How much cash can you take to India?
There is no cap on what you may carry into India. At USD 10,000 or more you must tell customs, which is free and takes a few minutes. The same figure applies leaving.
Entering India
USD 10,000
or more — declare it
Leaving India
USD 10,000
or more — declare it
Applies per person. Each traveller has their own figure. That does not make splitting a large sum across a group to avoid the threshold lawful — several countries treat that as an offence in its own right.
Check your actual route
The figure above is only one end of the trip. Add where you're coming from or going to for both.
Pick both countries to see the rules for each end of your trip.
The rule in India, in full
ARRIVAL: Foreign currency (notes + coins) exceeding USD 10,000 equivalent must be declared on the Currency Declaration Form (CDF) on arrival. Undeclared excess may be confiscated. DEPARTURE: you may take out foreign exchange up to what you declared on arrival or legitimately acquired in India. Indian rupees (INR): max INR 25,000 may be carried in or out. Per individual traveller. Governed by Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) 1999.
Form: Currency Declaration Form (CDF) — mandatory on arrival for amounts over USD 10,000 equivalent. Get it from the authority at the border or their site — we don't mirror it here, because forms are revised without notice and a stale copy is worse than none.
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) / Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Last checked 2026-08-10
Heading to India? The duty-free allowance page for India covers what you can bring in without paying duty.