Ø General Information

1. Bringing into India of Foreign currency, Indian currency and Jewellery made of gold and silver.
Foreign Currency
It is required to be declared by the holder to the Indian customs authorities on arrival on a currency declaration form (CDF). A copy of the CDF duly certified by the customs will be handed over to the declarant. This declaration helps easy conversion of foreign currency into Indian currency by the tourists and also reconversion of their unspent balances of Indian rupees into Foreign Currency at the time of departure from India. Banks CDFs are available with the Airport/Seaport customs.

Indian Currency
Bringing into India Indian currency of any denomination is prohibited. Foreign Tourists returning to India from Nepal area, however permitted to bring with them unspent Indian currency note. Coins upto the value of Rs. 75/- per person. There is no restriction bringing into India a cheques/drafts denominated in India rupees drawn on banks situated in India by overseas banks.

Personal Jewellery
Foreign Tourists are permitted to bring with them their personal jewellery either on their person or as part of their personal effects in accordance with customs baggage rules. In order to facilitate customs clearance of personal jewellery at the time of the tourists departure from India, details thereof are endorsed on the tourists passport at the time of entry.

2. ENCASHMENT OF FOREIGN CURRENCY
Travellers cheques and the Foreign Currency notes can be easily converted into Indian currency with any branch of a bank authorised to deal in Foreign Exchange or licensed money changers.

3. EXCHANGE RATES
The rates for purchase and sale of Pound Sterling and US Dollar currency notes and foreign currency travellers cheques, where applicable , are quoted by authorised dealers/money changers within the floor and ceiling rates worked out daily in accordance with guidelines prescribed by Reserve Bank of India. For other currencies, banks quited rates based on market conditions.

Banks drafts and travellers cheque fetch better rates as compared to currency notes and coins. Currencies like Pound-Sterling, US Dollar and Deutsche Mark, Swiss Francs and Japanese Yen are widely accepted.

4. PAYMENT OF HOTEL BILLS
Foreign National have to normally pay their Hotel Bills in Foreign Exchange. They may also pay the Hotel Bills in Indian Rupees, provided the rupees are derived out of sale of Foreign Exchange to authorised dealers/licensed money-changers as evidenced by the production of encashment certificates (Sec-III)

5. TRAVEL WITHIN INDIA
For travel within India, Foreign Tourists have to pay the fares in Foreign Exchange. All Booking offices of the Indian Airlines, private airlines and booking offices of Indian Railways at many important centres accept payment in Foreign Exchange from Foreign Tourists. Rail fares can be paid in Indian rupees on production of encashment certificate obtained earlier.

6. BOOKING OF PASSAGE IN INDIA FOR TRAVEL OUT OF COUNTRY
Foreign Tourists not holding return tickets purchased aboard may book their passage tickets for travel out of India through any Airlines/Shipping company or licensed travel agents. The passage fare has to be paid in foreign exchange or in Indian currency obtained in an approved manner.

7. UNACCOMPANIED BAGGAGE
Foreign visitors are required to pay charges for the excess baggage or freight on their unaccompanied baggage in foreign exchange. Payment in Indian rupees is also acceptable if supported by valid encashment certificates.

8. PURCHASE OF GOODS/ARTICLES BY FOREIGN TOURISTS
(a)Shops/Emporiums selling goods or providing services to foreign tourists are permitted to accept payment in foreign exchange in the following manner:

1. Against internationally recognised credit cards.
2. By Bank draft drawn in approved foreign currencies on banks in India or rupees drafts issued by bank abroad (other than in Nepal and Bhutan)
3. By Travellers Cheques in Foreign currency or in Indian rupees provided in the letter case they are issued by selling agent outside India (other than Nepal and Bhutan).

(b)Foreign Tourists are permitted by Indian customs to take with them goods purchased in India (except banned items) without any value limit, provided the goods are purchased out of funds brought from abroad. The visitors have to complete a tourists questionnaire available with shops/travel agencies and submit it along with their encashment certificates. Some shops and emporiums also undertake to send the goods abroad as unaccompanied baggage at the request of the tourists