
Payments
UPI for NRIs: How to Pay & Shop in India Without an Indian SIM Card
Kanishka Sarin|2 min read|07 November, 2025
For the millions of NRIs balancing life overseas with responsibilities in India, every trip home should be about reconnecting with loved ones, not wrestling with cash, cards, or SIM swaps. Until now, using UPI in India meant carrying an Indian SIM card, one more travel hassle you didn’t need.
PhonePe has turned that page. You can now link your NRE or NRO account to your global mobile number and pay by UPI anywhere in India. Whether you’re based in Sydney, Singapore, Toronto, or Dubai, you skip the SIM swaps once and for all. Download PhonePe, connect your NRE or NRO account to your overseas number, and you’re ready to make secure UPI payments in minutes, no matter where you are.
Download PhonePe, connect your NRE or NRO account to your overseas number, and you’re ready to make secure UPI payments in minutes, no matter where you are.
Here’s how this simple change makes your homecoming way easier.
Visiting India? Pay Like a Local with UPI
A trip home should mean hugs, not hunting for cash or a SIM. Link your international phone number to PhonePe, and you can scan-to-pay at millions of places, just like a local.
From the chai stall on the corner to the big mall, each payment comes straight from your Indian bank account. It’s speedy, cashless, and good-bye to wallet fuss.
No more queuing at ATMs, no more worrying about running out of cash at the worst moment, no more fumbling with cards that might not work. Just scan, pay, done. Whether you’re grabbing street food in Mumbai, shopping in Delhi, or paying for groceries in Bangalore, PhonePe has you covered.
How to Link Your International Number to PhonePe
How to use International Number for UPI Payments?
Getting started takes just minutes:
- Open the PhonePe App
- Login with Your International Mobile Number and Verify it.
- Select Your NRE/NRO Bank Account
- Start Using UPI Anywhere!
You can also check out our detailed how-to guide for linking your NRE or NRO account to your international mobile number on PhonePe & the various benefits.
PhonePe lets you link international numbers from many countries, like the United States, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Qatar, Singapore, Australia, Oman, Hong Kong, France, and India (for returning NRIs). It works with major Indian banks, including HDFC Bank, SBI, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, and more.
The Smart Choice for NRIs
Once you link your NRE or NRO account to your international number, every merchant transaction in India becomes effortless. You’re not a tourist fumbling with currency exchange rates or worried about carrying cash. You’re paying the way everyone in India pays, fast, secure, and seamless.
This isn’t just convenient. It’s the comfort of being financially connected to India the moment you land.
Download PhonePe now and enjoy global UPI access made for NRIs.
