If you are an iOS developer based in Pakistan and use your iTunes connect account for selling paid apps, you must have seen this email from apple. From now onwards you have to fill this Form R and submit it every month to receive your payments. Every month, you heard it right EVERY MONTH.

Why Form R?

Actually it has something to do with State Bank of Pakistan or some similar authority not letting the payments directly land to the developers’ account. Barclays bank is Apple’s partner bank in the country and they distribute payments to all developers every month. To process these payments now, Barclays bank needs a filled Form R from all developers every month. Big pain?

How to fill Form-R?

While I was freaking out about it, this still doesn’t seem to be that bad at all. Here is the process you have to follow:

1. Log in to your iTunes Connect account and note your payment amount and payment date. You have to send this Form R within 2 weeks of this payment date.
2. Get hold of a copy of Form R. If you have not received it from Apple, you can download Form R from www.basitali.com/downloads/docs/PKFormR.pdf
3. Print form R and print it out.
4. Provide following addresses in “Sender” field on Form R

— Apple Inc., 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014
— iTunes S.a.r.l, 31-33 rue Sainte Zithe, Luxembourg L-273, Luxembourg

5. Mention the amount you can see in iTunes Connect’s Payment section (done in step 1).
6. In the end provide your name, address, telephone number and email address in the beneficiary section. Make sure you include all this information so that Barclays bank can process your payment.
7. Sign the form
8. Put this form R in an envelop and Courier this to following address:
— Barclays Bank PLC, Pakistan, 13 – C, College Road, F- 7 Markaz, Islamabad
Hint: If you are being lazy and don’t wanna go drop it at a courier outlet, you can call Call Courier Service at 111-786-227 and they’ll come and pick the letter from you 😉

What is Form R?

As the title says, Form R is a declaration of foreign remittance receipt above Rs. 10,000 for purpose other than Export and family maintenance. Well, while it says Rs. 10,000 on the title, Apple tells us to make sure to fill the form for whatever amount is coming in. Moreover, while I could put iTunes payment under software export, the banks are actually going to differ with my opinion here. And I also like the year 1947 on the title of the form 🙂

I’m sure this is going to work out and if you follow this process every month, you’ll be receiving your payments on time every month. Please do share your experience with me whether you succeed or you have any issues. Drop me a line on @basitj.