A country's balance of payments is in deficit when

A country's balance of payments is a comprehensive record of all economic transactions between its residents and the rest of the world over a given period. It has two main components: the current account (covering visible and invisible trade) and the capital account (covering financial flows).

The balance of payments is said to be in deficit when the total payments for both visible imports (physical goods) and invisible imports (services such as shipping, insurance, tourism, and interest payments) exceed the total receipts from exports of visible and invisible goods. In other words, more money is flowing out of the country than is coming in.

The other options are incorrect because:

• A situation where only invisible payments exceed invisible receipts describes a deficit on the invisible trade balance alone, not the overall balance of payments.
• When total receipts exceed total payments, that describes a balance of payments surplus, not a deficit.
• Recording a surplus on the current account contradicts the concept of a deficit.