Can i buy dollars in India

sash561

I need 25 usd for my nepal visa and i dont have any usd with me. I have pound sterling and have 50's and 100's. I understand that the chances of me getting any change in return from the border crossing guards is nil.

So my question is, can i buy USD in india and if so what documenst do i need?

cheers

Nick-H

Yes... Indians travel, and need to obtain foreign currency! It is available for them, just as it is available for people changing their Rupees back before leaving the country.

Just go to a Foreign Exchange dealer. As a foreigner, if you want to change Rs to $, you probably need to show the papers that you got when changing £ to Rs --- or the ATM slips.

machadinha

Yes, known as bank exchange certificate in the former case (it's just a small piece of paper).

I guess carrying your passport may not hurt (but may not at all be necessary); I generally carry it on me, neatly tucked away, whilst traveling anyway. Together with my other papers including those slips, you never know when you may need them.

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Nick-H

Passport! You're right, Mach.

It's so long since I did this stuff as a traveller

machadinha

Heheh, easy to forget such things as a resident, isn't it (I wouldn't have thought of the exchange proofs though, so good for you!)

Like I said though I generally find it a moot point (for a traveler); carrying that stuff close on your body is the safest place to keep it all anyway.

Nick-H

Very rare I need FX in cash: I get pounds out of machines in UK, and Rs out of machines in India.

sash561

Thanks Nick , The trouble is i deposited the pounds in my mates indian bank account and he gave me the exhange rate in ruppees.

Mach, i've read your post about your visa trip to nepal. you wouldnt know by any chance if they accept Indian ruppees at the land border would ya?

machadinha

? No, that must be a mistake, I've never been to Nepal. I think that thread you're referring to I may have left some other comments. But so no, can't help you there, sorry.

There must be existing threads on it though; try scouting around the Crossing the Border forum.

btw Sash, I don't know for sure if a money changer (as opposed to a bank) would ask to see your exchange proofs; you could just try. (If it doesn't work or before you try then, just go out and exchange or withdraw some money I guess, then use that receipt or slip.)

Another thing is while it seems to be rarely enforced these days (so checked on at all), technically you need a handful of such slips when leaving the country, to show you've been providing for yourself, not illicitly making money. I'm sure it can still be asked for.

They'll also be needed when e.g. buying train tickets using the Foreigner Quota; either that, or such tickets must be paid for in foreign currency.

sash561

Sorry mate, must have confused you with someone else. Cant i just walk upto a bank or currency exchange agent i delhi or bareilly and ask change for 50 pounds? say five tenners? is that possible?

machadinha

Yes, you can. May be handled just by some banks. Ask them where else to go if they don't.

sash561

Thanks mate, guess i am sorted

Nick-H

They might charge commission

I mean... some habits are just really hard to break!

sash561

LOL, i hope in ruppees, wouldnt mind slipping in a 50

machadinha

On that note and another of those fine points,

I don't know about banks but at "private changers" (where you won't typically get a receipt anyway), a larger bill will naturally be in more demand than several small ones, so you'll get a lousier rate for the latter. They may nag and whine some to bring it down further; you are then expected to nag & whine it back up and so meet one another somewhere half-way, and well you know the drill.

I'm talking not strictly bona fide folks of course, i.e., the black market (hardly worth its while these days anyway, but handy in say a place where there is no bank nor a machine); it's conceivable say five tenners (or two fifties as opposed to a hundred) would give you a somewhat lower rate at an official place too, though (where, btw and needless to say, there is no question of haggling); or I guess they may protest some to accept bills as small as tenners, although I expect they should. At 50 of whatever, the difference will be so marginal that I wouldn't lose any sleep over it anyway. But just so you know I suppose when paying commission, they may charge it per bill, to your disadvantage (it works out more than over the sum total); and they may well have a right to. I think banks do when exchanging traveler's cheques.