wise compare for getting paid by a French client?

PayPal suits a French client paying by card or PayPal balance, and Wise suits one paying by euro bank transfer; Skydo, Razorpay and Karbon Business are added as the lowest estimated cost on published fees for a EUR 4,500 receipt.¹²⁵²⁰²¹²² Rows run by that estimate, cheapest first; Wise cannot be estimated and follows.

Platform	Best for	Fee	FX markup	Settlement	FIRA	RBI PA-CB status	Source
Skydo	Local bank transfers from major markets⁹	USD 19 plus GST up to USD 2,000; USD 29 plus GST from USD 2,001 to USD 10,000; 0.3% plus GST above, with EUR among its local accounts²⁰⁹	0% markup on the mid-market rate (product page); retail rate set by Skydo or its partner banks (terms)²³³²	Within 24 hours (product page); T+1 to T+3 business days (terms)²³³²	Free FIRA on every payment²³	PA-CB inward and outward, authorised 8 January 2026²⁴	Skydo FAQs and product page²⁰²³
Razorpay	Local transfers from the US, UK and eurozone¹⁰	1% plus GST on MoneySaver bank transfers, including SEPA in EUR²¹¹⁰	0% on MoneySaver bank transfers²¹	T+1 for bank transfers¹⁰	FIRS within 24 hours of settlement¹⁰	PA-CB inward and outward²⁴	Razorpay docs and pricing¹⁰²¹
Karbon Business	US bank transfers and marketplace payouts¹¹	1% transaction fee; Karbon names EUR among its currencies²²¹¹	0% per the freelancer page; 0.5% to 1.0% per the comparison page¹¹²²	24 to 48 hours¹¹	FIRA for every transaction from a banking partner¹¹	Not on the RBI list itself; its terms run export receipts under a partner the RBI lists as a PA-CB²⁵²⁴	Karbon pages and terms¹¹²⁵
PayPal	Clients paying by card or PayPal balance¹²	4.40% plus 0.35 EUR per international commercial transaction³	3.0% or 4.00% above the base exchange rate³	Up to 5 business days to the bank²⁶	Free weekly digital FIRA from February 2026⁴	In-principle authorisation as an existing PA-CB; not on the authorised list²⁷²⁴	PayPal fees, FIRA and help pages³⁴²⁶
Wise	Bank transfers to local account details⁵	Equivalent of 2 USD per transfer to India (help article); free e-FIRC (receive pricing page); 2.39 EUR per EUR Swift payment in the general fee table⁵¹³²⁸	Conversion fee varies by currency; no INR percentage published²⁸	INR within 1 to 2 days after Wise receives the payment⁵	e-FIRC per transfer within 3 working days⁵	PA-CB inward, authorised 12 March 2026²⁴	Wise help and pricing⁵²⁸¹³

French businesses can pay euro account details by SEPA credit transfer, including SEPA instant credit transfer.⁶

Which RBI rule governs money from a French client?

Money from a French client for services is governed by the Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026, in force from 1 October 2026.¹

Rule	Best for	Plain meaning	Source
Regulation 5	Every services exporter	Realise within nine months of the invoice date; twelve months if invoiced or settled in rupees¹²	RBI¹²
Regulations 3 and 4	Every services exporter	EDF to the AD bank within 30 days from the end of the invoice month; non-software exporters may file on or before the payment date¹	RBI¹
Regulation 6	Exporters paid short after French bank charges	The AD bank can allow a reduction in export value, on declaration alone up to ₹10 lakh¹	RBI¹
PA Master Direction, para 11(d)	Exporters paid through a PA-CB	₹25 lakh limit per cross-border transaction⁷	RBI⁷
Circular No. 84 of 2012	Every receipt	Purpose code of "P" plus four digits on each remittance²⁹	RBI²⁹

The FIRC or FIRA you receive is the evidence that this realisation happened.³⁰ See FIRC, FIRA and e-BRC compared.

What does each option charge for euros from France?

Each option charges for euros differently, and PayPal's fixed fee for EUR is 0.35 EUR.³

Option	Best for	Published charge for EUR	Source
Skydo	Local bank transfers from major markets⁹	Flat fee in USD by payment band, plus GST²⁰	Skydo²⁰
Razorpay MoneySaver	Local transfers from the US, UK and eurozone¹⁰	1% plus GST, 0% FX markup²¹	Razorpay²¹
Karbon Business	US bank transfers and marketplace payouts¹¹	1% transaction fee²²	Karbon²²
PayPal	Clients paying by card or PayPal balance¹²	4.40% plus 0.35 EUR; 3.0% or 4.00% conversion spread³	PayPal³
Wise	Bank transfers to local account details⁵	2 USD equivalent per transfer to India (help article) plus a conversion fee; free e-FIRC (receive pricing page); 18% GST on Wise fees⁵²⁸	Wise⁵²⁸

The EUR receiving guide covers more euro routes.

Which option is cheapest at EUR 500, EUR 2,000 and EUR 5,000?

On published fees, the cheapest euro option depends on the amount, since Skydo's flat fee and the percentage fees cross over as invoices grow.²⁰²¹

Platform	Best for	INR on EUR 1,800	INR on EUR 4,500	INR on EUR 9,000	Cost on EUR 4,500
SkydoMost INRTransfer to Skydo local account details or international SWIFT account	Local bank transfers from major markets	₹1,85,371	₹4,65,484	₹9,34,193	0.69%
Karbon BusinessBank transfer to a Karbon virtual USD account	US bank transfers and marketplace payouts	₹1,85,271 to ₹1,85,609	₹4,63,178 to ₹4,64,022	₹9,26,356 to ₹9,28,043	1.00 to 1.18%
RazorpayMoneySaver Export Account: bank transfer to virtual account details (Standard plan)	Local transfers from the US, UK and eurozone	₹1,85,271 to ₹1,85,609	₹4,63,178 to ₹4,64,022	₹9,26,356 to ₹9,28,043	1.00 to 1.18%
PayPalInternational commercial transaction received into a PayPal account (PayPal checkout or invoice)	Clients paying by card or PayPal balance	₹1,72,030 to ₹1,73,822	₹4,30,127 to ₹4,34,608	₹8,60,289 to ₹8,69,251	7.28 to 8.23%

Not estimated because pricing for EUR is not fully published: Wise.

Ranked by INR received on EUR 4,500. Reference rate: European Central Bank data for 13 November 2026. Fees, conversion markup, GST on fees and FIRA charges as published by each provider, checked 28 October 2026. Ranges appear where a provider publishes a range or does not state its GST rate. Intermediary bank charges are excluded. See the methodology.

For example, on EUR 5,000 PayPal's receiving fee is about 4.41% (4.40% plus 0.35 EUR) before a 3.0% or 4.00% conversion spread,³ while Razorpay MoneySaver charges 1% plus GST with 0% FX markup.²¹

What documents and GST apply to payments from a French client?

A payment from a French client needs your export invoice, an LUT if you are GST-registered, the FIRA or FIRC from the receiving route, an e-BRC from DGFT and, from 1 October 2026, an EDF.³⁰¹⁶³¹¹

Document	Best for	What it does	Source
Export invoice	Every exporter	Rule 46 invoice with the export endorsement and country of destination, France³⁰	CGST Rules³⁰
LUT	GST-registered exporters	Zero-rated supply without IGST¹⁵¹⁶	CBIC, GST portal¹⁵¹⁶
FIRA or FIRC	Every receipt	PayPal weekly digital FIRA; Wise e-FIRC per transfer⁴⁵	PayPal, Wise⁴⁵
e-BRC	Exporters closing the payment trail	Self-generated on DGFT from the bank's IRM³¹	DGFT³¹
EDF	Every services exporter	Declaration to the AD bank¹	RBI¹

The receive money from France to India page covers tax on French income in more depth.

What changes in 2026 for getting paid by a French client?

The 2026 changes for French payments come from RBI's new regulations and from platform licensing.¹²⁴⁴

New FEMA regulations: The 2026 Regulations came into force on 1 October 2026, replacing the 2015 Regulations.¹
EDF for all services: Every services exporter now files an EDF with the AD bank.¹
Nine-month realisation: Regulation 5 as amended on 22 September 2026 sets nine months from the invoice date.²
Wise authorised: Wise was authorised as a PA-CB for inward transactions on 12 March 2026.²⁴
PayPal FIRA: PayPal moved to a free weekly digital FIRA from February 2026.⁴

Check today's rate on the EUR to INR page before quoting a French client in euros.

How did we verify this?

We checked this page against the sources below on 31 October 2026. Provider fees, conversion markups and RBI payment aggregator (PA-CB) status were checked on 28 October 2026. Rupee amounts use European Central Bank reference rates for 13 November 2026. Read our methodology or report an error.

Frequently asked questions

How can I receive payments from my French client in India?+

A French client can pay you by euro bank transfer to EUR account details from a platform such as Wise, Skydo or Razorpay, by PayPal, or by SWIFT wire to your Indian bank.⁵⁹¹⁰¹² Euro transfers inside the eurozone move over SEPA credit transfer.⁶ Each route converts to INR and issues a FIRA or FIRC.

Does PayPal give a FIRC for payments from France?+

PayPal India issues a free weekly digital FIRA (Foreign Inward Remittance Advise), downloadable under Reports, then Tax, for the last 12 months.⁴ A custom FIRA for chosen transactions is available at a per-transaction charge, and PayPal says custom FIRAs are issued by Citibank.⁴

Can a French client pay my Wise account in euros?+

Wise lists EUR among the currencies for which Indian businesses get account details, so a French client can pay in euros from their own bank.⁵ Wise converts each payment to INR and sends it to your verified Indian bank account, and its general fee table lists 2.39 EUR per EUR Swift payment.⁵¹³

Is there tax withholding in France on my invoice?+

India and France have a comprehensive tax treaty signed on 29 September 1992 and in force from 1 August 1994.¹⁴ Its protocol, paragraph 9, says fees for technical services arising in France and paid to a resident of India shall not be taxable in France.¹⁴ French domestic rules were not verified here, so confirm with your client.

Do I charge GST to a French client?+

Services to a client in France are an export of services when all five conditions in section 2(6) of the IGST Act are met, including payment in convertible foreign exchange.⁸ Exports are zero-rated, and a registered supplier with an LUT invoices without IGST.¹⁵¹⁶ The client's French VAT treatment is a matter for the client.

Which purpose code applies to payments from a French client?+

The purpose code depends on the service you supply. P1006 covers business and management consultancy and public relations services, P1007 covers advertising, trade fair service, and P0802 covers software consultancy and implementation.¹⁷¹⁸ PayPal asks you to select a purpose code once during setup.¹⁹

How long can a French client take to pay my invoice?+

Under regulation 5 of the 2026 Regulations, a services invoice in euros must be realised within nine months of the invoice date.¹² An invoice raised or settled in rupees gets twelve months.² Your AD bank can extend the period under regulation 5.¹

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.

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