What Is the P1301 Purpose Code?

The P1301 purpose code covers money sent to India by an Indian non-resident for family maintenance and savings. RBI lists P1301 in group 13, Secondary Income, with the description "Inward remittance from Indian non-residents towards family maintenance and savings". It is a personal transfer between family members. It is not payment for goods or services, so it is not an export receipt and no export invoice is involved. AD banks report the code under FETERS, as set out in A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 84 of February 29, 2012. Under Regulation 18(2) of the 2026 Export and Import Regulations, FETERS reporting continues.

P1301 vs P1302: P1302 is "Personal gifts and donations" in the same Secondary Income group. A regular transfer for household costs or savings fits P1301. A one-off gift that is not meant for maintenance or savings fits P1302. RBI's list does not draw a firmer line, so ask your AD bank if the purpose is mixed.

Use the P1301 purpose code when an Indian non-resident sends money to a resident relative for household expenses or savings. The deciding question is why the money is sent. Group 13 of the RBI purpose code list has several receipt codes for personal and institutional transfers, so check the alternatives below before you choose P1301.

• Use P1302 instead: Use P1302 (Personal gifts and donations) when the money is a gift and is not meant for family maintenance or savings.
• Use P1307 instead: Use P1307 (Receipts on account of migrant transfers including Personal Effects) when the receipt relates to a migrant transfer or personal effects.
• Use P1401 instead: Use P1401 (Compensation of employees) when the money is pay for work done for a foreign employer.

The P1301 purpose code is used by resident individuals in India whose relatives live abroad as Indian non-residents. The resident recipient declares P1301 to the bank or provider that credits the funds, and the sender may be asked for the same purpose when starting the transfer.

• For example, a son working in Dubai sends money each month to his parents in Kerala for household costs, declared under P1301.
• For example, a daughter living in Canada transfers money to her mother in Pune to be kept as family savings, declared under P1301.
• Say a husband works in Singapore and sends funds to his wife's account in Chennai for the family's expenses, declared under P1301.
• Say a brother in the United States sends money to his sister in Jaipur to support their elderly parents, declared under P1301.

• A foreign client pays you for freelance or consulting work. Use A services code from group 08 or 10, such as P0802 (Software consultancy/implementation (other than those covered in SOFTEX form)) or P1006 (Business and management consultancy and public relations services).
• A relative abroad sends a one-off personal gift. Use P1302 (Personal gifts and donations).
• A non-resident sends money to a religious or charitable institution in India. Use P1303 (Donations to religious and charitable institutions in India).
• The money is a salary or wage from a foreign employer. Use P1401 (Compensation of employees).

For the P1301 purpose code there is no export documentation, because the receipt is not a sale of goods or services. Keep records that show who sent the money and why. This page reflects the 2026 Export and Import Regulations, which deal with exports and imports of goods and services. They do not make a family remittance an export, so the Export Declaration Form does not apply to P1301 receipts.

• Sender details: Keep the sender's name, relationship to you and country, as banks may ask for them when crediting the funds.
• Credit advice: Keep the bank's credit advice or inward remittance advice showing the amount, currency, date and purpose code.
• Relationship proof: Be ready to show how the sender is related to you if your bank asks, for example through a short written note.
• Statements: Keep bank statements that show the receipt, as they help match the transfer to the sender if a query arises later.

1. Confirm that the money is a family transfer from a relative who is an Indian non-resident, and not payment for work or goods.
2. Open the inward payment in your bank's portal, app or branch form when the funds arrive or when you are asked for the purpose.
3. Select P1301 from the purpose code list, or write the code and its description if the form asks for text.
4. Add the sender's name and the relationship in any remarks field so the transfer can be matched.
5. Confirm the code shown on the credit advice is P1301, and ask your bank to correct it if it is wrong.

• FIRA/FIRC: Your bank or provider records the purpose on the inward remittance advice or certificate it issues. Check with your AD bank on the exact format. A family remittance is not export income, so you do not need an export-linked certificate for it.
• GST: A transfer from a relative is not payment for a supply of goods or services, so export of services under section 2(6) of the IGST Act does not arise for it. Your GST position on any real business receipts is separate.
• Income tax: The purpose code does not decide how the money is taxed. The Income-tax Act, 2025 replaced the 1961 Act from April 01, 2026. Ask a tax professional how a transfer from a relative is treated in your case, and which year's rules apply.

• Business income: Declaring P1301 for money received from a foreign client. Client payments belong in an export code, and they may carry GST and export declaration duties.
• Gift mix-up: Using P1301 for a one-off gift where P1302 describes the purpose better.
• Salary: Using P1301 for pay from a foreign employer, where P1401 describes the receipt.
• Charity: Using P1301 for a donation to an institution in India, where P1303 or P1304 describes the receipt.
• Wrong direction: Using P1301 for money you send out of India. Payments out of India use S codes.
• Mixing streams: Receiving client payments and family transfers in one account without clear remarks. See what a wrong code can lead to.

The code, its official description and every rule on this page are linked to RBI and other official sources, checked on the dates below.

1. RBI: Guidelines for Submission of Data, Foreign Exchange Transactions Electronic Reporting System (FETERS), purpose code list, Group 13 Secondary Income: P1301 to P1307; Group 08 and 10 codes P0802, P1006; Group 14 P1401 (checked 9 Oct 2026)
2. RBI A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 84 dated February 29, 2012: Compilation of R-Returns, Reporting under FETERS, Paragraph 3: AD banks to report all foreign exchange transactions as per the revised purpose code list from April 2012 (checked 9 Oct 2026)
3. RBI Notification No. FEMA 23(R)/2026-RB: Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026 (amended up to September 22, 2026), Regulation 1(2) (in force from October 01, 2026); 18(2) (FETERS reporting) (checked 9 Oct 2026)
4. IGST Act, 2017, Section 2: Definitions (CBIC tax information portal), Section 2(6): export of services (checked 9 Oct 2026)
5. Income Tax Department e-filing portal: Objective and scope of the New Act, FAQ 2: the 1961 Act stands repealed on 01.04.2026 (checked 9 Oct 2026)