How Much Can an NRI Repatriate From India?

One of the most common questions NRIs ask is simple.

How much money can I move out of India, and how?

The answer depends on which account the money sits in, and on a set of rules under FEMA, the Foreign Exchange Management Act.

This guide explains the limits, the difference between your NRE and NRO accounts, and the exact steps to move money from NRO to NRE.

Please note. This is general information, not personal advice. Rules and limits can change and depend on your own situation. Confirm your position with your bank and a qualified adviser before acting.

NRE and NRO: the key difference

As an NRI you typically hold two rupee accounts in India.

• NRE account. Used mainly for money you earn abroad and send to India. Balances, both principal and interest, are freely repatriable with no limit. Interest earned is generally not taxed in India.
• NRO account. Used for income that arises in India, such as rent, dividends, pension or the sale of assets. Repatriation from an NRO account is capped, and the income is taxable in India.

In short, money in an NRE account moves out freely. Money in an NRO account is where the limit applies.

The USD 1 million per year limit

You can repatriate up to USD 1 million per financial year from your NRO account.

The financial year in India runs from April to March.

The limit applies per person, and it covers capital account items such as the sale proceeds of property or investments held in India.

Taxes due must be paid before the money is repatriated.

Current income is treated separately

Your current income in India, such as rent, interest, dividends or a pension, is generally repatriable without counting against the USD 1 million limit, once the applicable tax has been dealt with.

The limit is mainly there to govern the movement of capital, not routine income.

Moving money from NRO to NRE

You can transfer funds from your NRO account to your NRE account, or remit them abroad, within the same USD 1 million per year limit.

The process is document driven, and banks will not release the funds without it.

Two forms are central.

• Form 15CB. A certificate from a Chartered Accountant confirming the nature of the funds and that the correct tax has been paid or deducted.
• Form 15CA. A declaration you submit, based on the 15CB certificate, that is filed with the income tax portal.

You then give these to your bank along with the transfer request.

The usual steps

• Confirm the source of the funds and that any tax on it has been settled.
• Have a Chartered Accountant issue Form 15CB.
• File Form 15CA on the income tax portal.
• Submit the forms and the bank's own repatriation request to move the funds from NRO to NRE or abroad.

Keep records, because the paperwork supports the tax treatment later.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming NRO money moves like NRE money. It does not. The limit and the forms apply.
• Forgetting the tax step. Repatriation follows tax, not the other way around.
• Leaving idle balances. Large sums sitting in an NRO account, unplanned, often sit there simply because the process feels unclear.

How RuDo helps

RuDo is a fee-only, cross-border adviser for NRIs, regulated by the FSRA in ADGM and by SEBI in India.

Repatriation is rarely a standalone decision. It sits inside a bigger question of how your India and global wealth work together, where money should live, and what it is for.

We help you plan that whole picture, and coordinate with qualified tax and banking specialists for the specific execution.

If you want a clear next step, you can book a wealth review with RuDo.