What is purpose code P0301?

Purpose code P0301 is the first code in the travel group of RBI's receipt purpose codes. It records money that reaches India because visitors spend on travel here, for example foreign currency that a hotel or emporium takes from a guest.⁴⁵ A freelancer or agency that bills foreign clients for professional work normally needs a service code instead.

What does the P0301 purpose code cover?

The P0301 purpose code covers purchases towards travel by visitors to India.⁴⁵ DGFT's purpose code to SAC mapping reproduces the same wording, cut short in its table.²

• Official description: "Purchases towards travel (Includes purchases of foreign TCs, currency notes etc over the counter, by hotels, Emporiums, institutions etc. as well as amount received by TT/SWIFT transfers or debit to Non-Resident account).".⁴⁵
• BOP group: P03, "Travel".⁴
• Direction: receipt, meaning money coming into India.¹
• Source list: A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 84 dated 29 February 2012 told banks to report all foreign exchange transactions under a revised purpose code list from April 2012.¹

RBI's annex PDF showed a captcha page when this page was checked, so the wording above is quoted from the HDFC Bank and DBS Bank India reproductions, which match each other word for word.⁴⁵ The full description reads: "Purchases towards travel (Includes purchases of foreign TCs, currency notes etc over the counter, by hotels, Emporiums, institutions etc. as well as amount received by TT/SWIFT transfers or debit to Non-Resident account)."⁴⁵

When should you use the P0301 purpose code?

Use the P0301 purpose code when a business in India receives general travel spending from foreign visitors, and no more specific travel code fits.⁴

• Over-the-counter purchases: hotels, emporiums and institutions buy foreign currency or travellers' cheques from visitors.
• Transfers: the same kind of receipts arrive by TT or SWIFT transfer, or by debit to a non-resident account.
• No specific reason given: the current list has specific codes for business travel (P0302), medical travel (P0304) and education travel (P0305).⁴

A hotel or tour operator should check whether one of the specific codes describes the guest's trip better.

Who uses the P0301 purpose code?

The P0301 purpose code is used by businesses in India that receive travel spending from foreign visitors.⁴ DGFT's mapping links P0301 to SACs for hotel accommodation, camp sites, restaurants and catering.²

• Hotels and guest houses: take foreign currency or transfers from guests.
• Emporiums and shops: sell to tourists and accept foreign currency.
• Institutions: buy foreign currency or travellers' cheques over the counter.

Fees that a developer, designer or consultant earns from a foreign client are not travel receipts and use codes in groups P08 to P11.⁴

What transactions are covered under P0301?

Transactions covered under P0301 are purchases towards travel by visitors to India.⁴

• Hotel stay: For example, a hotel in Goa receives a SWIFT transfer from a foreign guest for a holiday stay.
• Currency at an emporium: For example, an emporium in Jaipur accepts foreign currency notes from a tourist.
• Camp site booking: For example, a camp site in Rishikesh receives a transfer from an overseas visitor, matching SAC 996312 in DGFT's mapping.²
• Non-resident account debit: For example, a guest pays a hotel bill by debit to a non-resident account, which the description names.⁴

Each example is spending by a visitor travelling in India.

When should you not use the P0301 purpose code?

Do not use the P0301 purpose code when a specific travel code or a service code fits better.⁴⁵

• Business visitors: use P0302, "Business travel".⁴
• Medical visitors: use P0304, "Travel for medical treatment including TCs purchased by hospitals".⁴
• Students: use P0305, "Travel for education including TCs purchased by educational institutions".⁴
• Returning Indian tourists surrendering currency: use P0308, "Foreign Currencies/TCs surrendered by returning Indian tourists."⁴

Professional fees from foreign clients use codes in groups P08 to P11.⁴

What documents are required for P0301?

No RBI document lists papers specific to P0301; your bank's own policy sets them. The FEMA (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026 require each bank to have a policy and standard operating procedure listing documents, timelines and charges, published on its website.⁶

• Invoice: a service description and Services Accounting Code (SAC) that match the P0301 description. DGFT says you must choose the SAC that corresponds to the purpose code when you generate an electronic Bank Realisation Certificate (e-BRC).³
• Export Declaration Form (EDF): where the receipt is for an export of services, the 2026 Regulations ask every exporter of services to give an EDF to the specified authority, usually the AD bank, within 30 days from the end of the month of invoicing.⁶
• Bank record: the bank's credit advice or Foreign Inward Remittance Advice (FIRA) showing the code it reported.

DGFT's purpose code to SAC mapping (Version 1.0, 10 November 2023) lists these SACs against P0301:²

The mapping lists 3 more SAC codes against P0301; see the DGFT file for the full list.²

The mapping is many-to-many, so the same SAC can appear against several purpose codes.²

How do you declare the P0301 purpose code?

You declare the P0301 purpose code by telling your bank the purpose when the payment arrives, then using the matching SAC for the e-BRC.¹³

1. Match the work to the description: Compare what the client pays for with the RBI description of P0301, "Purchases towards travel (Includes purchases of foreign TCs, currency notes etc over the counter, by hotels, Emporiums, institutions etc. as well as amount received by TT/SWIFT transfers or debit to Non-Resident account).", and with the codes listed under related codes below.⁴
2. Put the matching SAC on the invoice: Use a SAC that DGFT's mapping lists against P0301, so the invoice can later be linked to the payment on the DGFT portal.²
3. Tell the bank or payer the code: Give P0301 to your bank, or to the platform or payer that asks for a purpose, before the money is credited.¹
4. Check the credit advice: Check that the bank's credit advice or FIRA shows P0301, and ask the bank to amend it straight away if it does not.³
5. Generate the e-BRC: On the DGFT portal, link the bank's inward remittance message (IRM) to your invoice and choose the SAC that corresponds to P0301.⁹³

Banks report the code they record, so the code on the bank's record is the one that counts.

How does the P0301 purpose code affect FIRA, GST and income tax?

The P0301 purpose code is a reporting code under RBI's FETERS reporting for travel receipts.¹⁴

• FIRA and e-BRC: the e-BRC is now self-generated by the exporter on the DGFT portal from the inward remittance message (IRM) data the bank sends, and DGFT says you choose the SAC that corresponds to the purpose code on the remittance.⁹³ Check that the bank's FIRA or credit advice shows P0301 before you use it as payment evidence.
• GST: a supply is an export of services only when all five conditions of section 2(6) of the IGST Act are met, including a place of supply outside India.⁷ Under section 13(4) of the IGST Act, accommodation by a hotel, inn, guest house, club or campsite has its place of supply where the property is located, so a stay in an Indian hotel does not meet that condition.⁸⁷
• Income tax: the Income-tax Act, 2025 has applied from 1 April 2026, and tax year 2026-27 runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.¹⁰ Income tax is worked out on the income under that Act.

How GST and income tax apply depends on your contract and facts, so confirm with a chartered accountant.

What are the common mistakes with the P0301 purpose code?

The common mistakes with the P0301 purpose code come from using the general travel code where a specific one exists.⁴

• Using P0301 for business visitors: P0302 is the business travel code.⁴
• Using P0301 for patients: P0304 covers travel for medical treatment.⁴
• Using P0301 for freelance income: professional fees use the code for the service invoiced.⁴
• Choosing an unmapped SAC: DGFT says you must choose the SAC that corresponds to the purpose code on the remittance.³

To fix a wrong code, ask the bank that credited the payment. DGFT's eBRC FAQs say exporters must contact the bank to request a purpose code change, and that banks can amend the IRM they report to DGFT.³ The full steps are in how to correct a purpose code after payment.

Which purpose codes are related to P0301?

P0301 is the general code among the six receipt codes in the travel group P03; the others name a specific reason for the trip.⁴⁵

To compare every receipt code, see the RBI purpose codes list for exporters, or shortlist codes with the purpose code finder. Where a payment could fit more than one description, confirm the code with your bank or a chartered accountant before the money is credited.