Kathmandu is in the “final stages” of publishing a Gazette notice that will once again allow Indian travellers to carry high-denomination rupee notes—up to a cumulative value of ₹25,000—across the border, Nepal Rastra Bank officials told The Kathmandu Post and Business Standard on 13 December. The change overturns a near-decade-long cap that restricted visitors to ₹100 bills, a rule introduced after India’s 2016 demonetisation and concerns over counterfeit currency.
For Indian tourists, pilgrims and medical patients—who make up the largest share of Nepal’s arrivals—the relaxation means simpler cash transactions, especially in remote areas where QR-code payments still suffer from patchy connectivity. Nepali migrant workers heading to India will also benefit, avoiding the costly informal money-changers that mushroomed to swap higher-value notes.
Before packing those freshly permissible notes, travellers may also want to sort out any necessary supporting paperwork. VisaHQ, an online visa and passport facilitator, can streamline documentation such as e-visas for onward journeys from India or Nepal through its dedicated portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/), helping visitors bypass consulate queues and focus on their Himalayan adventure.
![Nepal Poised to Lift ₹100 Currency Cap, Smoothing India–Nepal Travel and Tourism]()
Trade and hospitality groups on both sides of the open border expect a tangible uptick in spending. Casinos in Kathmandu and Pokhara, which rely heavily on Indian high-rollers, estimate that the old restriction reduced revenues by as much as 20 percent. Transport operators say the move will cut boarding times at land checkpoints because travellers will no longer need to declare or exchange cash.
The policy follows India’s own amendment on 2 December to its Foreign Exchange Management rules, which now explicitly permit outward carriage of high-denomination notes up to the same ₹25,000 limit. Implementation is likely within weeks once Nepal’s Gazette notification is issued; banks will then begin distributing mixed-denomination packets to authorised money-changers.
Mobility advisers recommend that travellers still carry some smaller notes for local buses and street vendors until the new cash ecosystem stabilises, and to monitor official updates from the Reserve Bank of India and Nepal Rastra Bank for the exact start date.
For Indian tourists, pilgrims and medical patients—who make up the largest share of Nepal’s arrivals—the relaxation means simpler cash transactions, especially in remote areas where QR-code payments still suffer from patchy connectivity. Nepali migrant workers heading to India will also benefit, avoiding the costly informal money-changers that mushroomed to swap higher-value notes.
Before packing those freshly permissible notes, travellers may also want to sort out any necessary supporting paperwork. VisaHQ, an online visa and passport facilitator, can streamline documentation such as e-visas for onward journeys from India or Nepal through its dedicated portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/), helping visitors bypass consulate queues and focus on their Himalayan adventure.
Trade and hospitality groups on both sides of the open border expect a tangible uptick in spending. Casinos in Kathmandu and Pokhara, which rely heavily on Indian high-rollers, estimate that the old restriction reduced revenues by as much as 20 percent. Transport operators say the move will cut boarding times at land checkpoints because travellers will no longer need to declare or exchange cash.
The policy follows India’s own amendment on 2 December to its Foreign Exchange Management rules, which now explicitly permit outward carriage of high-denomination notes up to the same ₹25,000 limit. Implementation is likely within weeks once Nepal’s Gazette notification is issued; banks will then begin distributing mixed-denomination packets to authorised money-changers.
Mobility advisers recommend that travellers still carry some smaller notes for local buses and street vendors until the new cash ecosystem stabilises, and to monitor official updates from the Reserve Bank of India and Nepal Rastra Bank for the exact start date.
