No Cash, No Card: Indians Could Use UPI in UAE with Passport Only
Indians in UAE might soon pay with UPI using just passports, as digital ID and banking merge. Next step: connect UPI with UAE’s AANI system.
image for illustrative purpose
India is moving to let its citizens rely solely on passports for payments in the UAE by integrating personal finance tools into the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), officials said.
Satish Kumar Sivan, India’s Consul General in Dubai, announced the plan at a UPI expansion event Thursday. He said UPI will soon carry key identity and financial credentials, enabling Indian visitors to make payments directly from Indian bank accounts without cash or cards.
“All payment and identity functions will converge on UPI,” Sivan said, calling the effort a work in progress. He did not specify timelines or technical details but said the goal is to simplify cross-border travel.
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) International has already onboarded major UAE retailers, including Lulu and Dubai Duty Free, for UPI acceptance. Shoppers can use familiar mobile apps to complete purchases linked to Indian bank accounts.
The next phase targets integration with the UAE’s AANI system to sync UPI and local payment networks. Officials said the move will strengthen financial connectivity and reduce friction for Indian nationals in the UAE.
The initiative follows bilateral discussions on digital finance and builds on past UPI collaborations in Nepal and Bhutan. Observers say the passport‑only payment system could set a model for other regions.
