Balances in NRE and FCNR accounts, which hold money brought in from abroad, are fully repatriable. Money in an NRO account, including Indian income, savings from your resident days, sale proceeds of assets and inheritance, can be remitted abroad up to USD 1 million per financial year, after tax, supported by Form 15CA and usually a chartered accountant's certificate in Form 15CB. Sale proceeds of up to two residential properties bought with foreign funds can be repatriated up to the amount originally brought in.
- NRE and FCNR
- Freely repatriable
- NRO and assets
- USD 1 million per financial year
- Tax forms
- Form 15CA and 15CB
- Legal basis
- FEMA 1999 and RBI directions
Where your money sits decides the route
| Source of money | Usual account | Repatriation |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings and savings sent from abroad | NRE or FCNR | Fully repatriable, principal and interest |
| Indian income: rent, dividends, pension, interest | NRO | Current income remittable after tax |
| Savings from when you were resident, sale of assets | NRO | Within USD 1 million per financial year |
| Inheritance or legacy from a resident | NRO | Within USD 1 million per financial year, with documents |
| Sale of residential property bought with foreign funds | NRO, then remitted | Up to the foreign exchange originally paid, for up to two properties |
The USD 1 million facility runs per financial year (April to March) and covers the total of all NRO balances and asset sale proceeds you remit in that year. Money can also be moved from NRO to NRE within the same limit once tax is paid. Couples can each use their own limit for money that genuinely belongs to them, which matters when property was jointly owned.
Repatriating property sale proceeds
FEMA treats property sale proceeds differently depending on how the property was bought. If you acquired residential property while an NRI, paying with money sent from abroad or from your NRE or FCNR account, you can repatriate the sale proceeds up to the amount of foreign exchange originally paid, for not more than two residential properties. Gains above that, and proceeds of a third property, fall within the USD 1 million facility.
If you bought the property while you were resident in India, or paid from Indian rupee sources, the proceeds go to your NRO account and are remitted within the USD 1 million limit. Proceeds of commercial property follow the same NRO route. Payment for any purchase by an NRI must have come through banking channels; documents showing that are what the bank asks for when you sell. If the sale is still ahead, read about TDS on NRI property sales first, because the tax deducted and the certificate obtained feed directly into Form 15CB.
Inherited money and property
An NRI or OCI cardholder who inherits money or property from a person resident in India can remit the inheritance abroad within the USD 1 million per financial year limit. The bank will ask for documentary evidence of the inheritance: the will and probate where applicable, a succession certificate or legal heir certificate, the death certificate, and proof that tax, if any, has been paid. India has no inheritance tax, but income earned on the inherited asset after death, and capital gains when you sell it, are taxable.
Inherited property is often sold first, and the proceeds remitted. That needs clear title in your name, so mutation and succession are usually the first step; see succession certificate. Where several heirs live in different countries, each remits their share within their own limit.
Form 15CA and Form 15CB
Before a bank remits money to a non-resident, the remitter files Form 15CA on the income tax e-filing portal, declaring the nature of the payment and the tax position. For larger taxable remittances, Form 15CA must be supported by Form 15CB, a certificate from a chartered accountant who examines the source of funds, the tax deducted or paid, and any treaty position. Some categories of remittance do not need these forms, but transfers of sale proceeds and NRO balances generally do.
The bank will also ask you to sign its own request form and a declaration that the remittance is within the USD 1 million limit for the year. Banks differ in their checklists, and a request that does not match the 15CB certificate is returned. We prepare the file so the numbers match: sale deed, TDS certificates, return or tax computation, and bank statements showing how the money arrived in the NRO account. The forms are under the Income-tax Act as in force from 1 April 2026; we use the current versions on the portal.
Timing, tax and your country of residence
Repatriation does not itself create Indian tax, but the bank needs to see that tax on the underlying income has been paid or deducted. Interest credited to NRO accounts suffers tax at source; capital gains on a sale are covered by the buyer's TDS and your return. Where too much tax was deducted, you can remit the net amount now and the refund later, once it is paid into your account.
Your country of residence may treat the money as taxable income, a capital receipt or a gift, and some countries require reporting of foreign accounts and inbound transfers. The USA, for example, has reporting rules for foreign bank accounts and certain foreign gifts and inheritances. We work with your local adviser so the Indian documents support your filings abroad. Our NRI income tax page explains the Indian side.
Doing it without travelling
Most remittances can be completed from abroad. Banks accept signed requests by courier or through their NRI desks, and many allow online requests for NRO-to-overseas transfers. The 15CA is filed online under your PAN, and the chartered accountant issues the 15CB digitally. We coordinate with your bank branch, answer its queries and track the transfer until it reaches your overseas account. Where an attorney holder in India has authority to operate the account, check that the power of attorney expressly covers repatriation, as banks read it narrowly.
Common reasons a remittance is refused
- Funds in a resident account. If you never converted your resident savings account to NRO after moving abroad, the bank will need it regularised first.
- No proof of source. Missing sale deeds, TDS certificates or inheritance documents stall the request.
- Exceeding the annual limit without planning the remittance across two financial years.
- Using an informal channel. Sending money through unauthorised agents is a FEMA contravention and leaves no paper trail for your tax filings abroad.
Documents you need
We will match this list to your bank's own checklist before anything is signed.
- Passport, visa or OCI card and overseas address proof
- PAN and NRO and NRE account statements
- Sale deed and TDS certificates for property sale proceeds
- Proof of how the property was paid for, if claiming foreign-funded repatriation
- Will, probate, succession or legal heir certificate for inherited funds
- Income tax return or tax computation for the year
- Form 15CA acknowledgment and Form 15CB from a chartered accountant
- Bank's remittance request form and declaration
How we handle it for you
Identify the source
We trace each amount to its source and the FEMA route that applies.
Confirm tax is paid
TDS, returns and any refund claim checked so the tax position is clean.
Prepare 15CA and 15CB
Forms prepared and filed, matching the bank documents exactly.
Submit to the bank
Request lodged with your bank's NRI desk, with follow-up on queries.
Track to receipt
We monitor the transfer and plan the next tranche if the limit is reached.
Why clients choose ProudLegal
Built for clients abroadVideo calls in your time zone and documents signed where you live.
Advocates who appear in Indian courtsYour case is drafted and argued by enrolled advocates in India.
Written fee quote firstScope and fees confirmed in writing before any work starts.
Updates after every stepScans of every filing and order on WhatsApp and email.
Frequently asked questions
How much money can an NRI send abroad from India each year?
From NRO balances and asset sale proceeds, up to USD 1 million per financial year, after tax. NRE and FCNR balances are fully repatriable without that cap.
Can I repatriate the full sale price of my flat?
If you bought it as an NRI with foreign funds, up to the foreign exchange originally paid, for up to two residential properties; the rest falls within the USD 1 million limit. Otherwise, the whole amount is within that limit.
Can I send my inheritance abroad?
Yes, within USD 1 million per financial year, with documentary evidence of the inheritance and proof of tax paid on any income from it.
What is Form 15CB?
A certificate from a chartered accountant confirming the nature of the remittance and that Indian tax has been paid or deducted. It supports Form 15CA, which you file online before the bank remits.
Can I move money from NRO to NRE?
Yes, within the USD 1 million per financial year limit, after tax, with the same 15CA and 15CB documentation.
Does the Liberalised Remittance Scheme apply to me?
The USD 250,000 LRS limit is for residents. As an NRI you use the USD 1 million NRO facility instead.
Is repatriated money taxed in India again?
No. The remittance is not taxed; the income behind it is. The bank only needs proof that the tax on that income has been dealt with.
What do your repatriation services cost?
We quote a fixed fee based on the source of funds and the documents involved, in writing before we start. Chartered accountant fees for Form 15CB are shown separately.