RBI lowers cash limit for Indian and OCI card-holder Kartarpur gurdwara pilgrims

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday said Indians and those with Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards will be allowed to carry up to ₹11,000 in Indian currencies or US dollars while going on a pilgrimage to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan. This is lower than the usual limit of ₹25,000.

In a statement, the RBI said the decision was taken in consultation with the government. The RBI said it "has decided that Indian passport holders as well as persons of Indian origin carrying the Overseas Citizen of India Card along with their passports travelling to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, Narowal, Pakistan through the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, shall be allowed to carry outside and bring into India at the time of his/her return, only Indian currency notes and/or foreign currency in USD, the total value of which may not exceed ₹11,000".

The country’s central bank issued the statement titled 'Lower currency limit for pilgrims visiting Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur'.

According to the Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Currency) Regulations, 2015, any Indian resident may carry outside currency notes of up to ₹25,000, other than to Nepal and Bhutan. The same limit applies for bringing in the currency.

The Kartarpur corridor links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, with the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district in India's Punjab state.

The 4-km corridor provides visa-free access to Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit the Darbar Sahib.

Pilgrimage to the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara was suspended in March last year because of the Covid-19 outbreak. The corridor was reopened last month.

(With inputs from agencies)