Account Verification, Taxes, and FIRC for sales in India (original) (raw)

Verifying your merc‌hant account

To comply with the Reserve Bank of India’s Payment Aggregator Cross Border (PA-CB) regulations, you must verify your merchant account to sell on the Google Play Store and receive payouts.

Google has partnered with BillDesk to facilitate this verification process. BillDesk will email you directly with instructions on how to submit your required documentation.

Look for an email from onboarding@billdesk.com with the subject line: Verification required with BillDesk to receive payments on Google Play. To complete verification, you will need to upload the specific identity and address proof documents required for your account type (such as a PAN card or business registration) directly to BillDesk’s secure portal.

Your verification deadline depends on when you started monetizing on Google Play:

FAQs

Why do I need to verify with BillDesk if I am already verified with Google?

Under the new RBI PA-CB regulations, BillDesk acts as the regulated payment processor for your transactions. They are legally required to perform their own independent Know Your Customer (KYC) verification, separate from any verification you have previously completed with Google.

Is the email from onboarding@billdesk.com legitimate?

Yes. BillDesk is Google's authorized partner for processing payments under the new RBI regulations. You can trust emails from this specific domain regarding your KYC verification.

What happens if I do not complete verification by the August 31, 2026 deadline?

If you are not verified by the deadline, a sales block will be enforced immediately. This means users will no longer be able to purchase your paid apps or in-app products until verification is complete.

What should I do if I didn’t receive the email from BillDesk to verify my account?

First, check your spam or junk folder for an email from onboarding@billdesk.com. If you still cannot find it, ensure your payments profile email alias is up to date in the Google Play Console.

What should I do if the verification link in the email is not working?

If the link in your email is broken, expired, or leads to an error page, reach out to us immediately to start a fresh verification application.

What happens if there is an issue in the verification process?

If BillDesk experiences any issues verifying your account information or documents, they will notify you directly via email. Ensure you respond as soon as possible to resolve the issue.

How do I update my payment method for payouts?

After you complete KYC verification, your bank account details are managed directly by BillDesk. To update your information, follow these instructions.

Does this verification requirement impact my other payment profiles?

No. All other payment accounts can be managed in your Payment Center, and you may contact our support team for any issues.

How do I contact support?

All support inquiries regarding this verification should be sent directly to BillDesk at onboarding@billdesk.com, when reaching out provide as much detail as possible.

Goods and Services Tax (GST)

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a comprehensive, indirect tax applicable on manufacturing and the sale of goods and services in India.

Who pays GST

GST must be paid on Google Play Store apps and games sold to customers in India. Keep the following in mind:

What India-based developers must do under GST law

If you're a developer with a merchant account address in India, you may be responsible for paying GST on the sale of apps and games by customers in India. To determine your GST obligations, we recommend that you work with your tax advisor.

Get or find your GSTIN

We recommend that you work with your tax advisor to determine your GST obligations.

Developers located in India that are required to get a GSTIN must provide it to Google under GST law.

To find or get your GSTIN, register or sign in to the Indian Government GST website and follow the instructions provided. If you need help, contact them.

Provide or update your GSTIN

After you have received your GSTIN, add it along with business contact details to your payments profile. We provide this information to the Indian tax authorities under GST law (where required).

Here's how to enter your GSTIN, your business address and state in your payments profile:

  1. Sign in to the Google payments center.
  2. Click Settings.
  3. Find your payments profile, then India tax info.
  4. Click Edit Edit .
  5. Enter or update your India business address, state, and GSTIN.
  6. Click Save.

Keep the following in mind:

Requesting a FIRC

All FIRC (Foreign Inward Remittance Certificate) requests are processed by our payment processor, BillDesk, and officially issued by Citibank.

Here is the process for requesting your certificate:

  1. Submit your FIRC request to Google.
  2. Google notifies BillDesk and provides the relevant reference data.
  3. BillDesk coordinates with Citibank, which generates the FIRC certificate and mails a copy directly to you.