Registration with the bank under 181-I: the 3 and 10 million ruble thresholds, how to get a unique registration number, what the bank checks — and how to get your contract approved the first time
Parties, documents and specifics for every deal scheme
Prepare the contract, submit it to your authorised bank and receive the unique contract number
The contract must state the subject of the deal, the amount, deadlines, payment terms, and both parties' details. Our generator creates a document with these sections.
Submit the contract to your foreign-trade bank — in person, through online banking, or by email. The method of submission is agreed with the bank (clause 15.1 of Instruction 181-I).
Instruction 181-I gives the bank 1 business day, though in practice it usually takes 1–3 days. The bank assigns the UNK registration number, which you quote in every subsequent payment document.
Choose the type of deal — the generator builds a document with the mandatory sections required to pass currency control
You purchase products from a foreign supplier. The registration threshold is from 3 million rubles.
You ship products to a foreign buyer. The registration threshold is from 10 million rubles.
You pay a foreign contractor for services. The registration threshold is from 3 million rubles.
You receive currency from a foreign client. The registration threshold is from 10 million rubles.
The bank checks that the contract has the terms currency control needs: delivery, payment, advance refund
Under Bank of Russia Instruction No. 181-I, the bank must confirm that all mandatory sections are present
Registering a contract with the bank, the UNK number and filing deadlines
Fill in the form — get a bilingual DOCX with all the details needed to pass currency control under 173-FZ.
Since 2018 the deal passport has been abolished. In its place is a system for registering foreign trade contracts: the authorized bank opens a file and assigns a unique registration number. The procedure is governed by Federal Law No. 173-FZ "On Currency Regulation and Currency Control" and Bank of Russia Instruction No. 181-I.
Mandatory registration is required at: from 3 million rubles — for import contracts and loan agreements (both received and issued); from 10 million rubles — for export contracts. Amounts are calculated at the official Bank of Russia exchange rate on the date the contract is signed. Below these amounts registration isn't needed, but for a contract above 1 million rubles the bank still requires the documents underlying the payment; up to 1 million rubles only the operation code is provided (clauses 2.5 and 2.7 of Instruction 181-I).
After registration the bank compiles a file: the contract, performance documents (invoices, certificates of completion, CMR waybills), supporting-document reports, and payment orders. The resident itself must keep currency transaction documents for at least three years from the date of the transaction, but not before the contract term ends (Article 24(2)(2) of Federal Law 173-FZ). The method of exchanging documents with the bank — on paper or electronically — is agreed with the bank (clause 15.1 of Instruction 181-I).
The bank takes from the contract the details of the parties, its number and date, amount and currency, and the deadline for performance; if any are missing, it may request them (clause 5.11 of Bank of Russia Instruction No. 181-I). The law requires the deadlines for obligations to be stated in the contract (Art. 19(1.1) of Federal Law 173-FZ). In the contract from the builder these details are filled in from the form.
If the amount, deadlines, or details change in a contract already registered, the bank must be notified and an additional agreement submitted. The bank updates the file within 2 business days (clause 7.5 of Instruction 181-I). The registration number itself doesn't change — it remains the single identifier for the deal for its entire term.
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