The Union Home Ministry has amended certain rules related to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), allowing Indians to receive up to Rs 10 lakh in a year from relatives staying abroad without informing the authorities. The earlier limit was Rs 1 lakh. 

In a notification, the Home Ministry also said if the amount exceeds, the individuals will now have 90 days to inform the government instead of 30 days earlier.

The new rules, Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Rules, 2022, were notified by the Home Ministry through a gazette notification on Friday night. 

“In the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rules, 2011, in rule 6, for the words “one lakh rupees”, the words “ten lakh rupees” shall be substituted; and for the words “thirty days”, the words “three months” shall be substituted,” the notification said.

Rule 6 deals with intimation of receiving foreign funds from relatives. 

It stated earlier that “any person receiving foreign contribution in excess of Rs 1 lakh or equivalent thereto in a financial year from any of his relatives shall inform the Central government (details of funds) within 30 days from the receipt of such contribution”. 

Similarly, making changes in Rule 9, which deals with application of obtaining ‘registration’ or ‘prior permission’ under the FCRA to receive funds, the amended rules have given individuals and organisations or NGOs 45 days to inform the Home Ministry about bank account(s) that are to be used for utilisation of such funds. This time limit was 30 days earlier.