From 1 April 2026, the Income Tax Act 2025 has replaced the long-standing Form 15CA and Form 15CB with two new forms — Form 145 and Form 146. If you are an NRI or making a remittance abroad from India, you need to understand what has changed, what remains the same, and how compliance works under the new regime.
What Were Form 15CA and Form 15CB?
Under the old Income Tax Act 1961, anyone making a foreign remittance from India was required to file Form 15CA — an online declaration — and obtain Form 15CB, a certificate from a Chartered Accountant, before the bank would process the transfer. These forms ensured that applicable taxes were paid before money left India.
Banks required the CA-certified Form 15CB before accepting Form 15CA for most remittances above ₹5 lakh. This system, while effective, had four separate Parts (I, II, III, IV) making it confusing for NRIs and remitters alike.
What Are Form 145 and Form 146?
The Income Tax Act 2025 introduced a streamlined two-form system effective 1 April 2026:
- Form 145 (erstwhile Form 15CA) — The online declaration filed by the remitter on the Income Tax portal. It declares the nature of the remittance, its taxability, applicable DTAA provisions, and the tax deducted. This is filed by you or your CA on your behalf.
- Form 146 (erstwhile Form 15CB) — The CA certificate issued by a practising Chartered Accountant certifying that the provisions of the Income Tax Act 2025 and relevant DTAA have been complied with. Your bank requires this before processing the remittance.
Key Differences: Old vs New Forms
The core compliance requirement is identical — a remitter must file a declaration (Form 145 / old 15CA) and obtain a CA certificate (Form 146 / old 15CB) for taxable remittances. The key change is in the legal foundation: the forms now operate under Section 402 of the Income Tax Act 2025 instead of Section 195 of the old Act. DTAA provisions, tax treaty benefits, and bank submission procedures remain broadly the same.
One significant improvement: the new Act has cleaner definitions of what remittances require compliance, reducing ambiguity about which Part to file. Many routine NRI transactions that previously required lengthy Part III filings are now handled under simplified declarations.
Which Remittances Require Form 145 and 146?
Form 145 and Form 146 are required for remittances that are chargeable to tax in India under the Income Tax Act 2025. This typically includes:
- Rental income being repatriated by NRIs
- Proceeds from sale of property in India
- Dividend income from Indian companies
- Interest income from NRO accounts above the exempt threshold
- Royalty or fee for technical services paid to non-residents
- Capital gains from sale of Indian assets
Remittances that are not taxable — such as genuine gifts between close relatives, repayment of loans, or amounts already taxed — may not require Form 146, but Form 145 may still be required as a declaration.
What Does a Practising CA Do in This Process?
Your CA plays a critical role in Form 146 certification. The CA must examine the remittance, verify the nature of income, determine taxability under Indian domestic law and the applicable DTAA, compute the tax payable, verify that TDS has been correctly deducted, and then issue Form 146 under their ICAI registration. This is a professional certification carrying legal accountability — it cannot be auto-generated by software.
At NRI Tax CA, every Form 146 certificate is issued by a Fellow Chartered Accountant with 10+ years of experience in NRI taxation. We handle the DTAA analysis, portal filing, and deliver bank-ready documents within 24–48 hours.
How Long Does It Take and What Does It Cost?
At NRI Tax CA, Form 145 filing starts at ₹2,999 per form, Form 146 certificate at ₹2,999, and the most common Form 145 + 146 combo package at ₹4,999. Turnaround is 24–48 hours from the time you share your documents. Everything is handled over email — no office visit required, regardless of which country you are in.
My Bank Still Asks for 15CA/15CB — What Do I Do?
Some bank branches, particularly those outside major metros, may still reference Form 15CA and 15CB in their remittance forms as of April–May 2026. This is simply a documentation lag. Form 145 is the legal successor to Form 15CA and Form 146 is the legal successor to Form 15CB. Present both forms to your bank along with a brief covering note referencing the Income Tax Act 2025 transition. Most banks are accepting these without issue.
If your bank raises a query, contact us and we will provide a standard covering letter that explains the transition for your bank’s compliance team — at no additional charge.
Need to file Form 145 (formerly 15CA) or Form 146 (formerly 15CB)? Use our NRI tax calculator to estimate remittance tax, then submit your request to our CA team at Bilash Paul & Associates.
Start Your Filing Today
Whether you need Form 145 only, Form 146 only, or the complete combo package, NRI Tax CA handles everything end-to-end. Submit your details at nritaxca.com/start.html and receive a fixed quote within 2 hours.
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