Overview

Amazon sellers based in India who operate on international Amazon marketplaces need to comply with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulations regarding foreign currency inward remittances. A key part of this compliance is obtaining an electronic Foreign Inward Remittance Certificate (e-FIRC), which serves as official proof that a seller has received foreign currency payments against their exports. This guide breaks down the process for obtaining both the Foreign Inward Remittance Advice (FIRA) from HSBC and the e-FIRC from your authorized dealer bank.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• e-FIRC is mandatory for export compliance — Indian sellers receiving international disbursements from Amazon must obtain an e-FIRC as proof of foreign currency receipt against exports, per RBI regulations effective July 1, 2016.
• HSBC facilitates but does not issue e-FIRCs directly — HSBC, which processes Amazon's international disbursements to Indian bank accounts, automatically shares remittance details with your authorized dealer bank, which then issues the e-FIRC.
• FIRA is now downloadable online — Sellers can download a Foreign Inward Remittance Advice document from HSBC for any international transfer to their India-based bank account, typically within two business days.
• Each disbursement requires a separate e-FIRC — Every individual payment from your Amazon seller account to your bank needs its own e-FIRC, and each must be updated in the EDPMS system by your bank.
• HSBC account holders may receive e-FIRCs automatically — If your remittances go directly into an HSBC account, the bank should issue the e-FIRC without additional steps on your part.

How the FIRA Process Works

The FIRA serves as an intermediate document that sellers can use to obtain their e-FIRC. HSBC provides this document at no charge for sellers who have their Amazon disbursements sent directly to an Indian bank account through Amazon's standard payment process. Sellers can download the FIRA through HSBC's online portal within two business days of the transaction. The document remains available for download for up to one year from the transaction date, giving sellers a reasonable window to retrieve it. It is important to note that HSBC only shares remittance details for sellers who receive proceeds directly into their Indian bank account — sellers using non-Indian bank accounts or managing disbursements through third-party services are not covered under this process.