Fact Check: Do All Indians Now Need An Income-Tax Clearance Certificate Before Leaving The Country For A Trip?

Last Updated:April 18, 2026, 16:57 IST

PIB Fact Check labels claims that all Indian citizens must obtain a tax clearance certificate before leaving the country as "factually incorrect."

A storm is brewing in the “Fin-fluencer" world after the Press Information Bureau (PIB) and the CBDT issued a stern clarification against a viral claim regarding international travel. The account @casarthakahuja recently suggested that Indian citizens must obtain an Income-tax Clearance Certificate (ITCC) before heading overseas—a claim the government has now officially branded as #FAKE.

What The Government Says

According to the CBDT, Section 230(1A) has been around since 2003 and hasn’t changed its core rules. You ONLY need a tax clearance certificate if:

• You are involved in serious financial irregularities and your presence is needed for an investigation.
• You have outstanding tax arrears exceeding ₹10 lakh that haven’t been stayed by any authority.
• For the average citizen, the rule remains: No certificate is required.

Sarthak Ahuja Hits Back

Sarthak Ahuja didn’t take the “fake" label lying down. He archived the reel but accused the authorities of misconstruing his message by only focusing on the first 18 seconds of a 90-second video. He maintains that his video explained the eligibility and pointed followers toward Form 157 in the new rules. “This blanket calling something fake by changing the claim is not in the best of taste," he stated.

While Sarthak defended his content, his own followers weren’t entirely convinced, with many calling out the “hook" of the video for being misleading.

“But you did use the word ‘everyone’ and didn’t provide context. Maybe, this is a lesson for you to not do clickbaity videos."

“I panicked seeing your video coz I’m leaving for a trip soon. Only my CA husband could decipher that it’s not for us. It was totally your fault in spreading panic."

“But how did you start? Even me, being a CA once thought that EVERY SINGLE PERSON leaving India is required to meet the ITO. Govt. is right here."

“Your opening statement was a click bait… Your video in many ways meant that anyone trying to go abroad has to meet the IT officer."

News viral Fact Check: Do All Indians Now Need An Income-Tax Clearance Certificate Before Leaving The Country For A Trip?

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