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Paid through Payoneer? FIRA, purpose codes and the EDF

Payoneer pays your Indian bank automatically in rupees and gives you a FIRA or similar document for each payment. Payoneer doesn't file the Export Declaration Form for you.

Last updated 09 Oct 2026 · Not legal or tax advice

The short version

  • Payoneer India has RBI's in-principle authorisation as a cross-border payment aggregator (January 2026), not yet the final one.
  • Payments to your Payoneer account are withdrawn automatically to your Indian bank in rupees, within 48 hours.
  • Payoneer puts a FIRA, FIRS or NOC in your Documents section, free.
  • Check the purpose code you set in Payoneer matches your service.

How Payoneer money reaches you

From the providers' published pages and, where marked, user reports, checked 04 Oct 2026. Providers change their banking partners and rules; check before you rely on this.

Automatic withdrawal to your Indian bank

  • How it arrives: A rupee credit to your bank through Payoneer's banking partner.
  • Proof of payment: A FIRA, FIRS or NOC in the Documents section of your Payoneer account, free, 24 to 72 hours after the money is deposited (per Payoneer's 2023 guide).
  • Payoneer asks you to choose a purpose code. Wrong codes are common: software work is usually P0802 or P0807, not a personal code.

Your Export Declaration Form

Exporters file the EDF with their AD bank within 30 days after the end of each month in which they invoiced a foreign client. Companies, LLPs and firms file. Individuals may not need to: on 7 October 2026 RBI said individuals don't have to report transactions of a personal nature, and its FAQ isn't out yet, so ask your bank (who files). See the full EDF guide or work out your due date.

  • List your invoices to each client in Part 2B, at the full invoiced amount.
  • If a marketplace pays you through Payoneer (Fiverr pays Indian sellers through Payoneer or PayPal), name the marketplace in the third-party payer fields.
  • Payoneer hasn't published guidance on the EDF. The common practice is to file with your own bank, where the rupees land; confirm with your bank.
  • Keep the Payoneer document for each payment with the invoice it pays.

Fees

Payoneer's India pricing page lists a 1–4% fee on withdrawals to India, and an annual fee of US$29.95 if you receive less than US$6,000 in 12 months. Declare the full invoice amount and record what was deducted as a fee.

Watch out for

  • A personal or savings purpose code on a client payment undermines your export evidence. Fix the code in Payoneer before the next payment.
  • If your bank can't match a Payoneer credit to your EDF, it can close invoices of up to ₹10 lakh on your declaration.

Questions

Does Payoneer file the EDF for me?

No. If you need to file the Export Declaration Form, you file it with your AD bank, including for months paid through Payoneer. Individuals: RBI has said they may not need to; ask your bank.

Where do I get the FIRA from Payoneer?

In the Documents section of your Payoneer account. Payoneer uploads a FIRA, FIRS or NOC for free, usually 24 to 72 hours after the money is deposited.

Which purpose code should I choose in Payoneer?

The code for your service, for example P0802 for software consultancy or P0807 for off-site software exports. Avoid personal codes such as family maintenance or savings for client payments.

I sell on Fiverr. Who is the payer on my EDF?

Fiverr pays Indian sellers through Payoneer or PayPal. Your buyers are the clients; name Fiverr in the third-party payer fields as the platform that pays you.

Do it in easylancing

Upload each Payoneer statement, FIRA or e-FIRC and easylancing reads the amounts, suggests the invoice it pays and fills in any fee for you to record on the invoice. At the end of the month it prepares the EDF, with the platform as third-party payer if you entered it on the invoice. Or try the free EDF generator and the purpose code list.

Other platforms

Sources