Claude, New Yorker, Bandcamp: RBI rules leave international card payments in grey area

Mumbai, October 1 - Using international credit cards for instant payments to download digital content, such as music from Bandcamp or subscribing to publications like The New Yorker, may soon require consumers to report transaction details to their banks under new international trade payment regulations.

These regulations, effective from October 1, aim to comprehensively track dollar outflows and inflows for goods, software, and services. However, there is currently uncertainty about how these regulations will apply to personal service imports made by individuals using credit cards for personal consumption.

The Reserve Bank of India's digital platforms will record data on service trades and goods cleared through customs authorities for the first time. Yet, the regulations do not specify how import of services by individuals will be reported. This ambiguity arises due to the nature of card payments, where money is transferred before banks receive the trade information.

According to Harshal Bhuta, a partner at the CA firm P. R. Bhuta & Co., the regulations are silent on how data will be collected and reported for personal service imports under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS). Leading banks are also unsure about the requirements and how they will be implemented.

The new regulations mark a significant shift, but there are still gaps that need to be addressed, particularly for personal transactions. Leading banks acknowledge that the regulations do not directly address credit card payment mechanisms, leaving room for further clarification and uncertainty for consumers.