RBI mandates FETERS-Cards monthly reporting for card/UPI forex transactions
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2020-21/113 · issued 25 Mar 2021 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI has introduced a new monthly return called FETERS-Cards for reporting international credit/debit card and UPI transactions. AD Category-I banks must submit details via the BOP web portal within seven working days after each month, starting with April 2021 transactions.
The rule, in the simplest words
Banks must report every international credit/debit card and UPI (a digital payment system) transaction to RBI every month.
The report must include the merchant category code (MCC, which tells what type of shop or service was used), country, currency, amount, and whether the card was present or a QR code was scanned.
Banks have 7 working days after each month ends to send this report through a special website (https://bop.rbi.org.in).
This rule started for transactions from April 1, 2021, so the first report was due in the first week of May 2021.
How it plays out — a real example
Ravi, a forex & trade-finance officer in Indore, is responsible for submitting the monthly FETERS-Cards report for his bank. After April ends, he logs into the RBI web portal, uploads a file with details of all international card and UPI transactions—including the merchant category code for each purchase—and ensures it's done within seven working days, just as the circular requires.
What changed
RBI introduced FETERS-Cards, a new monthly return requiring AD Category-I banks to report international transactions made via credit/debit cards and UPI. The reporting must include merchant category code, country, currency, amount, and card status or QR scan flag. Data is to be submitted through the existing BOP web portal within seven working days after month-end.
What it means for you
Banks must now capture and report granular details of cross-border card and UPI transactions, including economic classification via MCC. This increases operational burden on nodal offices but improves RBI's visibility into forex flows through digital payment channels. Non-compliance could attract scrutiny under FEMA provisions.
What you must do
Ensure nodal offices are set up to collect and submit FETERS-Cards data via the BOP web portal within seven working days after each month.
Update internal systems to capture MCC, country, currency, amount, card status (present/not present), and QR scan flag for UPI transactions.
Train staff on the new reporting format and timeline, starting with April 2021 transactions due in first week of May 2021.
Verify login credentials and access to https://bop.rbi.org.in for data submission.
What transactions need to be reported under FETERS-Cards?
All international transactions using credit cards, debit cards, and UPI, including PoS, e-commerce, and fund transfers to bank accounts, must be reported.
What is the deadline for submitting FETERS-Cards data?
Data must be submitted within seven working days from the last date of the month. For April 2021 transactions, the first submission is due in the first week of May 2021.
Who is responsible for reporting?
The card-issuing or transaction-originating AD reports forex sale for Indian residents, while the merchant acquirer AD reports forex purchase for foreign residents.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2020-21/113
A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No.13
March 25, 2021
To
All Category-I Authorised Dealer Banks
Madam / Sir,
FETERS – Cards: Monthly Reporting
Attention of Authorised Dealers (Category I) is invited to A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 50 dated February 11, 2016 on compilation of R-Returns for reporting under the Foreign Exchange Transactions Electronic Reporting System (FETERS). It has been decided to collect more details of international transactions using credit card / debit card / unified payment interface (UPI) along with their economic classification (merchant category code – MCC) through a new return called ‘FETERS-Cards’, using the same web-portal ( https://bop.rbi.org.in ).
2. Nodal offices of Authorised Dealers (ADs) may submit FETERS-Cards details on the web-portal in the following manner:
A. For transactions through credit card / debit card / UPI:
Sale of forex by AD towards international transaction made by Indian resident (to be reported by the card issuing / transaction originating AD); and
Purchase of forex by AD under transaction by foreign resident with Indian resident (to be reported by merchant acquirer AD).
B. The information shall be submitted in the following fixed format (details given in Annex ):
For transactions using credit/debit card:
MCC X Country X Currency X Amount (Payment/Refund) X Card Status (Present /Not present)
For transactions through UPI:
MCC X Country X Currency X Amount (Payment/Refund) X QR Code Scan (Yes/No)
3. AD Banks need to report all card transactions (e.g., through PoS terminals / e-commerce (online purchase) / for transferring funds to bank accounts).
4. Data submission by ADs:
ADs shall submit the FETERS-Cards data on the web-portal ( https://bop.rbi.org.in ) by using the RBI-provided login-name and password, within seven working days from the last date of the month for which data are being reported. The web-portal provides detailed guidance and help material.
FETERS-Cards reporting will be implemented for the transactions taking place from April 1, 2021. Hence, details of the transactions in April 2021 may be reported in the first week of May 2021.
In case of any clarifications, banks may send their queries through e-mail or contact by phone at 022-26578416 or 022-26571154 (direct).
5. The directions contained in this circular have been issued under Sections 10(4) and 11(2) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999) and are without prejudice to permissions / approvals, if any, required under any other law.
Yours faithfully
Ajay Kumar Misra
Chief General Manager-in-Charge
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2020-21/113 · issued 25 Mar 2021. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Ensure nodal offices are set up to collect and submit FETERS-Cards data via the BOP web portal within seven working days after each month.
Update internal systems to capture MCC, country, currency, amount, card status (present/not present), and QR scan flag for UPI transactions.
📜 Compliance
Train staff on the new reporting format and timeline, starting with April 2021 transactions due in first week of May 2021.
Verify login credentials and access to https://bop.rbi.org.in for data submission.
Grouped from the action items above — a single circular may involve more than one team.
Worked example & action-note template
Example: if you are an IT/Systems lead at a bank this circular applies to (AD Category-I banks, Card-issuing banks, Merchant acquirer banks, Nodal offices handling forex reporting), your first concrete step on “RBI mandates FETERS-Cards monthly reporting for card/UPI forex transactions” is: “Ensure nodal offices are set up to collect and submit FETERS-Cards data via the BOP web portal within seven working days after each month.” (RBI issued this 25 Mar 2021).
Action required: Ensure nodal offices are set up to collect and submit FETERS-Cards data via the BOP web portal within seven working days after each month.
Action required: Update internal systems to capture MCC, country, currency, amount, card status (present/not present), and QR scan flag for UPI transactions.
Action required: Train staff on the new reporting format and timeline, starting with April 2021 transactions due in first week of May 2021.
Action required: Verify login credentials and access to https://bop.rbi.org.in for data submission.
Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
Evidence filed in compliance register on: ____________
Built only from this circular’s own published fields — not legal advice; always confirm against the official RBI source.
💬 Banker Discussion
Discuss this circular with fellow bankers — reply, upvote what helps, report what doesn’t belong. Be professional; no client data. Views are the commenter’s own, not BankPulse’s.
BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 03 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly). Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=12046&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
Help us keep this accurate
Found an inaccuracy or have an improvement? Tell us. Every report is reviewed by our team before any change is made — nothing goes live unverified.
Public beta — plain-English informational summaries. Always verify against the official RBI source (circular number cited on every page) before making compliance, credit, treasury, audit, or operational decisions. · Join our WhatsApp channel ↗
BANKPULSE · FREE DAILY BRIEF
Get RBI updates for your role
Every important RBI update, decoded in plain English — for your career, exams & financial awareness.
We collect only your email, name and role, used solely to send your brief — never sold or shared. Withdraw anytime via the unsubscribe link in any email. Independent platform, not affiliated with the RBI. Information, not legal advice.
REPORT AN ERROR · BETA
Spotted an error? Earn 500 BankPulse Credits
Help us stay accurate. If your correction is verified true and approved by our founder, you earn 500 BankPulse Credits — redeemable when the platform monetises.
Reviewed by a human before any credit is awarded. We never change the site from crowd input without verification.
WANT A NEW FEATURE · BETA
What would make BankPulse more useful for you?
Tell us what to build next — a tool, a data view, a role page, anything. We read every suggestion.
Thank you — your ideas directly shape what we build.