How Can Furniture Exporters in India Receive International Payments in 2026?

• Ticket size: Orders range from small sample shipments and single pieces sent to retail customers, to container loads for importers, wholesalers and hotel or office projects. One shipping bill often carries a large invoice paid in an advance and a balance.
• Currencies: Buyers usually pay in USD, EUR, GBP or AUD. The FEMA (Manner of Receipt and Payment) Regulations, 2023 allow buyers in countries outside the Asian Clearing Union to pay in INR or any foreign currency. Payments between Asian Clearing Union members go through the ACU mechanism or as RBI directs.
• Geography: Buyers include importers, retail chains, online sellers, interior designers and hospitality projects abroad. Payments for exports to Nepal and Bhutan follow separate rules in the same regulations, so check them with the AD bank before quoting.
• Payment methods: Importers commonly pay a part advance by bank transfer and the balance against shipping documents, either by wire, documentary collection or letter of credit. Retail and sample buyers may pay by card or payment link before dispatch.

1. 1Buyer's bankDeduction: A sending fee, if the buyer's bank charges one. On a SWIFT wire the buyer chooses who bears the charges, and some banks charge the sender.
2. 2Intermediary or collecting bankDeduction: A possible flat handling or collection charge. Correspondent banks on a wire, and the foreign bank on a documentary collection, can deduct their charges before the money reaches India.
3. 3Exporter's AD bankDeduction: A conversion margin and any inward, bill handling or letter of credit charges. The bank converts the currency at its own rate and charges for processing export documents.
4. 4GST on feesDeduction: GST on fees charged by an Indian bank or provider. Fees charged to the exporter by an India-based bank or provider are a domestic supply.
5. 5Exporter's accountDeduction: None, unless the money is kept in an EEFC account and converted later. The credit is reported against the shipping bill, which closes the EDPMS entry and supports the e-BRC.

The table ranks platforms with full published pricing for USD by the INR received on USD 10,000, then lists other business platforms that accept USD, unranked. Fees were checked on 30 Sept 2026 or later.

Each row applies the platform's published fee, FX markup and 18% GST on the fee to the mid-market rate of ₹94.86 per USD for 3 Nov 2026.

• Payment terms: Container orders often mix an advance with a balance on documents. Regulation 10(1) requires the advance and the later realisation to go through the same AD bank, unless both banks are told of the change. See export payment terms.
• Order size: Paragraph 11(d) of the RBI Master Direction on Payment Aggregators caps each inward transaction through a cross-border payment aggregator at ₹25 lakh. Larger orders need a wire, a collection or a letter of credit. See PA-CB transaction limits.
• Damage claims: Furniture can arrive damaged or short, and buyers may deduct a claim. Regulation 6 lets the AD bank allow a reduction in export value, and a declaration is enough up to ₹10 lakh per shipping bill. See short realisation.
• Third-party payer: A buying agent or a group company sometimes pays in place of the importer. Regulation 8 lets the AD bank permit third-party receipts if it is satisfied the transaction is genuine. See third-party payments for exports.
• EEFC account: An EEFC account can take 100 percent of foreign exchange earnings, including advances for exports. Monthly credits not used for approved purposes must be converted to INR by the last day of the next month. See EEFC account benefits.

Furniture exporters in India need an IEC, an AD code registered on ICEGATE, a shipping bill that carries the EDF, and full payment within nine months from shipment. The FEMA (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026 apply from 1 October 2026. The AD bank closes the EDPMS entry when payment arrives.

• IEC: Under para 2.05 of Foreign Trade Policy 2023 Chapter 2, no export of goods can be made without an Importer-Exporter Code unless exempted. The IEC equals the PAN and must be updated online every April to June. See how to apply for an IEC.
• AD code: Register the AD bank's code against the IEC before filing shipping bills. The ICEGATE FAQ says AD code registration is done online from the user profile on ICEGATE, with approval by customs.
• Shipping bill and EDF: Regulation 3 requires an EDF with the full export value at the time of export. At an EDI port the EDF is deemed part of the shipping bill. At a non-EDI port, customs forwards the authenticated EDF to the AD bank. See shipping bill.
• EDPMS: Regulation 4(2) asks the AD bank to close or update the EDPMS entry when it credits export proceeds. For shipping bills up to ₹10 lakh, the entry can be closed on the exporter's declaration, also quarterly in bulk. See EDPMS closure.
• Realisation: Goods must be paid for within nine months from the date of shipment, or twelve months if invoiced or settled in INR, under the 22 September 2026 amendment. The AD bank may extend the period. See export realisation period.
• e-BRC and FIRA: FIRA is a market name and is not a term defined in the FEMA regulations. The AD bank issues an inward remittance advice or FIRC. Exporters can self-generate an e-BRC on DGFT from the bank's inward remittance data, and the DGFT eBRC FAQs note that EDPMS and eBRC are distinct systems.
• Purpose code: The bank reports each receipt with a code from the RBI purpose code list. P0102 is "Realisation of export bills (in respect of goods) sent on collection (full invoice value)". P0103 is "Advance receipts against export contracts (export of goods only)". Confirm the code with the AD bank. See purpose code for export of goods.

Furniture shipped out of India is a zero-rated supply under IGST Act section 16. Furniture exporters in India can ship under an LUT without IGST and claim a refund of unused input tax credit, or pay IGST and get it refunded through the shipping bill. Profits are business income under the Income-tax Act, 2025.

• LUT route: File a Letter of Undertaking in Form GST RFD-11 before export under CGST Rule 96A. If the goods are not exported within three months from the invoice date, or a longer period the Commissioner allows, the tax becomes payable with interest.
• IGST route: Under CGST Rule 96, the shipping bill is deemed to be the application for refund of IGST paid on exported goods once the export manifest is filed, a valid GSTR-3B is furnished and Aadhaar authentication is done. A mismatch between shipping bill and GSTR-1 data delays the claim.
• Non-realisation: Under the proviso to IGST Act section 16(3), an exporter of goods who received an LUT refund must repay it with interest if sale proceeds are not realised within the FEMA time limit, within thirty days after that limit expires.
• Section 58: Section 58 of the Income-tax Act, 2025 replaces old section 44AD from 1 April 2026. Eligible resident individuals, HUFs and firms other than LLPs with turnover up to ₹2 crore, or ₹3 crore if cash receipts are within 5 percent, declare 6 percent of banking or online receipts and 8 percent of the rest, or actual profit if higher.
• Fees and GST: Fees that an Indian bank or payment provider charges the exporter are a domestic supply and usually carry GST. Keep the tax invoices, because the exporter can usually claim input tax credit on them.

Rules and rails are linked to official sources below with the dates they were checked. Platform figures come from each platform's own pages, checked on 30 Sept 2026 or later, and RBI authorisation was checked against RBI's published list. Rates are XE live mid-market rates, dated 3 Nov 2026. The method is on the methodology page.

1. Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026, Notification No. FEMA 23(R)/2026-RB, Reg 2(1)(f)(i) specified authority for goods: Commissioner of Customs in DTA; Reg 3(1) EDF at the time of export, deemed part of shipping bill at EDI ports; Reg 3(3) non-EDI EDF forwarded to AD; Reg 4(2) EDPMS closure, declaration up to ₹10 lakh per shipping bill, quarterly bulk; Reg 5(1)(a) nine months from date of shipment, twelve if invoiced/settled in INR, AD may extend; Reg 6 reduction, declaration up to ₹10 lakh; Reg 8 third-party receipts; Reg 10(1) advance and realisation through same AD; Reg 13 unrealised beyond one year: full advance or irrevocable LC; caution list as on 30 Sep 2026 continues (checked 8 Oct 2026)
2. Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (22 September 2026), Regulation 5(1): 'fifteen months' replaced by 'nine months'; 'eighteen months' replaced by 'twelve months'; Regulation 13 proviso inserted: exporters in the Caution List as on 30 September 2026 continue under that order until removed (checked 8 Oct 2026)
3. RBI A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 20 (16 January 2026), Supersedes the Master Direction on Export of Goods and Services and related circulars from 1 October 2026 (checked 8 Oct 2026)
4. RBI A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 84: Purpose codes for reporting under FETERS (29 February 2012), Receipt purpose codes, Group 01 Exports (of Goods): P0102 'Realisation of export bills (in respect of goods) sent on collection (full invoice value)'; P0103 'Advance receipts against export contracts (export of goods only)' (checked 8 Oct 2026)
5. Foreign Exchange Management (Manner of Receipt and Payment) Regulations, 2023, Regulation 3(2)(I)(a): Nepal and Bhutan in INR (with exceptions); ACU members other than Nepal and Bhutan through ACU mechanism or as RBI directs; countries other than ACU members in Indian Rupees or in any foreign currency (checked 8 Oct 2026)
6. RBI Master Direction on Regulation of Payment Aggregator (PA), Para 11(d): for inward or outward transactions processed by a PA-CB, the maximum value per transaction shall be ₹25 lakh (checked 8 Oct 2026)
7. RBI Master Direction - Deposits and Accounts, Para 3.1 EEFC: credits of 100 percent of foreign exchange earnings and advance remittance received by an exporter towards export of goods or services; monthly accruals converted to Rupees by the last day of the succeeding calendar month after approved uses (checked 8 Oct 2026)
8. RBI circular: Guidelines to facilitate faster cross-border inward payments (9 April 2026), Para 3: endeavour to credit inward payments received during forex market hours within the same business day; para 4: effective six months from the circular date (checked 8 Oct 2026)
9. DGFT Foreign Trade Policy 2023, Chapter 2, Para 2.05: IEC is a 10-character number, same as PAN; no export or import of goods without an IEC unless exempted; IEC to be updated every year during April to June (checked 8 Oct 2026)
10. ICEGATE Help: FAQ, User can do online registration of AD Code by accessing user profile on ICEGATE; AD code application approved or rejected by the customs officer (checked 8 Oct 2026)
11. DGFT FAQs on Self-Generation of eBRC (Version 1.0, March 2024), Q1 eBRC confirms the exporter received payment against export of goods or services; Q10 generation through IEC on DGFT; Q23 EDPMS and eBRC operate as distinct systems; Q24 exporter can add shipping bill metadata (checked 8 Oct 2026)
12. Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, section 2 (CBIC), Section 2(5): export of goods means taking goods out of India to a place outside India (checked 8 Oct 2026)
13. Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, section 16 (CBIC), Section 16(1)(a) export of goods is zero rated; 16(3) refund of unutilised ITC under LUT; proviso: on non-realisation of sale proceeds, deposit refund with interest within thirty days after expiry of the FEMA time limit (checked 8 Oct 2026)
14. Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017, Rule 96 (CBIC), Rule 96(1): shipping bill deemed application for refund of IGST paid on exported goods once export manifest is filed and valid GSTR-3B furnished; mismatch with GSTR-1 delays the deemed filing; Rule 96(1)(c) Aadhaar authentication under rule 10B (checked 8 Oct 2026)
15. Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017, Rule 96A (CBIC), Rule 96A(1)(a): LUT in Form GST RFD-11 prior to export; tax payable if goods are not exported within three months of the export invoice or further period allowed by the Commissioner (checked 8 Oct 2026)
16. Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017, Rule 89 (CBIC), Rule 89(2)(b): refund on export of goods needs a statement of shipping bill numbers and dates with export invoices (checked 8 Oct 2026)
17. The Income-tax Act, 2025 (No. 30 of 2025), Gazette of India, Section 58(2) Table Sl. No. 1: eligible assessee, turnover up to ₹2 crore or ₹3 crore where cash receipts do not exceed 5%; 6% of receipts by specified banking or online mode, 8% of the rest; section 58(11)(a) eligible assessee: resident individual, HUF or firm other than LLP; deemed profit is the higher of the aggregate and profit actually earned; eligible assessee excludes commission, brokerage and agency business (checked 8 Oct 2026)
18. Income Tax Department: Objective and scope of the new Act (Income-tax Act, 2025), FAQ 25: presumptive schemes in sections 44AD, 44ADA and 44AE consolidated into section 58 (checked 8 Oct 2026)
19. Skydo homepage (pricing and fee calculator), Know what you pay; calculator showing GST 18% of transaction fee (checked 6 Oct 2026)
20. Razorpay MoneySaver Export Account (International Bank Transfers) pricing, Standard Plan: 0% FX markup, 1% fee, FlashLinks 2%, GST applicable, flat fee of INR 1,000 on transactions below INR 1,00,000, setup and AMC INR 0 (checked 6 Oct 2026)
21. Kotak Everyday Savings Account fees and charges, Foreign Inward Remittance certificate (Branch Request) INR 100/Request; GST on Foreign Currency Conversion; fees exclusive of GST (checked 6 Oct 2026)
22. Wise India: Fees for receiving money (Business), Conversion fee depends on the currency; eFIRC for every transfer; GST 18% of (conversion fee + eFIRC fee); calculator (checked 6 Oct 2026)
23. HDFC Bank: Remittance Services Fees & Charges, Inward Remittance Charge: No Charge; FIRC Charge for Inward Remittance & FCY Cheque Collection INR 200 per FIRC; GST slabs on amount of currency exchanged (checked 6 Oct 2026)
24. Stripe India pricing, International cards with USD/other currency presentment 4.3% + 2% if currency conversion is required; Mastercard and Visa cards issued outside India 3% + 2%; American Express outside India 3.5% + 2%; dispute received INR 1,000.00 (checked 7 Oct 2026)
25. PayPal India Merchant Fees, Receiving international transactions; Currency Conversions (3.0% converting balance and payments received; 4.00% all other cases); Withdrawals Out of PayPal; Dispute Fees; Other Fees (Last Updated 28 March 2024) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
26. Airwallex Help: Eligible Countries and Territories, INDIA IN - AWX Legal Entity SINGAPORE (checked 7 Oct 2026)