Govt sets caps by age on amount of foreign currency allowed to be carried abroad

E-Paper | October 01, 2026

Govt sets caps by age on amount of foreign currency allowed to be carried abroad

Tahir Naseer Published July 10, 2019

Travellers above 18 can carry $10,000 on a single visit abroad. — AFP/File

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The amount of foreign currency travellers leaving Pakistan can carry without having to declare it has been capped by the age of the traveler, a new advisory issued by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) says.

According to the FBR advisory, issued on Tuesday, travellers aged less than 5 years can carry $1,000 (or an equivalent amount in other foreign currencies) on a single visit. If they travel abroad multiple times a year, they can carry a maximum of $6,000 in one year.

Passengers aged 5-18 years can carry $5,000 on a single visit and up to $30,000 over a year in case of multiple visits.

Similarly, travellers who are above 18 can carry $10,000 on a single visit and up to $60,000 over a year in case of multiple visits.

Importantly, all travellers leaving Pakistan have been forbidden from carrying more than Rs3,000 on their person under the new rules.

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Tahir Naseer is a court and crime reporter for Dawn News (TV) with 17 years of experience in the field. He has covered numerous high-profile investigations, and his reporting focuses on transparency, accountability, and systemic challenges within the legal sector. He can be found on X at @tahirnaser.

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Shabbir

Jul 10, 2019 02:38pm

Unbelievable, this is a very generous limits allowed to be taken, it wasn't required at all.

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Jul 10, 2019 02:45pm

Finally some clarity . Good

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Taimur

Jul 10, 2019 02:51pm

@KB , The rules were the same even two years ago so what is new?

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Ranjha

Jul 10, 2019 02:57pm

Great move to stop the money laundering political class!

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SHAHID SATTAR

Jul 10, 2019 03:01pm

Could we also learn how much is one permitted to eat at one time of the day? Two chapattis or naans or three? Life would be so much easier to live if a directive is soon issued to resolve this basic issue.

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Mujahid Hussain

Jul 10, 2019 03:14pm

Statement is not cleared. All travelers can not carry more than 3000$ to leave abroad where as in first statement any person who is above 18 years can carry 10000$ in a single trip and 60,000$ in multiple trips in a year.

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Jul 10, 2019 03:18pm

Why limit on rupees????

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Kauser

Jul 10, 2019 03:19pm

For your knowledge

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Zakota

Jul 10, 2019 03:23pm

Carrying of Pakistani currency shall be increase to Rs 10,000 as at most occasions while getting boarding pass the agent ask substantial amount due to imposing of additional tax after the air ticket was issued.

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Ranjha

Jul 10, 2019 03:35pm

@MG, To stop money laundering! Take crime infested rupees to Dubai, convert to dollars, bring back a forex, look like a patriot! Any other questions?

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Chinpaksaddique

Jul 10, 2019 03:37pm

PMIK must please increase this amount as a lot of people travel to China on business and bring products home

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M. Saeed

Jul 10, 2019 03:43pm

If forbidden from carrying more than Rs. 3,000 on their person under the new rules, how else would a person carry remaining allowed amount?

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Ahmad Khan

Jul 10, 2019 03:49pm

These regulations were in place even 5 years ago

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Omar

Jul 10, 2019 04:05pm

Confusing and unnecessary

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Jul 10, 2019 04:07pm

@Mujahid Hussain, $3,000 limit is for a visitor leaving Pakistan after visiting.

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LAHORI KID

Jul 10, 2019 04:09pm

You should only be allowed to carry cash if you are of legal age(18) or above, or a maximum should be decided if you have up to 5 kids, that’s it, now people will stuff their kids with cash when traveling.

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Dev Mehta

Jul 10, 2019 04:10pm

Very generous limits more suitable for a country with lots of foreign currency reserves.

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syed baqar ahsan

Jul 10, 2019 04:10pm

concentrate on big fishes and Catch them to set examples.

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Siki sher

Jul 10, 2019 04:14pm

@Mujahid Hussain, they are clear..international law states that any passenger can carry the max $10000 or it's equivilent in local currency on international flights ..anything above $10000 has to be declared at departure or arrival and appropriate tax has to be paid

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Taimur

Jul 10, 2019 04:16pm

@MG, PKR3000

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kash

Jul 10, 2019 04:18pm

You need more than 3000rs for airport tax and refreshements in lounge/dutyfree.

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Hu Zhi Yuan Dr

Jul 10, 2019 04:19pm

@Mujahid Hussain, What is not clear ? It is Rs.3,000 ( RUPEES ) i.e. traveler can not carry more than Pak Rupees 3,000.- Upper limit is equivalent of USD 10,000 in Foreign currency.

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Ali

Jul 10, 2019 04:36pm

@Taimur, limit defined as per age limit

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m h godil

Jul 10, 2019 04:45pm

Pakistan is in severe problem of Reserve.FBR / SBP should not allow more than $3000- as suggested by money changer Association president mr Bostan ? Money changer still gives upto $33000- cash to any one against copy of CNIC??Its a strange why dont SBP/FBR know that whole world is in economic crises??Pakistan may face worst problems in 2020??Even big european banks are in deep trouble.

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Jul 10, 2019 04:49pm

Great move by the P.T.I. administration in Islamabad to curb money laundering and smuggling. Even in the U.S., you are not allowed to take out more than $10,000 during your overseas visit.

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Javed Arshad

Jul 10, 2019 04:51pm

why allow such big amount of $ to take out of country ?

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Syed A. Mateen

Jul 10, 2019 04:57pm

Changing rules for travellers how much amount they can carry on single or multiple trips on day to day basis clearly shows that government is not firm as what to do and what should not be done. Limit restrictions on Pakistani currency that one should not take out of country more than Rs 3000 seems to be absurd as after free fall of Pakistani currency comparing to 1 US $ before begging for IMF loan. Pakistani currency is not in demand in any foreign country. It’s not that 1 US $ = 1 Pak Rupee.

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Murtaza Mandviwala

Jul 10, 2019 05:03pm

What's the 3000 rs rule can some1 explain???

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Shahidam

Jul 10, 2019 05:12pm

And who and how many are these children and individuals? BTW, what if children, teenagers and adults are travelling as family? Are their individual allowed limits added or there is a defined family limit? It is clear, under these definitions, only a few can inflict huge damage in terms of outflow of foreign currency.

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M. Emad

Jul 10, 2019 05:22pm

Bangladesh citizens can take out US$5,000 for travel to SAARC member countries + Myanmar and US$7,000 or equivalent for travel to other countries. Bangladesh Foreign Reserves $33bn.

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rafiq

Jul 10, 2019 05:26pm

@SHAHID SATTAR , Well Done. good point.

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Anonymous

Jul 10, 2019 05:32pm

This rule is 10 years old!!!!

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Kapil

Jul 10, 2019 05:46pm

when they come back Rs3000 would be certainly worth 2000

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Newborn

Jul 10, 2019 06:17pm

Modeling agencies will now need to hire a lot more. This is how they earn most of their money.

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Tarik

Jul 10, 2019 06:29pm

$10,000. is too much for a poor countr.

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Torit

Jul 10, 2019 06:52pm

Cannot understand the rational of this age related foreign exchange available while travelling abroad. There could be a fixed amount per passenger per visit which would be easier to implement.

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Adi

Jul 10, 2019 07:02pm

It should not be more than 5000 !

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Dr Hu Zhi Yuan

Jul 10, 2019 07:16pm

@Murtaza Mandviwala, Simple. Traveler can not carry MORE THAN 3,000 Pakistani Rupees.

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Javaid

Jul 10, 2019 07:22pm

Now family will be used to money laundering as cash allowed too much. People should be discouraged to carry the cash. Asked to put the money in the account and carry the cards. 1 thousand person should be allowed in present circumstances.

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Mujahid Hussain

Jul 10, 2019 08:00pm

@MA, Thanks

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Shabbir H. Kazmi

Jul 10, 2019 08:03pm

whom are they trying to fool? It will open door for massive corruption. Instead of imposing restrictions, government should boost exports, which can be doubled by removing hurdles.

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Maboob Saleem

Jul 10, 2019 08:07pm

$10,000 is enough.

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mirza

Jul 10, 2019 08:18pm

Still living in la-la land. This country has no foreign exchange, dollar is exticnt still the govet allows people to carry so much money abroad. Strange

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Nand

Jul 10, 2019 08:19pm

@Chinpaksaddique, Are there no Industries that makes these products in Pakistan?

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Nand

Jul 10, 2019 08:26pm

@Newborn, Forget models. FM himself travels 4-5 times a month and takes US$10,000.00 each time.

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Babar

Jul 10, 2019 08:44pm

What do we mean by, "Importantly, all travellers leaving Pakistan have been forbidden from carrying more than Rs3,000 on their person under the new rules."

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Faisal

Jul 10, 2019 08:49pm

@M. Emad, I still would not want to be a Bengali . Now go back to your own forum.

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AK4PK

Jul 10, 2019 09:17pm

This is sheer stupidity. Here in the UK no one is allowed to carry more than £1000 in cash on their person when travelling abroad. If some one does then they are required to declare it and prove that the money is legitimate and Tax paid otherwise it is confiscated. The rules announced in Pakistan today actually hands over the money laundering charter on a silver plate to the crooks. Wonder who devises these ill conceived and bumbling rules.

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Ashar

Jul 10, 2019 10:08pm

Limit of carrying $10,000.00 is an International standard of allowed currency between countries for international trace and cannot be changed by any country. The only change is under the age of 18, at the same time these limits are only for Pakistani Nationals not any other Nationals coming and going to Pakistan

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M A S Khan

Jul 11, 2019 07:47am

@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad, yes cash. But credit And debit card no issue.

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Khalid Omar

Jul 11, 2019 08:33am

News not clear. First it says that for a person age above 18 years can carry $10,000 maximum per foreign visit, But then in the last paragraph is says only or $3000 is allowed. I need clarification please, if any body can help me. please?.

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Vikas

Jul 11, 2019 11:25am

This so still comfortable and quite a lot. So I think Pakistanis can still be quite comfortable going abroad. Rest I’m sure they can spend on credit card. This is the limit of cash they can carry, right?

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Omar Mughal

Jul 11, 2019 04:18pm

@M. Saeed, in USD or any other currency.

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Obaid

Jul 11, 2019 06:23pm

@AK4PK , again the limit is only 3000 rupees that travellers can take leave with from pakistan

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