Travelers to India are generally required to make an oral declaration in respect of baggage and foreign currency in their possession. There are two channels for clearance: the Green Channel is for travelers without any dutiable goods and the Red Channel is for travelers carrying dutiable goods.
A traveler can bring in foreign exchange without any limit. Cash, bank notes and travelers' cheques up to US $ 1,000 or equivalent need not be declared at the time of entry. However, declaration of foreign exchange/currency is required to be made in the prescribed currency declaration form in the following cases:-
a) where the value of foreign currency notes exceeds US $ 5,000 or equivalent, OR
b) where the aggregate value of foreign exchange (in the form of currency notes, bank notes, or traveler cheques) exceeds US $ 10,000 or its equivalent
Any money in the form of travelers' cheques, drafts, bills and cheques in convertible currencies should be exchanged to Indian currency only through banks or other authorized money changers who will issue an encashment certificate. The certificate would be required at the time of reconversion of any unspent money and for obtaining tax clearance certificates.
