MEA to integrate SBI digital payments services with eMigrate portal

NEW DELHI — In a bid to facilitate and enhance the ambit of safe and legal migration of Indian migrant workers, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and State Bank of India (SBI), on Saturday, announced the integration of SBIePay with eMigrate portal.

The move will provide digital payment services of SBI through a payment gateway called SBIePay to Indian migrant workers via eMigrate portal.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the two, which will soon be operational after the successful integration.

“The payment of various emigration-related fees would be possible with NIL transaction charges for payment through UPI, credit/debit cards and NEFT through net banking of all Indian banks,” said the Ministry.

Since its launch in 2014, the eMigrate project has been assisting Indian workers going to Emigration Check Required (ECR) countries for employment by making the emigration process online and transparent.

It also helps bring foreign employers (FEs), registered recruiting agents and insurance companies issuing Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Yojna (PBBY) on one common platform to facilitate seamless, safe and legal migration, according to the Ministry.

The portal also has a mechanism for voluntary registration of emigrants holding ECNR category passports proceeding for overseas employment.