> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.eximpe.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Collection Overview

> The end-to-end flow: issue a virtual account, receive a rupee credit, assert LRS compliance, and settle abroad.

# Introduction

This is an **API-only** cross-border collection rail. The buyer never sees an EximPe screen — they simply transfer rupees into a **Virtual Bank Account (VBA)**, and you assert the compliance details through the API. You build the product your customer sees; EximPe is the embedded India collection and settlement engine underneath.

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Issue a VBA" icon="building-columns" href="/integration-guide/v3/web-integration/virtual-accounts">
    Give the buyer a local Indian account to transfer rupees into
  </Card>

  <Card title="Stay compliant" icon="shield-check" href="/integration-guide/v3/web-integration/lrs-compliance">
    LRS eligibility, TCS, and documents, enforced through the API
  </Card>

  <Card title="Settle abroad" icon="money-bill-transfer" href="/api-reference/v3/settlement/list">
    Cleared funds are converted and settled in your currency
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Roles

| Term                 | Who it is                                                                                     |
| :------------------- | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **PSP**              | Integrator that calls the API for the sub-merchants it onboards. Holds no VBA or funds.       |
| **Sub-merchant**     | A merchant created under a PSP. Holds VBAs and collected funds; the entity that gets settled. |
| **Direct merchant**  | A merchant with no parent PSP — holds its own VBAs and is its own API caller.                 |
| **Settling entity**  | The account that holds the VBA and funds — a sub-merchant or a direct merchant, never a PSP.  |
| **Remitter (Buyer)** | The person in India paying, uniquely identified by **PAN**.                                   |

<Note>
  A single VBA can receive credits from **many** remitters — it is not tied to one buyer. Because of this, an inbound credit does **not** by itself tell you who paid; the remitter (PAN) is asserted by you afterwards during LRS verification.
</Note>

## The Flow

<Steps>
  <Step title="Onboard (PSP only)">
    Create and get approval for each sub-merchant. See [Create Merchant](/api-reference/v3/merchant/create) and the [Merchant Approved](/api-reference/v3/webhooks/merchant-approved) webhook.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Issue a VBA">
    Create a Virtual Bank Account for the settling entity and share its account number + IFSC with the buyer. See [Virtual Bank Accounts](/integration-guide/v3/web-integration/virtual-accounts).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Buyer transfers rupees">
    The buyer sends money to the VBA from their bank. When the credit lands, EximPe creates a payment and fires a payment webhook. The payment starts in **Action Required** — its compliance details are not yet supplied.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify the buyer's PAN">
    Verify the remitter's PAN before you can quote or submit. See [LRS Verification](/integration-guide/v3/web-integration/lrs-verification).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Quote TCS (optional but recommended)">
    Quote the TCS and all-in total for the remittance against the buyer's LRS usage.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Upload documents & submit verification">
    Upload the supporting documents, then submit the remitter, purpose code, invoice, declarations, and collected TCS. The payment moves to **Under Review** (or stays in **Action Required** / goes **On Hold** if something is missing).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Settle & reconcile">
    Once cleared, funds are settled to the beneficiary abroad. Track via the [Settlement APIs](/api-reference/v3/settlement/list) and [Payment Settled](/api-reference/v3/webhooks/payment-settled) webhook.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Payment Lifecycle

A collected payment moves through these compliance states:

| State             | Meaning                                                                                 |
| :---------------- | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `ACTION_REQUIRED` | Credit received; compliance details not yet supplied (or something is missing).         |
| `UNDER_REVIEW`    | Verification submitted and posted to the buyer's LRS counter; awaiting bank processing. |
| `ON_HOLD`         | Needs manual attention — e.g. the sender is not the PAN holder.                         |
| `SETTLED`         | Funds settled to the beneficiary.                                                       |

## Edge paths

* **Shortfall** — the buyer paid less than quoted. The payment waits with the outstanding amount; the buyer tops up into the **same VBA**, and you submit the top-up **linked** to the original (`linked_payment_id`).
* **Discrepancy in review** — if a detail or document is rejected during review, the payment is sent back with exactly what to fix; you re-submit only the flagged item and it returns to review.
* **Cancellation / overpayment** — issue a refund (full or partial) back to the remitter's **own account**. A payment can take more than one partial refund over its life.

<Note>
  **Refund funding.** Balances are held **per university**. A refund is netted against the funds EximPe is next due to settle for that university, out of collections not yet settled onward. If enough of that university's balance is held, the refund processes right away; otherwise it waits until enough is collected. Money already settled abroad cannot be pulled back to fund a refund.
</Note>

## What You'll Build Against

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Merchant APIs" icon="store" href="/api-reference/v3/merchant/create">
    Onboard and manage sub-merchants (PSP).
  </Card>

  <Card title="Virtual Bank Accounts" icon="building-columns" href="/api-reference/v3/vba/create">
    Create, list, and read VBAs and their payments.
  </Card>

  <Card title="LRS APIs" icon="shield-check" href="/api-reference/v3/lrs/verify-pan">
    PAN verify, TCS quote, document upload, and verification submit.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Settlement & Refund" icon="money-bill-transfer" href="/api-reference/v3/settlement/list">
    Track settlements and issue refunds.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Info>
  Ready for detail? Continue to [Virtual Bank Accounts](/integration-guide/v3/web-integration/virtual-accounts) and [LRS Verification](/integration-guide/v3/web-integration/lrs-verification).
</Info>