Nepal’s government has now, after 10 years, granted permission for India’s new Rs. 200 and Rs. 500 notes.
In India, on November 8, 2016, the central government declared the Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes then in circulation invalid. After that, the central government introduced new Rs. 200, Rs. 500, and Rs. 2,000 notes.
Following this, the government in Nepal imposed a ban on notes of higher value than India’s Rs. 100 note. It allowed only Rs. 100 notes and lower-denomination notes such as Rs. 50 and Rs. 20, up to a total value of Rs. 25,000, to be brought into Nepal.
In this situation, Nepal has now relaxed the restrictions it had imposed on Indian currency notes. In other words, Nepal has permitted the Rs. 200 and Rs. 500 notes issued in India after November 9, 2016.
In a notice issued by Nepal Rastra Bank regarding this, it has been stated that Indian currency notes of Rs. 200 and Rs. 500 can be brought in up to a value of Rs. 25,000. At the same time, the notice from Nepal Rastra Bank also states that Indian currency notes should not be brought into Nepal from countries other than India, and likewise, Indian currency notes should not be taken from Nepal to countries other than India.
Tourists visiting Nepal do not need to declare to customs officials if they are carrying up to 5,000 US dollars in cash (about Rs. 4.83 lakh in Indian currency), and if that money is in Indian currency, it should not be in denominations higher than Rs. 100, the Nepal Rastra Bank has said. The notice also emphasizes that if a person brings in cash exceeding the value of 5,000 dollars, it must be declared to customs officials.
Nepal's request to India: The Nepal government has requested India to recognize the national identity card used in Nepal as a travel document. At present, those traveling by air from Nepal to India use their citizenship certificate and passport as identification documents. If India accepts Nepal's request and recognizes that country's national identity card, people from that country will then have the opportunity to use that identity card as a third travel document.
In 1950, a peace and friendship treaty was signed between India and Nepal. According to this, when Indian citizens travel to Nepal and when Nepali citizens come to India, they do not need to carry an entry permit (visa). Indians going to Nepal only need to have a passport or voter ID card with them. Nepali citizens coming to India must have a passport or citizenship certificate.