RESERVE BANK OF INDIA
(Foreign Exchange Department)
(Central Office)
Mumbai – 400001

Notification No. FEMA 6 (R)/2015-RB

December 29, 2015
(Amended up to December 04, 2020)
(Amended up to August 18, 2020)
(Amended up to February 26, 2019)

Foreign Exchange Management (Export and import of currency) Regulations, 2015

In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (g) of sub-section (3) of Section 6, subsection (2) of Section 47 of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999), and in supersession of Notification No. FEMA 6/2000-RB dated May 3, 2000, as amended from time to time, the Reserve Bank makes the following regulations for export from and import into, India of currency or currency notes, namely :-

1. Short title & commencement:-

(i) These regulations may be called as Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Currency) Regulations, 2015.

(ii) They shall come into effect on from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette

2. Definitions:-

In these regulations, unless the context requires otherwise, -

(i) 'Act' means Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999);

(ii) the words and expressions used and not defined in these regulations but defined in the Act have meanings respectively assigned to them in the Act.

3. Export and Import of Indian currency and currency notes: -

(1) Save as otherwise provided in these regulations, any person resident in India,

1. may take outside India (other than to Nepal and Bhutan) currency notes of Government of India and Reserve Bank of India notes up to an amount not exceeding Rs.25000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand Only) per person or such amount and subject to such conditions as notified by Reserve Bank of India from time to time;

2. may take or send outside India (other than to Nepal and Bhutan) commemorative coins not exceeding two coins each.
   
   Explanation: 'Commemorative Coin' includes coin issued by Government of India Mint to commemorate any specific occasion or event and expressed in Indian currency.

3. who had gone out of India on a temporary visit, may bring into India at the time of his return from any place outside India (other than from Nepal and Bhutan), currency notes of Government of India and Reserve Bank of India notes up to an amount not exceeding Rs.25,000/- per person or such amount and subject to such conditions as notified by Reserve Bank of India from time to time.

¹.

(2) Save as otherwise provided in these regulations, any person resident outside India, not being a citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh, and visiting India,

1. may take outside India currency notes of Government of India and Reserve Bank of India notes up to an amount not exceeding Rs.25000 (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand Only) per person or such other amount and subject to such conditions as notified by Reserve Bank of India from time to time.

2. may bring into India currency notes of Government of India and Reserve Bank of India notes up to an amount not exceeding Rs.25000 (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand Only) per person or such other amount and subject to such conditions as notified by Reserve Bank of India from time to time.

4. Prohibition on Export of Indian coins:-

No person shall take or send out of India the Indian coins which are covered by the Antique and Art Treasure Act, 1972.

5. Prohibition on export and import of foreign currency:-

Except as otherwise provided in these regulations, no person shall, without the general or special permission of the Reserve Bank, export or send out of India, or import or bring into India, any foreign currency.

6. Import of foreign exchange into India:-

A person may -

1. send into India without limit foreign exchange in any form other than currency notes, bank notes and travellers cheques;

2. bring into India from any place outside India without limit foreign exchange (other than unissued notes),

provided that bringing of foreign exchange into India under clause (b) shall be subject to the condition that such person makes, on arrival in India, a declaration to the Custom authorities in Currency Declaration Form (CDF) annexed to these Regulations;

provided further that it shall not be necessary to make such declaration where the aggregate value of the foreign exchange in the form of currency notes, bank notes or traveller's cheques brought in by such person at any one time does not exceed US$10,000 (US Dollars ten thousands) or its equivalent and/or the aggregate value of foreign currency notes brought in by such person at any one time does not exceed US$ 5,000 (US Dollars five thousands) or its equivalent.

7. Export of foreign exchange and currency notes:-

(1) An authorised person may send out of India foreign currency acquired in normal course of business,

(2) Any person may take or send out of India, -

1. Cheques drawn on foreign currency account maintained in accordance with Foreign Exchange Management (Foreign Currency Accounts by a person resident in India) Regulations, 2000;

2. foreign exchange obtained by him by drawal from an authorised person in accordance with the provisions of the Act or the rules or regulations or directions made or issued thereunder;

3. currency in the safes of vessels or aircrafts which has been brought into India or which has been taken on board a vessel or aircraft with the permission of the Reserve Bank;

(3) Any person may take out of India, -

1. foreign exchange possessed by him in accordance with the Foreign Exchange Management (Possession and Retention of Foreign Currency) Regulations, 2015;

2. unspent foreign exchange brought back by him to India while returning from travel abroad and retained in accordance with the Foreign Exchange Management (Possession and Retention of Foreign Currency) Regulations, 2015;

(4) Any person resident outside India may take out of India unspent foreign exchange not exceeding the amount brought in by him and declared in accordance with the proviso to clause (b) of Regulation 6, on his arrival in India.

8. Export and import of currency to or from Nepal and Bhutan:-

Notwithstanding anything contained in these regulations, a person may –

(1) ²take or send out of India to Nepal or Bhutan, currency notes of Government of India and Reserve Bank of India notes (other than notes of denominations of above Rs.100 in either case), provided that an individual travelling from India to Nepal or Bhutan can carry Reserve Bank of India notes of Mahatma Gandhi (new) Series of denominations Rs. 200/- and/or Rs. 500/- up to a total limit of Rs. 25,000;

(2) bring into India from Nepal or Bhutan, currency notes of Government of India and Reserve Bank of India notes (other than notes of denominations of above Rs.100 in either case) ;

(3) take out of India to Nepal or Bhutan, or bring into India from Nepal or Bhutan, currency notes being the currency of Nepal or Bhutan.

³9. Reserve Bank’s power to permit export or import of currency:-

Notwithstanding anything contained in these regulations, the Reserve Bank may, on an application made to it and on being satisfied that it is necessary to do so, allow any person to take or send out of India to any country or bring into India from any country currency notes of Government of India and /or of Reserve Bank of India subject to such terms and conditions as the Reserve Bank may stipulate.

⁴10. Reserve Bank’s power to restrict export or import of currency: -

Notwithstanding anything contained in these regulations, the Reserve Bank, may, in public interest and in consultation with the Central Government, restrict the amount of Indian currency notes of Government of India and/or of Reserve Bank, and/or foreign currency, on case-to-case basis, that a person may bring into or take outside India and prescribe such conditions as it may deem necessary.”

(Ajay Kumar Misra)
Chief General Manager-in-Charge

Note:
The Principal Regulations were published in the Official Gazette vide GSR No.1004(E) dated December 29, 2015 in Part II, Section 3, sub-section (i) and subsequently amended vide:
i) G.S.R. No. 151(E) dated 26.02.2019;
ii) No. FEMA 6 (R)/ (2)/2020-RB dated 11.08.2020 (published in the Gazette on 18.08.2020); and
iii) No. FEMA 6 (R)/ (3)/2020-RB dated 03.12.2020 (published in the Gazette on 04.12.2020)

¹ Omitted with effect from 18.08.2020 by Amendment Notification No. FEMA 6(R)/(2)/2020-RB dated August 11, 2020 notified vide publication in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part III, Section 4 on August 18, 2020

² Substituted with effect from 26.02.2019 by Amendment Notification No. FEMA 6(R)/(1)/2019-RB dated February 26, 2019 notified vide G.S.R.No.151(E) dated February 26, 2019. Prior to substitution, it read as take or send out of India to Nepal or Bhutan, currency notes of Government of India and Reserve Bank of India notes (other than notes of denominations of above Rs.100 in either case); provided that an individual travelling from India to Nepal or Bhutan can carry Reserve Bank of India currency notes of denomination Rs.500/- and/or Rs.1000/- up to a limit of Rs.25,000/-;

³ Inserted with effect from 18.08.2020 by Amendment Notification No. FEMA 6(R)/(2)/2020-RB dated August 11, 2020 notified vide publication in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part III, Section 4 on August 18, 2020.

⁴Inserted with effect from 04.12.2020 by Amendment Notification No. FEMA 6(R)/(3)/2020-RB dated December 03, 2020 notified vide publication in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part III, Section 4 on December 04, 2020.