Form 15CA (filed by remitter) and Form 15CB (Chartered Accountant certificate) are the gateway documents for any outward remittance from an NRO account above Rs 5 lakhs in a financial year — including property sale proceeds.
Banks will not process repatriation without these.
Despite the apparent simplicity, NRI applications get rejected for documentation gaps, wrong section selection, and inconsistencies with Form 26AS. This guide walks through the complete process.
What is Form 15CA and Form 15CB and when are they required?
Both forms are part of the Income Tax Department's mechanism to ensure no taxable Indian income is remitted abroad without tax compliance.
(1) Form 15CB — Certificate from a Chartered Accountant (CA) in India, confirming that the proposed remittance is taxable or non-taxable, the applicable section under DTAA or Income Tax Act, the tax already deducted/paid, and certifying that all Indian tax obligations on the remittance are met.
(2) Form 15CA — Self-declaration filed online by the remitter on the Income Tax e-filing portal, citing the 15CB and providing transaction details. Required for: any outward remittance from NRO above Rs 5 lakhs per financial year per remitter.
Below Rs 5 lakhs aggregate per FY — only Form 15CA Part A (no 15CB needed).
Above Rs 5 lakhs but covered under specified small-amount nature codes — 15CA Part B (no 15CB needed). All other cases including property repatriation — 15CA Part C with 15CB.
How does the NRI obtain Form 15CB from a Chartered Accountant?
15CB issuance process:
(1) Engage a CA in India authorised to issue 15CB — must be a practising CA with valid Membership Number and Certificate of Practice.
(2) Provide: PAN card, passport, OCI card, Sale Deed, ITR for year of sale (or computation), Form 16A from buyer, computation of capital gains, evidence of tax payment (challan or TDS certificate), bank account details for remittance.
(3) CA computes tax liability, verifies it matches actual deduction/payment, and certifies.
(4) CA logs into Income Tax e-filing portal with own credentials, fills Form 15CB, digitally signs with DSC, submits.
(5) 15CB is issued with a unique Acknowledgment Number — this number is needed for Form 15CA. CA fee: Rs 5,000-25,000 typically, depending on complexity.
(6) NRI receives 15CB copy and the acknowledgment number.
How does the NRI file Form 15CA online?
15CA filing process:
(1) Login to Income Tax e-filing portal with NRI's PAN credentials. (2) Navigate to e-File > Forms > Form 15CA.
(3) Choose Part C (for property sale and other large remittances). (4) Fill in: remitter details (NRI), beneficiary details (foreign bank account), nature of remittance (sale proceeds of immovable property), country of remittance, amount in INR and foreign currency, Form 15CB acknowledgment number, applicable tax section, tax paid/deducted.
(5) Upload supporting: Form 15CB copy, Sale Deed, TDS certificate, bank account proof.
(6) Submit using OTP/DSC. (7) Acknowledgment is generated — keep for bank submission.
(8) Form 15CA can be filed by the NRI directly OR by an authorised representative (CA, family member with POA, lawyer) using their PAN and credentials.
How long is Form 15CA/15CB valid and when should it be filed?
Validity and timing:
(1) Form 15CB has no specific expiry but is generally treated as valid for 90 days from issuance — banks often refuse 15CB older than 3 months.
(2) Form 15CA, once filed, remains in the system; the actual remittance should typically happen within 60-90 days of 15CA filing for clean processing.
(3) Multiple remittances against the same 15CB are NOT allowed — each remittance needs its own 15CA + 15CB pair.
(4) For multi-tranche repatriation (e.g., USD 1 million per year over multiple years), each year's tranche requires fresh 15CA + 15CB. (5) Best practice: file 15CB and 15CA only once you are ready to remit — bank submission within 7-14 days of filing.
What documents does the bank need for outward remittance of property sale proceeds?
Bank documentation checklist (varies slightly by bank):
(1) Form 15CA copy (with acknowledgment).
(2) Form 15CB original (CA-signed and stamped).
(3) Sale Deed copy (registered).
(4) Buyer's TDS certificate (Form 16A or 16C).
(5) Lower TDS Certificate copy (if applicable).
(6) NRI's PAN, passport, OCI.
(7) ITR copy and tax payment challans (if filed).
(8) Self-declaration in FEMA-prescribed format (bank's template). (9) Beneficiary bank details (full SWIFT code, bank name, address, account number).
(10) Outward remittance form (bank's own form, online or paper). (11) For original investment claim — FIRC of original purchase, NRE statement.
(12) Source of funds declaration.
(13) Any RBI approval letter if applicable. Major banks (HDFC, ICICI, SBI, Axis) have NRI desks with online repatriation portals — uploading documents and tracking is easier than at branch level.
What are the most common reasons Form 15CA/15CB applications fail or get returned?
Top rejection/return reasons:
(1) Mismatch between 15CB and Form 26AS — TDS reflected in 26AS is less than what 15CB says was deducted; discrepancy needs reconciliation.
(2) Pending ITRs — if the NRI has not filed ITR for past years where tax was due, AO may flag.
(3) Wrong section claimed — using wrong section under DTAA or Income Tax Act for the type of remittance.
(4) Excessive amount — remittance amount exceeds USD 1 million (or original investment limit) without proper documentation.
(5) Insufficient capital gains documentation — bank or CA cannot verify cost basis claimed.
(6) Stale documents — 15CB older than 90 days, ITR older than acceptable threshold.
(7) PAN inactive or PAN-Aadhaar not linked — PAN must be active for filing.
(8) Missing FATCA/CRS declaration in account — bank insists on updated foreign tax residency declaration. Each issue is fixable; allow 7-14 days buffer for resolution.
Can a CA in another country issue Form 15CB?
NO. Form 15CB can only be issued by a Chartered Accountant who is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), holding a valid Certificate of Practice in India. Equivalent designations in other countries — CPA (USA), ACCA (UK), CA (Canada/Australia/Singapore) — cannot issue 15CB. NRIs must engage an Indian CA. Practical options:
(1) Engage a CA in the city where your property/PAN jurisdiction is — they understand local nuances.
(2) Many CA firms specialise in NRI work and serve clients globally via email/video.
(3) Some online platforms (Cleartax, IndiaFilings, ClearTDS) connect NRIs with CAs for 15CB in 3-7 days.
(4) If you have a regular CA for your Indian ITR, they typically also issue 15CB. Always verify the CA's Membership Number and Practice Certificate.
Can multiple 15CB and 15CA be filed for the same property sale?
YES, this is common and necessary for:
(1) Multi-year repatriation — you file separate 15CA + 15CB for each USD 1 million tranche each financial year.
(2) Multi-property sales — separate forms for each property.
(3) Joint property sales — each co-owner files their own 15CA + 15CB for their share.
(4) Original investment + USD 1 million combination — typically one 15CB covers both portions (purchase amount + USD 1 million within FY), with 15CA filed for the total.
(5) Spousal splits — husband and wife, both NRIs, each file own 15CA + 15CB for their respective shares.
Each filing is independent and must be supported by documents specific to that tranche.
For complete details on selling property in India as an NRI and understanding the complete legal, tax, and repatriation process, visit our Selling Property in India page.