By Syam, JesTiny Guide · Last checked: 21 October 2026

Mumbai Airport (BOM) Currency Exchange: Counters and Rules

Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) uses two terminals for travellers, and most questions we receive concern which exchange counters there are, how much they cost, and what the cash rules say. This guide details what the sources we read claim about the counters, links to India's rules on cash and PAN, and is plain about what we could not confirm. We found no verified Mumbai rate, so we do not name a best counter.

The short version

• The airport's own forex page lists one partner, EbixCash, at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. It gives no hours and no rates.
• Other sites name more operators at Terminal 2: Akbar, Weizmann Forex, SBI, Thomas Cook and Centrum. Their lists disagree with each other and are dated 2019 and 2023.
• We found no measured Mumbai rate. The 5-15%, 6-10%, 8-10% and 6-13% figures on a seller's page have no stated method.

Counters the sources name

The sources do not agree on who is at BOM, and the dated ones are old, so treat this as a list of names to look for, not a guarantee.

• EbixCash. The airport's forex page (the Adani-run CSMIA site, undated, copyright 2025) lists it as the only partner. At Terminal 1 it gives the Arrival Hall and a departure counter near Gate 2. At Terminal 2 it gives the International Arrival Hall in the post-customs area, an arrival curbside near Gate B, the check-in area on Level 4, a counter after security on Level 3, a counter past immigration near Gate 69, and the Level 4 retail area. EntryIndia (updated 21 August 2019) says EbixCash was the only exchanger after immigration and security in the departure section.
• Akbar. EntryIndia (2019) lists Akbar Forex in the Terminal 2 arrival section. AirportBanking (page metadata 2023) lists Akbar Travels at Terminal 2 Level 2, the Level 4 departures check-in and Level 4 SHA, open 24 hours.
• Weizmann Forex and State Bank of India. EntryIndia (2019) lists both in the Terminal 2 arrival section. AirportBanking does not list them as exchange operators.
• Thomas Cook. AirportBanking lists a Terminal 2 counter at Arrivals levels 1 and 2, 24 hours on the listing but a phone line open 8 am to 8 pm. EntryIndia (2019) does not list it.
• Centrum and Pheroze Framroze. AirportBanking lists Centrum at Terminal 2 Departure level 4 and Arrivals levels 1 and 2, and Pheroze Framroze at Terminal 1A and 1B Departures. Neither appears in the other sources.

On hours, EntryIndia (2019) says all four of its listed counters are open 24 hours, and AirportBanking lists most counters as 24 hours. The airport's page gives none, so we cannot confirm it.

The airport's page lists EbixCash past immigration near Gate 69 at Terminal 2, but it does not say whether that counter exchanges rupee notes under RBI's April 2026 circular, so ask at the counter.

What the sources say about rates

No source we read measured a Mumbai rate against the mid-market rate.

• BookMyForex, a forex seller whose page names Mumbai airport, says in different places that counters add "steep markups of 8 to 10%", "6-10% on average", rates "5% to 15% higher" and "(6% - 13%) + 18% GST". It gives no method for any of them, and the figures conflict.
• EntryIndia (2019) says buying and selling rates are mostly the same across the four counters it lists, and generally lower at the airport than in the city. It gives no figures.
• AirportBanking says its exchange rates are estimates that may differ at the airport.

To see what a percentage gap costs on your amount, use our mid-market rate guide.

How to check a rate yourself

This section is our advice, not a sourced fact.

1. Before you hand over money, look up the mid-market rate on a site such as Google or XE.
2. Ask the counter for the final amount you would pay or receive for a stated sum, including every fee and tax.
3. Divide the counter's rate by the mid-market rate. A result of 1.05 means 5% above.
4. If the board shows separate buy and sell rates, use the one for your direction.
5. Compare with at least one other provider, in the airport or online, before deciding.

Which terminal, and arrivals or departures

The airport's forex page splits its EbixCash locations by terminal and by direction, so it helps to know which one you will be in. It names Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. AirportBanking also uses the labels T1A, T1B and T1C for the first terminal, and lists a Kotak branch and ATM at T1A Arrivals and in the T1C security hold area, and Pheroze Framroze at T1A and T1B Departures. We did not confirm which airlines or flights use which terminal, so check your ticket or the airport's own notices before you go.

• Arriving at Terminal 2: the airport's page lists the International Arrival Hall in the post-customs area and the arrival curbside near Gate B. EntryIndia (2019) and AirportBanking (2023) both place several operators in the arrival section, but their names differ.
• Departing from Terminal 2: the airport's page lists the Level 4 check-in area, a counter after security on Level 3, a counter past immigration near Gate 69 and the Level 4 retail area. The airport's page does not say which of these exchange rupees, buy foreign notes or sell them.
• Terminal 1: the airport's page lists the Arrival Hall and a departure counter near Gate 2. Third-party sources add little detail for this terminal.

"Zero commission" does not mean zero cost

This section is our reading, not a sourced fact. A counter that says "no commission" may still earn its money in the rate it gives you, because the gap between its buying and selling rates is where the margin sits. BookMyForex's own calculator adds 18% GST on top of its claimed airport markup, which shows that tax can apply to the margin as well. The only reliable check is to compare the final amount you would pay or receive with what the mid-market rate would give.

India's rules

Indian rules on paying for forex in cash, PAN, carrying rupees, exchanging rupees before you fly and declaring cash when you return are on our India money rules page.

Cards and ATMs

AirportBanking (metadata 2023) lists 24-hour ATMs from SBI, Kotak, IndusInd, Citibank and IDBI across Terminals 1 and 2, with SBI, IndusInd and Citibank at the Terminal 2 arrival and departure levels. The listing may be out of date.

This section is our advice, based on that source. Your fee depends on your own card and the bank that owns the machine, so check your card's fee schedule before you travel. If a machine offers to charge you in your home currency, choose the local one. Our guide to forex cards sets out what published sources say about card markups.

What we could not confirm

We could not confirm which operators other than EbixCash run counters at BOM today, their opening hours, the exact position of each counter, or any measured Mumbai rate.

A simple plan

1. Look for EbixCash first, and expect other names to differ from what any one site says.
2. Check the rate on the board before handing over money, and compare it with the live mid-market rate.
3. If you are a resident buying forex, pay by card or transfer when the amount is 50,000 rupees or more, and bring your PAN, passport, ticket and visa.
4. Keep the encashment certificate and receipts for any leftover rupees you want to change back.
5. At an ATM or card terminal, choose the local currency and check your card's fees first.

FAQ

Which companies run currency exchange at Mumbai airport?
The airport's website lists EbixCash. Other sites also name Akbar, Weizmann Forex, SBI, Thomas Cook and Centrum, but they are older, and we found no current official list.

Is Mumbai airport currency exchange open 24 hours?
Two third-party sources say the counters they list are open 24 hours. The airport's own page gives no hours, so we cannot confirm it.

Can I pay cash for foreign currency in India?
Only below 50,000 rupees; see our India money rules page.

Do I need a PAN to buy foreign currency?
Yes, if you pay more than 50,000 rupees in cash at one time; see our India money rules page.

Are airport rates worse than city rates in Mumbai?
Two sources say so, and one gives figures: a forex seller with a stake in the answer and no stated method. Nothing we read measured a Mumbai counter, so check the board rate yourself.

Where are the departure counters at Terminal 2?
The airport's page lists the Level 4 check-in area, a counter after security on Level 3, a counter past immigration near Gate 69 and the Level 4 retail area. It gives no hours.

Sources and how we checked them

Checked on 21 October 2026. Where we call something confirmed, at least two of these sources agree, or an official source says so directly. Several are not official sources.

• Adani Airports, official, CSMIA Mumbai Foreign Currency Exchange page (undated, copyright 2025).
• Reserve Bank of India, official, FAQ on miscellaneous forex facilities, updated 28 November 2025.
• Reserve Bank of India, official, circular RBI/2026-27/05, 2 April 2026.
• Income Tax Department of India, official, Rule 114B (page uploaded 13 December 2025).
• AirportBanking, directory site, Mumbai BOM currency exchange, banks and ATMs (page metadata 2023). It is not associated with the airport.
• EntryIndia, travel site, Exchanging currency at Mumbai airport, updated 21 August 2019.
• BookMyForex, forex seller, Mumbai airport currency exchange page (rate claims unsourced).
• AdvocateKhoj, law library, Reconversion of Indian currency (undated, cites no rule).

Editorial note: The counter, rate and airport information in this guide is editorial and is not paid for. Rates and fees change, so confirm the final rate at the counter before exchanging.