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FEMA and RBI|Glossary entry|2 min read

Form 15CA

Information for Foreign Remittance

Online declaration filed with the Income Tax Department before making certain foreign remittances from India.

Filing window

Before remittance is initiated; mandatory for remittances exceeding INR 5 lakh

Regulator

Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)

Regulator

Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)

Deadline

Before remittance is initiated; mandatory for remittances exceeding INR 5 lakh

Penalty

Section 271-I: penalty of INR 1 lakh for non-furnishing or i...

Legal basis

Income Tax Act, 1961

§ 01
Definition

What is Form 15CA?

Online declaration filed with the Income Tax Department before making certain foreign remittances from India.

Applies to
  • +Indian companies with foreign shareholders
  • +Wholly Owned Subsidiaries of foreign parents
  • +Foreign-owned GCCs operating in India
§ 02
Citation

Statutory basis

Income Tax Act, 1961

Section 195 read with Rule 37BB

Enforced by

Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), through e-filing portal

Citations are editorially curated. Always verify current applicability with qualified Indian counsel before acting on a specific matter.

§ 03
Why it matters

The stake

Before remittance is initiated; mandatory for remittances exceeding INR 5 lakh

Filing window for Form 15CA. Skipping or mishandling this compliance carries direct financial and operational consequences.

Why Form 15CA matters for your GCC

Form 15CA is a cross-border RBI requirement for foreign-owned Indian entities and GCCs. Missing the before remittance is initiated; mandatory for remittances exceeding inr 5 lakh obligation triggers section 271-i: penalty of inr 1 lakh for non-furnishing or incorrect furnishing of form 15ca, and downstream filings or transactions may be blocked until rectification. Most foreign parents discover Form 15CA issues only when a downstream transaction surfaces the prior gap, by which point rectification costs and operational delays have grown materially. Proactive handling avoids these cascading consequences.

§ 04
Pitfalls

The 4 ways Form 15CA goes wrong

Real scenarios from real GCC compliance audits. Each one preventable.

01

Trap 01

Treating Form 15CA as something the AD bank handles when the Indian company is the legal filer

02

Trap 02

Missing the filing window due to internal delays between finance, banking, and legal teams

03

Trap 03

Submitting with incorrect supporting documents such as FIRC, KYC, or board resolutions

04

Trap 04

Discovering the contravention only when attempting a downstream RBI transaction

§ 05
IRPR Network handles this

Done for you

FEMA and RBI Compliance

IRPR Network handles Form 15CA as part of our FEMA and RBI Compliance service, with timely filings, supporting-document validation, citation tracking, and a zero-penalty compliance calendar.

Our workflow

  1. 01Identify the trigger event in your GCC operations
  2. 02Prepare and validate the Form 15CA filing or compliance step
  3. 03Submit to the regulator and obtain acknowledgement
  4. 04Track in your compliance calendar for ongoing or recurring obligations
§ 07
Questions

Asked about Form 15CA

5 specific questions that GCC operators ask most often, answered with citations to the relevant regulations.

Need help with Form 15CA?

IRPR Network manages Form 15CA as part of FEMA and RBI Compliance, with a zero-penalty guarantee.

Explore the service
Q01

What is Form 15CA and who does it apply to?

+

Online declaration filed with the Income Tax Department before making certain foreign remittances from India. For foreign-owned GCCs, Form 15CA applies to indian companies with foreign shareholders. IRPR Network handles Form 15CA as part of our FEMA and RBI Compliance service.

Q02

When is Form 15CA due?

+

Form 15CA is due before remittance is initiated; mandatory for remittances exceeding inr 5 lakh. Late filing triggers section 271-i: penalty of inr 1 lakh for non-furnishing or incorrect furnishing of form 15ca.

Q03

What law governs Form 15CA?

+

Form 15CA is governed by Income Tax Act, 1961, specifically Section 195 read with Rule 37BB. The compliance is enforced by Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), through e-filing portal.

Q04

What is the penalty for non-compliance with Form 15CA?

+

Non-compliance attracts: Section 271-I: penalty of INR 1 lakh for non-furnishing or incorrect furnishing of Form 15CA IRPR Network's compliance retainer is designed to prevent these exposures through proactive filing, citation tracking, and a defined compliance calendar.

Q05

Who handles Form 15CA for foreign-owned GCCs in India?

+

IRPR Network handles Form 15CA end-to-end as part of our FEMA and RBI Compliance service. Our team prepares filings, coordinates with regulators, validates supporting documents, and tracks all related deadlines on a defined compliance calendar.

Continue

Handle Form 15CA the right way, the first time.

Book a 30-minute consultation. We will map your Form 15CA obligations alongside every other India compliance for your GCC, on one calendar, one retainer.

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