Does the EDF apply to me?
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From 1 October 2026, every exporter of services in India files an Export Declaration Form (EDF) with their bank for each month in which they invoice a foreign client. On 7 October RBI said some individuals are not included. This page sorts out where you stand.
What is the EDF?
The EDF, or Export Declaration Form, is a monthly declaration of the services you invoiced to clients outside India. You file it with your AD bank. An AD bank (Authorised Dealer bank) is a bank RBI allows to handle foreign exchange; for you, it is the bank that receives your foreign currency.
It is due 30 days after the end of the month in which you raise the invoice. One EDF covers all of that month's invoices. Months with no foreign invoices need nothing.
Who files, by type of exporter
This is our reading of the rule and of RBI's 7 October statement. It is not legal advice.
| You are | What it means today |
|---|---|
| An individual with a contract of a personal nature | RBI said on 7 October 2026 that you are not included. The FAQ that defines this is still to come, so keep your invoices and FIRAs ready. |
| A sole proprietor, often on GST | Not settled yet. Until the FAQ says otherwise, plan to file by 30 Nov 2026 for October invoices. |
| A partnership firm or an LLP | Files one EDF a month with its AD bank for each month with foreign invoices. |
| A private or public limited company | Files one EDF a month with its AD bank for each month with foreign invoices. |
| An agency, studio or IT shop | Files one EDF a month, whatever its legal form, for each month with foreign invoices. |
Is this new EDF form needed for every exporter?
“Whether this new EDF form is required to be fill for every exporter (goods/services)?”
This page is about exporters of services: software, design, writing, consulting, marketing and similar work for clients outside India. Goods exports have their own process through customs, which this page does not cover.
For services, there is no minimum amount. No threshold exists in the regulation. Invoices up to ₹10 lakh may be closed by the bank on your self-declaration, but the declaration itself is still required.
What RBI said on 7 October 2026
At its press conference on 7 October 2026, RBI said that individuals with contracts of a personal nature are not included in the reporting requirement, and that FAQs are coming.
What it did not do, as of 10 October 2026:
- It did not change the text of the notification.
- It did not say who counts as an individual with a contract of a personal nature.
- It did not move the first due date, 30 Nov 2026 for October invoices.
We will update this page when the FAQ is out.
What to do this month
- Answer the three questions at the end of this page for a first reading.
- If you are a business, or you are not sure, keep October's invoices together and plan to file by 30 Nov 2026.
- Ask your bank's Trade Desk, the team that handles foreign exchange paperwork, which format and channel it wants.
Common questions
Did RBI change the rule on 7 October 2026?
At its press conference on 7 October 2026, RBI said that individuals with contracts of a personal nature are not included in the reporting requirement, and that FAQs are coming. The text of the notification has not changed, so the 30 Nov 2026 deadline for October invoices stands until the FAQ says otherwise.
I am a GST-registered sole proprietor. Am I an "individual"?
RBI has not said yet. The 7 October statement spoke of individuals with contracts of a personal nature, and the FAQ that will define it is still to come. Until it does, keep your October invoices ready and plan to file by 30 Nov 2026.
Do LLPs, companies and agencies file?
Yes. Firms, LLPs and companies that invoice clients outside India file one EDF a month with their AD bank, the bank that receives the foreign currency. The 7 October statement was about individuals, not businesses.
Is there a minimum amount?
No threshold exists in the regulation. Invoices up to ₹10 lakh may be closed by the bank on your self-declaration, but the declaration itself is still required.
EDF Filing is a document generator; you remain the declarant. Nothing here is legal or tax advice.
Make this month's EDF from your invoices in a few minutes.
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