Learn how to request, amend, and understand your FIRC or FIRA/NOC from Upwork, including timelines, purpose codes, and bank procedures.
In this article
- What is a Foreign Inward Remittance Certificate (FIRC)?
- How do I request a FIRA/NOC on Upwork?
- What are the categories and coding for the FIRC?
- Why am I receiving a BIRC instead of the FIRC/FIRA?
- What purpose code will show on the FIRA/NOC?
- How do I request a purpose code change?
- When can I submit a purpose code change request?
- What if I need a purpose code amendment outside the timelines set per India Bank guidelines?
- How long will it take to get my FIRC certificates?
- Why am I receiving a disbursement receipt instead of the FIRC certificate?
- My invoices on Upwork show USD, but my FIRC shows INR. Can I get a FIRC in USD?
What is a Foreign Inward Remittance Certificate (FIRC)?
If you're working in India, a Foreign Inward Remittance Certificate (FIRC) or Non-Objection Certification for Issuance of FIRC/FIRA (NOC) documents your foreign money transfers from Upwork.
How do I request a FIRA/NOC on Upwork?
Important:
We are not a bank and do not produce the FIRC. We can request the FIRA/NOC information from the payment processor who sends your payment and forward that to you.
To request a FIRA/NOC, you’ll need to contact Upwork Support and provide us with the following information, so that we can request the FIRA/NOC from the payment processor:
- Transaction ID of the withdrawal
- Date of withdrawal
- Amount in INR
Please note that some banks can only provide the Disbursement Receipt or Proof of Transfer, Non-Objection Certification for Issuance of FIRC/FIRA (NOC), Foreign Inward Remittance Advice (FIRA), and not the actual FIRC, and there may not be a FIRA/NOC available for older withdrawals. You’ll need to talk to your bank for assistance in those cases.
What are the categories and coding for the FIRC?
According to India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) laws, freelancing services are categorized under database and online information.
The purpose codes are hardcoded to P0103 or P1006. Upwork does not control which of these purpose codes are used. If you need a different purpose code, please contact your bank directly for the purpose code amendment. Upwork cannot assist in requesting a purpose code change.
Why am I receiving a BIRC instead of the FIRC/FIRA?
As of November 2023, Induslnd has updated FIRC (Non Objection Certification for Issuance of FIRC/FIRA) to Non Objection Certification for Issuance of BIRC, which refers to Bank Inward Remittance Certificate.
BIRC is a valid NOC for the beneficiary bank to issue FIRC/FIRA on their end.
What purpose code will show on the FIRA/NOC?
The codes are hardcoded to P0103 or P1006 - Business and management consultancy and public relations services. (If you want to request a code change, please contact your bank directly).
How do I request a purpose code change?
Upwork can no longer assist in requesting a purpose code change. Please go through your AD Bank (where your bank account is) and ask them to send an email to IndusInd Bank (grdops_rda@indusind.com) for code update requests.
In line with this, the December 2022 Quarterly timeline in requesting purpose code amendments is still valid. Freelancers will need to request amendments within the timeframe prescribed by the Reserve Bank of India.
When can I submit a purpose code change request?
Since Upwork no longer assists with purpose code update requests, you'll need to request amendments with your AD Bank within 30 days of the quarter ending. For example, for a transaction created on February 16th, the amendment request must be submitted before April 30th.
As of December 2022, purpose code amendments will abide by the following timeline as per Reserve Bank of India guidelines:
| Transaction Months | Amendment Due Date |
|---|---|
| January - March | Before April 30th |
| April - June | Before July 31st |
| July - September | Before October 31st |
| October - December | Before January 31st |
What if I need a purpose code amendment outside the timelines set per India Bank guidelines?
If you need an amendment outside the timeframe, the request may be declined. Please reach out to your bank directly for further concerns.
How long will it take to get my FIRC certificates?
In general, FIRA/NOC receipts are usually issued within 4 weeks. FIRA/NOC certificates for withdrawals made more than 2 years ago may take longer.
Why am I receiving a disbursement receipt instead of the FIRC certificate?
Some banks can only provide the Disbursement Receipt or Proof of Transfer, Non-Objection Certification for Issuance of FIRC/FIRA (NOC), Foreign Inward Remittance Advice (FIRA) and not the actual FIRC certificate. Even banks who provide a FIRA/NOC may not have one available for older withdrawals.
Since Upwork uses multiple payment processors, FIRA/NOC availability may vary depending on which bank processed your payment. Please contact your bank for assistance if a FIRA/NOC is not available.
My invoices on Upwork show USD, but my FIRC shows INR. Can I get a FIRC in USD?
Clients pay on the Upwork platform in USD, but the currency that will show on your bank statement and FIRA/NOC will depend on the payment method and bank you added in your withdrawal method. If you add a Direct to Local Bank method, the currency reflected on your statement and FIRA/NOC will be in your local currency.
If you wish to receive your funds in USD, please add a US Dollar bank account (USD Wire transfer).