# Money and cards abroad

> How to take money on a trip: authorised providers, card and rate checks, a backup way to pay and declaring cash. Where the official rules are.

- Category: Banking & forex
- For: travellers planning a short trip or holiday abroad
- Verified on: 2026-10-20
- Source: [Foreign Exchange Management Act — Reserve Bank of India](https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/Fema.aspx)
- Page: https://travelsorted.grihaam.online/resources/money-and-cards-abroad

## The short answer

Use authorised providers, compare the exchange rate and the fees together, tell your bank before you travel, and carry a second way to pay. Cash and goods above a border authority’s limits must be declared, so read the destination’s border page. India’s foreign exchange rules are published by the Reserve Bank of India. This guide is general information, not financial advice.

## Key terms in plain English

- **Authorised dealer:** a bank or other provider authorised to sell foreign currency under India’s rules.
- **Exchange rate:** the price of one currency in another. The rate you are offered is not always the headline rate.
- **Fee:** what the provider charges on top, which can be a flat fee, a margin, or both.
- **Declare:** tell the border authority that you carry cash or goods above its limit.

## Ways to pay

- **A travel card or a forex card.** You load it with money and spend abroad. Compare the fee and the rate.
- **A debit or credit card.** Check whether it works abroad, and what it charges for foreign payments and for withdrawals.
- **Cash.** A small amount helps on arrival. Cash is easy to lose and should be declared if above the limit.
- **Transfers.** For larger payments, use an authorised provider and keep the receipt.

## Before you go

- Tell your bank or card provider where you will be, if they ask.
- Check how to switch a card off from your phone.
- Keep a backup card in a different bag.
- Learn which payment methods the places you will visit prefer.

## Border pages on cash

See [Entering the UK](https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control), [Cross the Canadian border](https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/menu-eng.html), [Crossing the border (Australian Border Force)](https://www.abf.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/crossing-the-border) and [Travel: customs rules for entering Germany](https://www.zoll.de/EN/Private-individuals/Travel/travel_node.html).

## Checklist

- [ ] Use authorised providers for foreign currency
- [ ] Compare the rate and every fee, not one of them
- [ ] Tell your bank if it asks for notice of travel
- [ ] Carry two ways to pay, in different bags
- [ ] Learn how to block a lost card from your phone
- [ ] Read the border pages on cash and goods
- [ ] Keep receipts for forex and for large purchases

## Common mistakes

- **Comparing only the rate.** A good rate can hide a high fee.
- **Using a street exchange.** Use an authorised provider.
- **One card, one bag.** Losing it ends the trip’s payments.
- **Paying in your home currency by default.** Compare what the card machine offers.
- **Forgetting to declare.** Read the border page.

## Things that change

Rules, limits and fees change. Check the Reserve Bank’s page, your card’s terms and the border pages before the trip.

## Verify before you act

See the official [Reserve Bank of India’s Foreign Exchange Management Act pages](https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/Fema.aspx). For advice on your own finances, speak to your bank or a licensed adviser.

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