Can you bring cash to India?

• Cash

  allowed, must be declared

  Foreign exchange may be brought into India without limit, but a Currency Declaration Form (CDF) must be filed with Customs if foreign currency notes alone exceed USD 5,000, or if the aggregate value of foreign exchange (currency notes, bank notes, traveller's cheques) exceeds USD 10,000. Separately, import of Indian Rupee currency notes is prohibited for foreign visitors; only Indian residents returning from abroad may carry in up to Rs. 25,000.

  These are the same thresholds confirmed on both the Reserve Bank of India's own Master Direction on Import and CBIC's Chennai Customs Zone passenger FAQ, so this is a cross-checked, high-confidence figure.

  Also covers: cash, currency, money, foreign exchange

  Checked 2026-08-13 — Source: Reserve Bank of India — Master Direction on Import (FED Master Direction No. 17/2016-17), Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Currency) Regulations

Check your specific trip →|Compare cash in every destination →|Full India guide →

Informational only — not legal advice. Customs rules change; confirm with the official source above before you travel. See update history