Form 15CA and 15CB Filing for Foreign Remittances
Get the Chartered Accountant certificate and online declaration your bank asks for before sending money abroad.
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Form 15CA and Form 15CB are the income tax declarations that go with many payments made from India to a person outside India. Form 15CA is the remitter’s online declaration on the income tax portal, and Form 15CB is a certificate from a Chartered Accountant on whether tax is deductible, at what rate and under which treaty position. They are needed by businesses paying foreign vendors, consultants and group companies, and by individuals sending funds abroad, because authorised dealer banks usually ask for them. Our team reviews the payment, issues the certificate where it applies, files the correct part of Form 15CA and shares the acknowledgement for your bank.
Who provides this service: our team of Chartered Accountants.
Who Needs Form 15CA and 15CB Filing?
- Businesses paying foreign vendors, consultants, software providers or royalty and licence fees
- Indian subsidiaries remitting fees, interest or dividends to their overseas parent or group companies
- Individuals sending money abroad for investment, family support or education where the bank asks for the forms
- Exporters and importers settling service payments that are not merely routine trade settlements
- NRIs transferring funds out of India from their accounts
Key Benefits
- A review of whether the payment is chargeable to tax in India before any form is chosen
- Form 15CB issued by a Chartered Accountant after examining the agreement, invoice and treaty position
- The correct part of Form 15CA selected for your payment, so the bank does not send the filing back
- Treaty benefit analysis, including what the payee must supply, such as a residency certificate and Form 10F
- Advice on tax deduction at source on the remittance and on how the contract treats tax
- A tidy file of working papers so a later query about the payment can be answered quickly
How It Works
Understand the payment
We ask for the nature of the payment, the payee’s country, the agreement or invoice and the amount, because the tax treatment depends on what is being paid for and to whom.
Assess taxability and treaty position
We examine whether the sum is chargeable to tax in India, the rate that applies, and whether a tax treaty with the payee’s country changes the answer, based on the documents supplied.
Handle tax deduction, if needed
Where tax must be deducted, we compute the amount, explain how it affects the net sum the payee receives, and guide you on depositing it and reporting it in your TDS statements.
Issue Form 15CB
Where a certificate is required, our Chartered Accountant examines the papers and uploads Form 15CB on the portal, after which you can see it against the Form 15CA being prepared.
File Form 15CA
We file the part of Form 15CA that suits your payment, with the payee’s details and the certificate reference where relevant, and give you the acknowledgement for the bank.
Support the bank submission
We guide you on what to hand over to the authorised dealer bank, answer clarifications that the bank raises and keep the full set of papers ready for any later review.
Documents Required
- PAN and TAN of the remitter, with portal login details
- Agreement, purchase order or invoice with the foreign payee
- Details of the nature and purpose of the remittance, and the currency and amount
- Name, address and country of the payee, and the payee’s bank details
- Tax residency certificate of the payee, where treaty benefit is claimed
- Form 10F or a declaration of the particulars the residency certificate lacks
- Details of any prior tax deduction, challan or lower-deduction certificate
- Authorised dealer bank’s requirements for the transfer
Timeline and Fees
Indicative timeline: A straightforward remittance is usually handled within a few working days once the documents are complete. The time depends on how quickly the payee’s residency papers arrive and on the portal and bank processes.
Professional fee: Our professional fee depends on how many remittances are involved, the complexity of the payment and treaty analysis, and whether we also handle tax deduction and TDS filing. Bank charges and any tax payable are separate. Contact our team for a written quote.
What Can Go Wrong if This Is Missed or Done Incorrectly
- Remitting funds without the required filing can attract a penalty under the Income Tax Act
- Short deduction of tax on a payment to a non-resident can lead to a demand, interest and disallowance of the expense
- The authorised dealer bank may refuse or delay the transfer if the forms are missing or incorrect
- A wrongly chosen part of Form 15CA or an unsupported treaty claim may invite a query later
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Form 15CA and Form 15CB?
Form 15CA is a declaration made online by the person sending the money. Form 15CB is a certificate given by a Chartered Accountant on the taxability of the payment, the rate and the treaty position. In certain cases a 15CB must be on the portal before the related 15CA can be completed.
Do I need both forms for every foreign payment?
No. Whether you need one, both or neither depends on the nature of the payment, whether it is chargeable to tax in India and the size of the payment. Some specified payments are exempt from the filing requirement. Our team checks the rules that apply on the date of your remittance.
Who should file Form 15CA, the payer or the payee?
The person making the remittance from India files Form 15CA. This can be a company, a firm or an individual. The Chartered Accountant who certifies the payment files Form 15CB. The foreign payee does not file either form, but must provide information such as residency details.
Why does my bank ask for these forms?
Authorised dealer banks are expected to check that the tax position of an outward payment has been addressed before they release foreign exchange. They therefore ask for the acknowledgement of Form 15CA and, where applicable, the certificate in Form 15CB. Without them, the transfer is usually put on hold.
What is a tax residency certificate and why do you ask for it?
It is a document issued by the tax authority of the payee’s country confirming that the payee is a resident there. If you want the benefit of a tax treaty, the certificate and Form 10F are the usual proof. Without them, the tax treatment may default to the domestic position in India.
Has the form numbering changed under the newer income tax framework?
The income tax rules have been updated alongside the new Act, and the portal may show different form references or layouts for the same filings. We work with whatever form the portal currently requires and explain the position to you at the time of the remittance.
Official Sources
Rules, forms and fees change. Check the current position on the official portal:
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Last reviewed: . Laws, fees and procedures change; check the official portal before you act.
Disclaimer: The information on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional legal, tax or compliance advice. Requirements vary by situation. Please consult a qualified CA or CS for advice specific to your needs. Government fees and timelines are subject to change; verify with the relevant authority before proceeding.