<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-21</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001059155</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GRIC COMMUNICATIONS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GRIC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001134080</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>VERTEX INVESTMENT INTERNATIONAL I INC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>77 SCIENCE PARK DRIVE, 02-15 CINTECH III</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SINGAPORE SCIENCE PARK</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SINGAPORE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>U0</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>118256</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>1</isOther><otherText>May be deemed membr of &quot;group&quot;</otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>15215</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>5.5637</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>14755</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes/><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Vertex Investment International (I) Inc. by Kheng Nam Lee</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-25</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

