How to Get FIRA / FIRC From RBL Bank for Export of Services

To get a FIRA or FIRC from RBL Bank, ask your branch or relationship manager how RBL Bank issues inward remittance documents for your account, and put a written request in with the remittance dates, amounts and references. The document matters because it is your bank's proof that foreign money arrived and under which purpose code — the evidence behind your EDF closure and any GST refund claim.

Key takeaways

• A FIRA (advice) or FIRC (certificate) from RBL Bank proves an inward foreign remittance and shows its purpose code.
• You use it to close EDPMS entries for invoices above ₹10 lakh, to support zero-rating and GST refunds, and for audits.
• How RBL Bank issues it — automatically, on request, by download — and any charges are set by the bank; confirm with your branch.
• Check every document as soon as you get it. Purpose code errors are far easier to fix early.

What you'll use it for

It helps to know why you want the document, because the use decides how quickly you need it and what you must check on it.

The GST connection

For a service to count as an export under Section 2(6) of the IGST Act, one condition is that payment is received in convertible foreign exchange, or in rupees where RBI permits. A FIRA or FIRC is the cleanest way to show that. If you file a GST refund claim on exports, your CA will almost always ask for bank evidence of each receipt. Our article on GST refunds on export of services covers where the paperwork usually slows down.

How to request it from RBL Bank

RBL Bank sets its own process, which may differ between customer segments and can change. We don't publish menu paths or fees because they aren't ours to state. A reliable approach is:

1. Ask your RM or branch once, in general terms: "How do I get FIRAs or FIRCs for my export receipts — are they issued automatically, available to download, or on request?"
2. For anything not issued automatically, send a written request. List each remittance: date of credit, foreign currency and amount, remitter name and any bank reference. Our FIRC request letter arranges these in a table.
3. Ask for the purpose code to be shown on each document, if it isn't already.
4. Record the request in your EDF register so you know what's outstanding.

If you need certificates for a whole financial year — common at audit time — one consolidated request is easier for the branch than twelve separate ones.

What to check on every document

When the FIRA or FIRC arrives, spend two minutes on it before filing it away.

• Your name and account number. Especially if you hold more than one account with RBL Bank.
• Remitter name. It should be your client, or a third party you were expecting to pay on their behalf.
• Foreign currency and amount. Compare with the invoice. A small shortfall usually means charges deducted abroad.
• Rupee amount and rate. Useful for your books and for reconciling NRV on the EDF.
• Date of credit. Your 9-month realisation clock runs from the invoice date, so the credit date shows you're within time.
• Purpose code. It should fit your service — for example P0802 for software consultancy, P1006 for business and management consultancy, or P1007 for advertising and market research. The bank assigns the code; you check it.

If the purpose code is wrong, write to the branch asking for a correction, attaching the invoice and a one-line description of the service.

Worked example

Kestrel Bay Consulting Pvt Ltd, Gurugram, banks with RBL Bank and advises European clients on supply chain strategy. In its first two months under the new rules it receives five payments.

Kestrel Bay asks RBL Bank for FIRAs on all five. It sends the two larger ones with matching instructions, and keeps the three smaller ones on file while covering them in a quarterly declaration.

In January, Kestrel Bay's CA checks the purpose codes before preparing the GST records for the quarter. One payment came in under an unrelated code; Kestrel Bay asks the bank to correct it, two months after the credit rather than two years.

How this fits with your RBL Bank EDF

The FIRA is the second half of the story your EDF starts. The EDF declares the invoices; the FIRA proves they were paid. Keeping both in the same monthly folder, linked by invoice number, makes year-end reconciliation painless. Our guide to filing the EDF with RBL Bank covers the declaration side, and the pre-filled RBL Bank EDF form gets the form done quickly.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. RBL Bank's own process governs how it issues these documents.

Frequently asked questions

Is a FIRA from RBL Bank enough for a GST refund?

A FIRA shows that payment arrived in foreign exchange and under which purpose code, which is the evidence most refund claims need. Your CA will tell you what else your particular claim requires. Keep the FIRA, invoice and contract together.

Does RBL Bank charge for a FIRC?

Charges, if any, are set by RBL Bank and may depend on your account type. Ask your branch or RM before requesting a large batch, so you aren't surprised.

What if the payment came through a platform, not directly?

If a payment platform routed money into your RBL Bank account, the inward remittance document depends on how the funds reached RBL Bank. Ask RBL Bank what it can issue for that credit, and ask the platform what evidence it provides.

How quickly should I check a new FIRA?

As soon as you receive it. Purpose code or name errors are much easier to correct while the transaction is recent, and they can affect EDPMS matching and GST refunds.

Can I get FIRCs for old remittances?

Usually you can request documents for past credits, but how far back and in what form is RBL Bank's decision. List the remittances clearly in your request and ask the branch what it can provide.

Bottom line

Know what you need the FIRA or FIRC for, ask RBL Bank how it issues them, and check every one when it arrives. For anything not issued automatically, send the free FIRC request letter with the remittance list filled in.