For any Indian business that wants to accept payments from customers outside the country, the first barrier is not technology but compliance. International merchant onboarding is far more rigorous than domestic onboarding because the payment provider must follow Indian regulations, global anti money laundering rules and risk management frameworks.

Freelancers, agencies, SaaS companies and exporters often feel surprised when gateways or payment platforms ask for additional documents, website checks, business proofs or explanations about services. These requirements are not optional. They form the foundation that allows a platform to enable international card acceptance or inward remittance routing.

This blog explains the documents typically required during onboarding and the KYC steps most platforms follow before activating international payment capabilities.

Why International Onboarding is Stricter than Domestic Onboarding

Domestic payment acceptance relies mainly on verifying the business identity, bank account ownership and basic compliance. International payment acceptance, however, involves cross border fund flows, currency conversion, export classification and fraud risk at a global scale.

Platforms must confirm:

• The business is legitimate.
• The origin of funds can be explained clearly.
• The service or product is genuine and delivered as stated.
• The Indian recipient is eligible to receive foreign income under FEMA.
• Purpose codes can be mapped correctly to inward remittances.

Without these checks, the payment provider risks regulatory penalties or blocked payouts.

Core Documents Needed for International Merchant Onboarding

Most platforms require a combination of identity, business and banking documents. Although each gateway has its own format, the underlying requirements are similar because the regulations are uniform across the sector.

Here are the documents commonly requested:

1. Identity Documents

Business Type	Required Documents	Purpose
Individuals and Sole Proprietors	PAN card, Aadhaar or passport for identity verification.	Establish who controls the business.
Companies and Registered Businesses	Company PAN, Director or partner identity documents, Business address proof.	Establish who controls the business.

2. Business Registration Documents

Depending on your business type, you may need to provide:

• GST registration certificate
• Shop and Establishment certificate
• MSME certificate
• Partnership deed
• Certificate of incorporation for private limited or LLP structures

Note: Freelancers who operate without registration can still onboard with some gateways, but their verification may take longer.

3. Bank Account Documents

• Cancelled cheque
• Bank account statement
• Proof that the name on the bank account matches the business or individual applying

This prevents funds from being routed to mismatched accounts.

4. Website or Portfolio (Crucial for Verification)

For international onboarding, this is one of the most important elements. Platforms examine:

• What service or product you provide
• How the customer interacts with your business
• Whether pricing, refund policies and contact details are visible
• Whether the offering falls into a high risk category

A clear website significantly speeds up verification.

5. Invoice or Sample Work Documentation

Some platforms ask for sample invoices or descriptions of typical client work to understand the business flow. This helps them classify the account under the correct purpose codes for inward remittance.

Additional Documents Sometimes Requested

If a platform needs deeper verification, it may request:

• Service agreements or contracts with clients
• LinkedIn or portfolio links to prove experience
• Screenshots of conversations or proof of delivery
• Business model explanation

These are usually triggered when the onboarding team needs to confirm the legitimacy of cross border activity.

Standard KYC Steps During Onboarding

International onboarding usually follows a structured sequence:

• Step 1: Identity Verification: The platform matches your PAN and identity documents with government databases. Any mismatch results in review or rejection.
• Step 2: Business Verification: The platform checks your website, business model, services offered and risk profile. Categories such as trading, crypto, adult content or multi level structures face extra scrutiny.
• Step 3: Bank Account Verification: A micro deposit or document review ensures the payout account belongs to the same legal identity.
• Step 4: Risk Underwriting: Platforms analyse your expected transaction size, client geography and service type. High value invoices on day one usually trigger additional reviews.
• Step 5: International Feature Activation: Only after all checks are complete does the provider enable international card acceptance, foreign currency acceptance or virtual account access. Many platforms activate domestic payments first and international acceptance later.

Why These Steps Matter for Indian Exporters and Freelancers

India has specific rules for foreign inward remittances. Payment providers must classify each transaction under a correct purpose code and ensure that export rules are followed. Incorrect onboarding can lead to:

• Delayed payouts
• Rejected transactions
• Missing inward remittance documentation
• Unexpected holds on high value payments

Clean and accurate onboarding prevents these issues.

How India Focused Platforms Simplify Onboarding

Global payment gateways follow a universal onboarding model. This works well for general use but is not optimised for the Indian regulatory environment. Indian exporters often encounter repeated document requests or unexplained payout holds on international transactions.

Platforms designed specifically for India simplify this process by aligning onboarding with FEMA requirements and inward remittance rules from the start. They request only the documents relevant for export verification and map purpose codes automatically.

Where BRISKPE Fits Into This Process

BRISKPE follows the same fundamental regulatory rules as any international payment provider, but the onboarding is structured around the needs of Indian freelancers and exporters. The platform verifies identity, business details and bank information, and collects the documents needed for inward remittance compliance. Because it manages purpose codes and documentation centrally, the number of back and forth verification requests is reduced.

Once onboarding is completed, users can receive foreign currency through virtual accounts with predictable settlements into their Indian banks. For businesses that rely heavily on international clients, this reduces the onboarding friction that often appears with global gateways.

Final Thoughts

International merchant onboarding in India is detailed because it must satisfy global risk controls and Indian regulatory frameworks. Identity documents, business registration, website clarity and bank verification all play an important role. A strong onboarding foundation prevents payout delays and ensures clean inward remittance records.

While PayPal, Stripe and other global gateways follow universal verification flows, platforms designed specifically for Indian exporters streamline the process by focusing on the documentation and compliance that matter most in India. A clear understanding of these steps helps any business prepare correctly and start receiving global payments without friction.