How much money can be transferred from USA to India?

India is the world’s largest remittance recipient, with more than $12 billion sent from the US to India in 2019 alone. Knowing how much you’ll pay in tax and how the process works will give you peace of mind when receiving money from America.

How much money can I receive from the USA?

There is no money transfer limit on how much you can send from the US to India, at least none imposed by the Indian or US government. However, a specific money transfer or banking service may impose limits on how much you can send in a single transfer. If you’re planning on receiving a large transfer, consider using Wise.

Do senders from the US have to report and pay taxes to transfer money to India?

When you send money to India, the first $15,000 will be exempt from taxes by the IRS under the Gift Tax policy. This limit is charged on a per person basis — if the sender would like to transfer $15,000 to multiple recipients, they won’t need to pay any gift taxes.

If they do send more than $15,000, they’ll need to file an IRS Form 709 to disclose the gift. On top of the $15,000 annual limit, they get an $11.7 million lifetime exclusion in 2021. Should you be fortunate enough to have received over $11.7 million, your sender may then be liable for gift taxes at a rate anywhere from 17% to 40%.

Tax for receiving money from the USA in India

There is no recipient tax on money being transferred from abroad to India when it’s being sent to blood relatives. In general, “blood relatives” — including spouses, children and grandchildren, siblings or in-laws — do not pay tax on any amount received.

However, if you’re receiving more than about $700 from someone who isn’t a blood relative, you’ll need to report it on their taxes. No matter how you receive the money, you could be on the hook for a gift tax if you aren’t a blood relative, as regulated by the Indian Income Tax Act.

Tax for India residents sending money abroad

How much money can you send from India to the US? Well, in February 2020, the Indian government introduced a new law that would put in new limits for remittances out of India. Because of this law, resident individuals in India can only send a maximum of $250,000 overseas each year. Additionally, any amount remitted above ₹700,000, which translates to roughly $9,500, will be taxed at 5%.

Compare providers for your next large transfer

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Wise (TransferWise) Wise (TransferWise)		24 hours	From 0.41%		Go to site View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
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What are the penalties in India if I fail to file taxes on money received?

If you don’t report a transfer on your taxes in India, you could be charged a 10%, 50% or 200% penalty on the taxes owed, depending on whether it was considered intentional or not.

With so much attention on money entering and leaving India, if you fail to report large sums, don’t know you have to report them or don’t report them correctly, it will likely be discovered. Make sure to declare any large remittance receipts on your general tax return with the Indian Income Tax Department.

To avoid the severe penalties that could come with a failure to report large sums of money into the country, speak with a professional to guarantee that everything complies with the laws of both the US and India.

How will I receive the money in India?

You can pick up the cash in person or have the money deposited directly into your bank account or mobile wallet. Not every provider will offer all three options, so check before the transfer is initiated.

In general, you will have to provide an ID or a confirmation number for the transaction to pick up the money in cash.

Frequently asked questions