Banks that file the monthly Non-Resident Deposits return should no longer rely on the 2013 XBRL circular. On 1 October 2026, the Reserve Bank of India issued A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 24 on the NRD-CSR (R012) return on the CIMS Sankalan portal. It is issued in supersession of A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 19 dated August 07, 2013, and states that the report may be submitted on or before the 10th of the month following the month to which the data pertains.
Quick Answer
The Reserve Bank of India's Foreign Exchange Department, through A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 24 (RBI/2026-27/280) dated October 01, 2026, has directed banks maintaining Non-Resident Deposit accounts to submit the Comprehensive Single Return (NRD-CSR), return code R012, on the CIMS Sankalan portal through one of three channels. The return may be submitted on or before the 10th of the month following the month to which the data pertains. The circular supersedes A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 19 dated August 07, 2013. The source states no separate effective date and no penalty.
Quick Reference
What Changed?
The circular records that the move to CIMS has already happened: NRD-CSR reporting moved to the CIMS Sankalan portal with the submission of March 2024 data in April 2024. In our reading, the new circular documents that position and formally supersedes the 2013 circular.
Who Is Affected?
How Can Banks Submit the NRD-CSR (R012) Return?
Para 3 allows the return to be submitted to RBI on CIMS through one of three channels.
Para 4: Templates and formats
- Screen-based file submission: Banks can download RBI's NRD-CSR return template and format from the CIMS Sankalan portal (https://sankalan.rbi.org.in), after logging in with username, password, captcha and OTP sent to the entity user's registered mobile. The path is Downloads, then Download Return Template/Taxonomy and Return Format, then NRD-CSR, Version Number 11.0.3, then Download Format. The data is prepared in the .xlsx file as per the prescribed format. Screen-based submission is currently limited to a maximum of 2,000 records.
- File upload / system-to-system: Banks download the NRD-CSR Return Template/Taxonomy for .xml file preparation from the same Downloads menu (Version Number 11.0.3). The circular says banks "are required to prepare NRD-CSR .xml file" as prescribed by RBI and upload it on the CIMS portal.
- Annex: The revised NRD-CSR format, maturity codes, record types and validation checks are provided in the Annex to the circular. The Annex was not part of the document reviewed for this article, so readers should consult it directly.
When Is the NRD-CSR Return Due?
Para 5 states that the NRD-CSR report may be submitted on or before the 10th of the month following the month to which the NRD data pertains. The circular uses "may be submitted", but the date operates as the submission cut-off, and banks should plan to file by it. Banks may contact the CIMS helpdesk (the "Support" menu on the portal homepage) for assistance.
What the Circular Does Not Say
- No penalty. The circular states no consequence for late or incorrect submission.
- No effective date. It does not state when the supersession takes effect, beyond the circular's own date.
- No definition of "reporting entity" beyond banks. The addressee line says "All Authorised Dealers", while the text speaks of banks maintaining NRD accounts.
- Annex content. The revised formats, maturity codes, record types and validation checks sit in the Annex.
Practical Impact
In practice, this means that internal reporting calendars, procedure notes and audit programmes that still cite the 2013 XBRL circular now cite a superseded document. They should reference A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 24 and the CIMS process.
For compliance and regulatory reporting teams, the immediate issue is user management and file readiness. Admin-users create the portal users, and the person submitting needs an active login that works with OTP on the registered mobile. Teams using the web form should also watch the 2,000-record ceiling, which the circular describes as "currently" applicable and which may change.
Compliance Checklist
The circular is final and live. Items marked editorial suggestion are not stated in the source.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NRD-CSR return?
NRD-CSR is the Non-Resident Deposits Comprehensive Single Return that banks maintaining NRD accounts submit to RBI every month. Its return code on the CIMS Sankalan portal is R012.
What does A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 24 do?
It sets out how the NRD-CSR (R012) return is submitted on the CIMS Sankalan portal and is issued in supersession of A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 19 dated August 07, 2013.
What is the due date for the NRD-CSR return?
The return may be submitted on or before the 10th of the month following the month to which the NRD data pertains.
What are the channels for submitting the return?
There are three: system-to-system integration from the entity's ADF server to the RBI CIMS server, file upload on the CIMS Data collection portal, and a screen-based web form on the same portal.
Is there a limit on screen-based submission?
Yes. NRD-CSR return screen-based submission is currently limited to a maximum of 2,000 records.
Which template version applies?
The circular refers to Version Number 11.0.3 for both the return format (.xlsx, screen-based file submission) and the template/taxonomy (.xml file preparation).
Who manages portal access?
Access to submit a return and the reporting channel are managed by RBI. Creation of users and access to the options on the Sankalan portal are managed by the banks' admin-users.
Is the XBRL submission process still in force?
The circular supersedes A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 19 dated August 07, 2013, which dealt with monthly NRD-CSR submission through the XBRL platform, and records that reporting has moved to CIMS Sankalan.
Does the circular state any penalty?
No. It states no penalty. It is issued under Sections 10(4) and 11(2) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 and is without prejudice to permissions or approvals required under any other law.
CorpLawUpdates Analysis
This is a reporting-housekeeping circular. The substantive shift to CIMS happened in April 2024, so the new document mainly tidies the paper trail by retiring the 2013 XBRL instruction and consolidating the channels, version number and due date in one place. Two points are worth keeping in mind. The 2,000-record limit and Version Number 11.0.3 are operational details that RBI can change on the portal without a fresh circular, so teams should check the Downloads page before each cycle. And the operative text speaks of banks maintaining NRD accounts while the addressee line says All Authorised Dealers, so Authorised Dealers that do not maintain NRD accounts should confirm that no return is due from them. The source does not address that question.
Source Note
- Document title: Non-Resident Deposits - Comprehensive Single Return (NRD-CSR)(R012): Submission under CIMS Sankalan Portal
- Issuing authority: Reserve Bank of India, Foreign Exchange Department, Central Office, Mumbai
- Reference numbers: RBI/2026-27/280; A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 24
- Date: October 01, 2026
- Signatory: Dr. Aditya Gaiha, Chief General Manager-In-Charge
- Superseded circular: A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 19 dated August 07, 2013
- Primary source: Reserve Bank of India, www.rbi.org.in
This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or regulatory advice. Readers should verify the applicable primary regulatory source before taking action.
