Home › Circulars › RBI/2009-10/297

RBI raises cash carry limit for travellers to Rs 7,500

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2009-10/297 · issued 01 Feb 2010 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI has increased the limit for carrying Indian currency notes abroad (except Nepal/Bhutan) from Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,500 per person. This applies to both taking notes out of India and bringing them back on temporary visits.
The rule, in the simplest words
How it plays out — a real example

Ravi, a retail banker at a city branch, is helping a customer who is flying to Singapore for a week. Ravi confirms the customer can carry up to Rs 7,500 in Indian notes without any special permission, and updates the cash counter system to reflect the new limit.

What changed

The earlier limit of Rs 5,000 per person for taking or bringing Indian currency notes (excluding Nepal/Bhutan) has been raised to Rs 7,500. The amendment was notified via FEMA notification in July 2009 and is now being communicated through this circular.

What it means for you

Banks and authorised persons must update their internal limits and customer advisories for cash transactions at counters and forex outlets. Travellers can now carry more Indian currency without needing additional approval, reducing compliance friction for small-value trips.

What you must do

Who it affects

All authorised persons in foreign exchange (banks, forex dealers), Resident individuals travelling abroad (except to Nepal/Bhutan), Branch tellers and forex counter staff

❓ Common questions

Does the new limit apply to travel to Nepal and Bhutan?

No, the limit of Rs 7,500 does not apply to travel to or from Nepal and Bhutan; those routes remain subject to separate rules.

Can a family of four carry Rs 30,000 in total?

Yes, the limit is per person, so each individual can carry up to Rs 7,500. A family of four could collectively carry up to Rs 30,000, provided each person holds their own notes.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
Notifications - Reserve Bank of India Skip to main content Selected Selected Change Language हिंदी Search the Website Search Home About Us ▼ About Us Organisation & Functions ▶ Organisation Structure Departments Offices Training Establishment ▶ College of Agricultural Banking Reserve Bank Staff College College of Supervisors RBI's Functions and Working Governors Deputy Governors Executive Directors Communication Policy of RBI Sources of Information ▶ Annual Publications Half-yearly Publications Quarterly Publications Monthly Publications Weekly Publications Occasional Publications SDDS NSDP Data Releases Publications available on Subscription General Information RBI History Museum ▶ The RBI Museum RBI Monetary Museum Notification ▼ Notifications Master Directions Master Circulars Amendment Directions Draft Notifications/Guidelines ▶ Draft Notifications/Guidelines Draft Directions (RE-wise) Index To RBI Circulars Standalone Circulars Circulars Withdrawn Press Releases Speeches & Media Interactions ▼ Speeches Media Interactions Memorial Lectures Podcasts Publications ▼ Biennial Annual Half-Yearly Quarterly Bi-monthly Monthly Weekly Occasional Reports Working Papers Legal Framework ▼ Act Rules Regulations Schemes Research ▼ External Research Schemes RBI Occasional Papers Working Papers RBI Bulletin History DRG Studies KLEMS State Statistics and Finances Statistics ▼ Data Releases Database on Indian Economy Public Debt Statistics Regulatory Reporting ▼ List of Returns Data Definition Validation rules/ Taxonomy List of RBI Reporting Portals FAQs of RBI Reporting Portals Home Notifications Notifications Withdrawn with effect from November 16, 2021, February 18, 2022, May 02, 2022, May 13, 2022, May 21, 2024, July 12, 2024 & October 01, 2024 ( 504 kb ) Export and Import of Currency RBI/2009-10/297 A. P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 30 A.P. (FL/ RL Series) Circular No.06 February 01, 2010 To, All Authorised Persons in Foreign Exchange Madam / Sir, Export and Import of Currency Attention of Authorised Persons is invited to clauses (a) and (c) of sub-regulation (1) of Regulation 3 of Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Currency) Regulations, 2000, notified vide Notification No. FEMA 6 /RB-2000 dated May 3, 2000, in terms of which, any person resident in India may take outside India or having gone out of India on a temporary visit, may bring into India (other than to and from Nepal and Bhutan) currency notes of Government of India and Reserve Bank of India notes up to an amount not exceeding Rs.5,000 per person. 2. As part of providing greater flexibility to the resident individuals travelling abroad, the existing limits, mentioned above, have been enhanced to Rs. 7,500 per person. The Government of India, has notified vide G.S.R.548 (E) in the Gazette of India dated July 24, 2009 [ Notification No.FEMA.195/2009-RB dated July 7, 2009 ] (copy annexed), an amendment to clauses (a) and (c) of sub-regulation (1) of Regulation 3 of the Notification referred to above. 3. Accordingly, any person resident in India, i) 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.7,500 (Rupees seven thousand five hundred only) per person; and ii) 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.7,500 (Rupees seven thousand five hundred only) per person. 4. Authorised Persons may bring the contents of this circular to the notice of their constituents, customers and foreign counter parties concerned. 5. The directions contained in this circular have been issued under sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999) and are without prejudice to permissions / approvals, if any, required under any other law. 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Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2009-10/297 · issued 01 Feb 2010. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
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Who does what — compliance checklist
🏦 Branch Manager
  • Update your cash handling systems and teller limits to reflect the new Rs 7,500 per person ceiling.
  • Brief branch staff and forex counters on the revised limit for both outward and inward movement of Indian notes.
📜 Compliance
  • Advise customers travelling abroad (except Nepal/Bhutan) of the enhanced limit through circulars or notices.
Grouped from the action items above — a single circular may involve more than one team.
Worked example & action-note template

Example: if you are a Branch Manager at a bank this circular applies to (All authorised persons in foreign exchange (banks, forex dealers), Resident individuals travelling abroad (except to Nepal/Bhutan), Branch tellers and forex counter staff), your first concrete step on “RBI raises cash carry limit for travellers to Rs 7,500” is: “Update your cash handling systems and teller limits to reflect the new Rs 7,500 per person ceiling.” (RBI issued this 01 Feb 2010).

  1. Circular: RBI/2009-10/297 -- RBI raises cash carry limit for travellers to Rs 7,500
  2. Issued: 01 Feb 2010
  3. Action required: Update your cash handling systems and teller limits to reflect the new Rs 7,500 per person ceiling.
  4. Action required: Brief branch staff and forex counters on the revised limit for both outward and inward movement of Indian notes.
  5. Action required: Advise customers travelling abroad (except Nepal/Bhutan) of the enhanced limit through circulars or notices.
  6. Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
  7. Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
  8. Evidence filed in compliance register on: ____________
Built only from this circular’s own published fields — not legal advice; always confirm against the official RBI source.

💬 Banker Discussion

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BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 03 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly).
Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=5480&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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