Planning to move abroad? Check this Budget measure and get this certificate first

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman through Union Budget 2024 has introduced an amendment in the rules for those who are planning to shift their base from India. This amendment mandates individuals domiciled in India to clear their complete tax dues and obtain 'clearance certificates' before leaving the country, under a new provision of the Black Money Act.

These clearance certificates would be issued by Income Tax authorities, after they verify and confirm that no dues are pending on the applicant's part, the Budget document states.

The revised mandate notes that, "no person who is domiciled in India, shall leave India, unless he obtains a certificate from the income-tax authorities stating that he has no liabilities under the Income-tax Act, or the Wealth-tax Act, 1957, or the Gift-tax Act, 1958, or the Expenditure-tax Act, 1987."


The government has mandated that a person who is liable to pay any taxes, or yet to clear any kind of tax dues cannot leave the nation unless their taxes are cleared.

The new provision will come into effect from October 1, 2024. It should be noted that the old provisions for taxpayers planning to leave India under the Income Tax Act remain the same.

The Finance Ministry is expected to release further information on the new amendment.