On-line downloading of GR Forms – RBI Instructions
As per Regulation 3 of Notification No. FEMA/23 dated 3rd May 2000 [Foreign Exchange Management (Export of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2000] every exporter of goods or software in physical form or through any other form, either directly or indirectly, to any place outside India, other than Nepal and Bhutan, is required to furnish to the specified authority, a declaration in one of the forms set out in the Schedule thereto.
At present, GR Forms [to be completed in duplicate can be obtained by the exporters from the Regional Offices of the Reserve Bank at the cost of Re. 1. As part of simplifying the procedures, it has been decided to make the GR Forms available on-line on the Reserve Bank's website www.rbi.org.in. Accordingly, the exporters have the option to use the GR Forms available on-line as well. While downloading the GR -Forms, the exporter may ensure to use 'Legal' size paper i.e. 8.5 * 14 inches. Further, both the printer (printing preference) and the paper size in the page setup option have to be set to legal size before printing. The GR number will be automatically allotted when the document goes to the print queue. [A colleague's comment on this - What will happen to the GR number if during the printing there is a power cut? I think it is better to save it to the computer and then print? I hope they have given such option as well. Otherwise it will land the exporter in trouble if he is identified with a particular GR number and that form is not submitted due to mishaps.]
The exporters will continue to have the facility of purchasing the GR Forms from the Regional Offices of the Reserve Bank, as hitherto. However, this facility would be phased out within a period of one year.
RBI /2008-09/421 Circular No. 60, Dated: March 26, 2009