NRI
INFORMATION
Information provided is for general knowledge only and should not be deemed to be professional advice. For professional advice kindly consult professional immigration advisors or Indian consulates depending on your situation.
This website is a one person operation, Please spell check your questions as I normally just cut and paste questions from emails.
Email questions to: V. K. Chand at: question@nriinformation.com
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√
Tax File Number in India
√
Higher School
Fees for NRI Childern
√
Foreign
Doctors Practicing in India
√
OCI Address Change from India
√
Birth Registration of Child born in India to NRI
√
PAN Card Requirement for
OCI Holders
√
OCI for Children of NRIs
√
Receiving Indian Pension Abroad
√
USA Cell Phone not
working in India
√
Are NRE -
NRO accounts insured by FDIC
√
Transferring
Residence to India - Customs Duty
√
School Fees for
Foreign Students in India
√
NRIs Holding Agricultural Land
√
Safe Bank in India
√
Take Second hand car to India
√
Bank Deposit Safety in India
√
Importing car to India
√
Minor
Children of Indian citizens not eligible for OCI
√ OCI application for minor
√ Selling Property to NRIs
√ Repatriation of
NRE account proceeds
Q.
Greetings
Thank you for your wonderful and informative website. has made my life
easier.
Can you be kind enough and guide me, as to how do I get a tax file
number in India
Do I have to be in India to get one or can i apply from overseas and
online
Best Regards
Faiyaz H Devjee
A. A tax file number is usually called a PAN in India. PAN refers to a 'permanent account number ' issued to each individual for income tax purposes. It is very easy to get a PAN card regardless of whether you are in India or not. You can apply online from overseas if you prefer.
Complete information on how to apply for a PAN is given on this website and the link is: http://www.nriinformation.com/pancardonline.php
HIGHER SCHOOL FEES FOR NRI CHILDREN IN INDIA
Q.
Dear Sir,
I and my husband both were Indian citizen by birth and now we both have
acquired Canadian citizenship. We have a 4 year old son born in Canada
and have Canadian citizenship. We all three are in the process of
getting OCI card and after that we have decided to settle down in India.
My question is about the cost of education for my son in India. When we
are living and working in India on OCI card then we can pay normal
school/college fees like other Indian Citizen or we are suppose to pay
high fees like NRIs.
Thanks a lot in advance
Shetal
A. While OCI technically puts you on par with Indians in many aspects, it is not easy to argue with school authorities in India.
School fees in India will depend on the school you select for your son. All schools in their application for admission ask for residential address. If parents address is shown as an overseas address then it is assumed that parents are NRIs and some schools do charge higher fees.
Many schools in the application for admission also ask for nationality of the child. If you are a foreign national, most schools will charge a higher fee.
Since schools generally do not ask for passports or birth certificates I would assume that many parents just don't reveal the truth and avoid extra fees.
School admissions is big business in India and even though your child is only four years old, I suggest you arrange for his school admission in advance as you plan your return to India. Get friends or family to look into schools that are appropriate and apply for admission on your behalf.
I am in the process of accumulation a list of good schools in India and will post on this website in the near future.
Good luck with your resettlement in India.
FOREIGN DOCTORS IN INDIA - REGISTRATION PROCEDURE
Q.
Dear Sir, I am an Overseas Citizen of India holding a US passport. I
am a doctor with a foreign MD degree and very interested in practicing
Medicine in India. Could you please advise if this is possible.
I have visited all possible OCI and MCI sites available but was unable
to get any clear-cut answers.
An early response will be much appreciated.
Thank you for your courtesy.
Yours sincerely,
Ms H. Y. Aderianwalla
A. A question regarding the procedure for foreign doctors registration has already been answered on this website on page three.
For more information on the registration of foreign doctors to practice in India check here.
A. You can change your address online. The procedure is simple. I suggest
you don't use a cyber cafe or unsecure computer when doing this.
√ Log in to the OCI Miscellaneous Services website hosted on the Ministry
of Home Affairs website: www.mha.nic.in or try this link
√ After accessing the OCI Miscellaneous Services and going through the
Guidelines and Instructions for filing the application form, you will have
to fill in at least one of the following data fields:
1. U-Visa number
2. OCI Registration number
3. OCI File number
√ Thereafter, you need to fill in all the following fields:
1. Current Passport number
2. Date of birth
3. Place of birth
4. Mother’s name
If the information that you enter matches the OCI database, you will be able to proceed further and change your address by accessing the 'change of Address/Occupation' category.
For offices in India where you can apply for OCI visit the Dual Citizenship-OCI page on this website.
OCI is a lifelong visa. So there should be no time limit on how long you can stay.
BIRTH REGISTRATION OF CHILD BORN IN INDIA TO A CANADIAN PARENT
Q.
My Wife is a Canadian citizen , she gave a birth to a baby
this month in India , we want our baby to be registered with Canadian
High commission and wants his Canadian Passport to be issued , please
advise what is the procedure and how we can get him registered, also
advise what all documents are required to register the Child and
issuance of the Canadian Passport.
looking forward to your response Regards
Gurpreet
A.
For Canadians, since February 15, 1977 there is no requirement to
register new births abroad. However, if your child is born outside
Canada and proof of citizenship is required, you must apply for a
citizenship certificate.
To view the form required to apply for a citizenship certificate from
abroad
click here.
The Fee for getting a
citizenship certificate from outside Canada is $75.00.
You should as step one make sure that you get a birth certificate for
your child (issued by government authorities in India) showing you as
the parent. This document will be required when you apply for a
citizenship certificate for the child. You will also have to provide
proof that at least one parent is a Canadian citizen.
As you are in India you should contact the Canadian Consulate nearest to your home town if you want to apply for a citizenship certificate for your child. In India Canadian Consulate Offices are in Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi and Kolkata. The consulate should be able to provide you with all necessary information and help with travel documents you will need for your child to travel to Canada.
PAN CARD REQUIREMENT FOR OCI HOLDERS?
Q.
Dear Mr. Chand,
I did not apply for a PAN card when I was a Non Resident Indian
(unfortunately, I was ill-informed).Last year I changed my status to
Overseas Citizen of India (I do not know whether I did the right thing)
I now understand that a PAN is required in India for all government/bank
correspondence/transactions. I could like to know if I need to apply for
a PAN as an OCI?
Are there separate PAN categories for Indians, NRI and OCI? If a PAN is
not required then how do I transact in Indian shares/property etc as an
OCI.
Thank you in advance for your advice.
Regards
S. Rahman
A.
Pan is not compulsory for NRIs or OCI
holders. However when it comes to Indian shares, PAN is compulsory.
There are no separate categories of PAN.
I am sure you will enjoy your OCI status as you will no longer have to spend time or money on Indian visa whenever you wish to visit travel.
Getting a PAN card is quite easy and a simple process and NRIs should not hesitate to get it as in some situations having a PAN is quite helpful in India.
Q.
Dear Sir /Madam
I have query regarding NRI / O.C.I
I am a N.R.I have lived and lives in UK for the over 20 years, Can my
children as British citizens (hold British Passport) apply for O.C.I
without having to loose their Nationality as British citizens?
Please answer in details ASAP
Thank you
A.
Since you refer to yourself as NRI, I get the impression that you
perhaps may not be a British citizen. If this is true, then your
children can apply for OCI only if they are over 18 years of age.
Minor children can apply for OCI only if at least one parent is a
foreign passport holder.
When your children apply for OCI they will NOT loose their British
citizenship. OCI is not dual citizenship but a lifelong visa for India.
A. Answers to questions are posted on this website only and not by personal emails. If you do not wish to have your name posted on the website please say so when you email your questions. I have removed your name from your previous question.
Regarding your NRI or NRE bank accounts in India, they will have the same status regardless of whether you are a NRI, OCI or British Citizen.
RECIEVING INDIAN PENSION
ABROAD
Q.
Hello, My dad is retired Indian AIR Force Officer. He is in
Canada from last few years and planning got get Canadian citizenship. I
was wondering what will happen to his pension ? Is he still eligible to
get that his pension in India if he give up Indian Citizenship? He
serviced in Air Force for 22 years.
Thanks,
A. Your dad will continue to get his Indian pension. Changing his citizenship will not affect his rights and obligations in any way. Contact the Indian consulate in Toronto, Vancouver or Ottawa depending on the location closest to you for complete information.
USA NOKIA CELL PHONE NOT WORKING IN INDIA
Q. My Nokia 5100 which is a tri-band phone for some reason does not work in India. It worked a few weeks ago perfectly now I can't make calls? Any ideas, the store where I bought my Sim Card says there is a problem with my phone as the Sim card works on their phone.
A. I am sure you have activated the 'do not send my ID' feature on your Nokia phone. Go into the menu and disable this feature. You cannot block your phone ID when making calls in India. If you do then your call will simply not go through.
ARE NRE ACCOUNTS AND NRO ACCOUNTS INSURED BY FDIC
Q.
I am residing in Brampton, Ontario. Can you tell me if my NRE and NRO
(non resident account) is insured by FDIC. Account was opened in Toronto
not in India.
Thanks,
J. P. Singh
A. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insures bank deposits held in banks located in the United States. In Canada, where you are located it is the Canadian Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC)
NRO or NRE accounts opened with banks in India are NOT covered by either the FDIC or CDIC. Even when you open such accounts abroad the money is converted to Indian Rupees and technically kept in India.
I believe banks in USA and Canada are by law, obligated to advise those opening NRO or NRE accounts that their accounts are not covered by FDIC or CDIC insurance (depending on which country the account is opened in)
TRANSFERRING RESIDENCE TO INDIA - CUSTOMS DUTY
Q.
Hi Sir,
I am Mohan, currently working in Singapore. After 8 years of
services here I am planning to move back to India. I would like to
seek your advice on the following points. Thanks in advance for your
help and advice.
Can I bring back all my house hold items ? What is the procedure,
charges, custom clearance, duty etc.
Is there any preference given in Schools for my kids to get
admission?
Thanks and Regards
Mohan
A. As you are moving back to India after more than two years of stay abroad you are entitled to claim concessions on customs duty under the Transfer of Residency rules.
Passengers returning on transfer of residency to India can import personal and household effects free of customs duty subject to the following conditions:
√ They must have been residing abroad for a
minimum period of two
years immediately preceding the transfer of residence.
√
The total stay in India on short visits during the two preceding
years
should not exceed six months.
√
Transfer of residency duty concessions can only be availed only once
in
three years.
A point to remember here is that personal and household articles brought under transfer of residency should be used items that you and your family have owned.
I am providing a link to the Indian Customs website here. Check it out for complete information regarding Transfer of Residency Rules and Concessions available to returning NRIs.
Regarding your second inquiry about schools. I think you are trying to
find out whether there are any special quota's for children of NRIs for
school admissions. I am not aware of any such school. However I doubt if
you look around finding a school should not be a problem as long as you
have the money to pay for admission. I am not sure about schooling in
Singapore but children transferring from North America from what I
understand are considered below Indian school educational standards when
it comes to similar grades.
Good luck with your move.
(Please not the link provided for Indian Govt Customs website was working when posted. However I find links for government websites in India periodically change without notice. If readers come across a link that does not work please advise me by email so an effort can be made to update.)
SCHOOL FEES FOR FOREIGN STUDENTS IN INDIA
Q.
Hello,
My wife is a British citizen and is living in India for 3 years now,
Will she be allowed to buy farm land as a resident, She also has OCI
Card
Also will my children be charged higher in educational institutions,
They have been in India for 4 years now
Thanks
Rabi
I am happy to pay 5 pounds for the reply through PayPal if needed
A. NRIs as well as foreign citizens cannot purchase farm land in India even if they have OCI cards.
Depending on what school your children decide to
study in, the chances are that they will be charged higher fees.
Schooling is big business in India and children of NRIs and
foreigners are considered fair game for higher fees by many schools.
This is a free website so you can save the five pounds you offered.
NRIs HOLDING AGRICULTURAL LAND
Q.
Dear Sir,
I greatly appreciate and thank the services of NRIInformation.com.
You site continues to provides many valuable information.
It would be great, if you could help me with this info, which I
could to find anywhere in the internet.
I'm currently Indian citizen, living in a South East Asian country.
we hold a piece of Farmland in India. we would like to know, whether
it is legal to hold this property under my name in the event of
renouncing our Indian Citizenship, We have planned to get Overseas
citizens of India card in near future.
Thanks in Advance.
with Regards
Ananda
A.
NRIs who acquire agricultural land by
way of inheritance I believe can continue to hold their land. The
only stipulation appears to be when it comes to disposing off
agricultural land. In such cases NRIs would need prior approval of
Reserve Bank and can only sell their agricultural land to a person
resident in India who is a citizen of India.
There are many rules and regulations when it comes to Agricultural
land in India. How did you acquire this land to start off with? was
it inherited? In may States in India agricultural land cannot be
purchased even by Indian Citizens living in the country unless they
are farmers or can provide proof of having a farming family
background.
If you acquired your land legally then you need not worry about it being taken away from you even if you change citizenship.
Q.
As per your article, is Syndicate bank a safe
bank? I have a friend who recently deposited over $100,000.00 USD in
India syndicate and i am concerned
thank you
A.
Syndicate bank is a member
of the CICGC. Now a days with banks in the United States that were
considered as solid banks going under, No one can provide assurance
for any bank.
Q.
I’m a student in the United Kingdom pursuing
my bachelor degree.
I have already been there for a year and have
two more years remaining.
I am planning to buy a car this year
because of the increased distance between my accommodation and the
university. I wanted to enquire if I will be able to get my car back
to India after I complete my graduation?
Sajan Soni
A. You may be able to take your second hand car back to India provided the purchase is made from your own earnings aboard.
Even the customs duty would have to be paid by you as your parents cannot pay this in Indian Rupees. You will find additional information here: http://www.nriinformation.com/carimports.php and http://www.nriinformation.com/carimports_nri.php
If you are really serious abut taking your car back to India after two years it would be a good idea to contact a customs broker in Mumbai for more detailed information on total cost and paper work required.
Q.
Hi, I hold some
bank deposits in
A. Bank accounts in Indian banks are insured by The Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC). Accounts in India are insured for up to Rs. one lakh only.
Check with your Indian bank to confirm they are members of DICGC.
Visit the Bank Account Safety Page on this website for more information on Indian banks and Depositors Insurance by DICGC.
IMPORTING CAR TO INDIAIncase this car is too old for Indian driving rules, are we allowed to buy another similar car, of newer make, and bring?
A. The total Customs duty incidence on cars comes to around 181%. The car can only be imported, if you are transferring residence into India and the engine capacity is less than 1600 cc (for new cars), there is no cc limit for old and used cars, in your possession for more than 1 year. Customs duty on used cars is calculated on a depreciated price depending on the age of the vehicle.
You may consider contacting a customs broker in Mumbai. They can provide you with all the information in detail and also help with the paper work. A good customs broker may actually save you time and money as they know the ropes in India.
MINOR CHILDREN OF INDIAN CITIZENS NOT ELLIGIBLE FOR OCI
Q. We are Indian citizens presently in New York on H1-B visas. Can we apply for OCI for our child born here.
A. Minor children, whose both parents are Indian citizens, are not eligible for OCI. Unless one parent is a foreign passport holder your child cannot apply until he/she is over 18 years of age.
Please do check with the Indian consulate in New York for clarification.
OCI APPLICATION FOR MINOR
Q. I am a US citizen born in India and would like to visit India soon (by October). I have a 8 month old son and would like to apply for his OCI card. I have my visas for India which are still valid for two more years. I would like to know if I have to apply for my OCI card also for my son to be eligible for an OCI card? Could you also please tell me what is the fees for the application of OCI for both of us and the time it takes to receive the card since we are planning on traveling in September end or October first week. I would also like to tell you that this is an excellent website. Very Very helpful and will be forwarding it to friends and family. Thanks for all your help in answering my queries.
Sincerely,
Priya
A. You can apply for OCI only for your son only. It is not compulsory for you to apply for yourself, unless you want to.
The fee for OCI per person is US$ 275. The timeframe for granting of OCI is usually 30 to 120 days but I have heard of people waiting longer. As we are already at the end of August I doubt if your son will get his OCI in time for your October trip.
Depending on how long your stay is in India you may consider applying for your son's OCI from within India. The OCI fee in India is Rs. 12,650.
SELLING PROPERTY TO NRIs
Q. Hi Mr.V.K.Chand,
I wish to apply for PIO card. I need to know what is the exact wording inside this card. My concern is, does it says at any place that card holder is a citizen/ or dual citizen of India.
This is because I wish to apply for dda flats where the stipulation is that applicant should be a citizen of India.
I have a second question too. In case I being a PIO sell my immovable property to another PIO, where I need to take prior permission of RBI. I once wrote to RBI to send me form but it was not even acknowledged.
And normally how much time it takes.
Here comes the third question. Is there any way I can avoid tax deduction at source on my bank deposits especially when I know that my yearly income will be less than taxable income.
Hope to hear from you soon
Rekha
A. PIO card does not confer Indian Citizenship.
I believe you do not need RBI permission to sell your property in India.
However, In case the property is sold to another foreign citizen of Indian origin, funds towards the purchase consideration should either be remitted to India or paid out of balances in NRE/FCNR accounts.
Permission is required from the RBI to repatriate sale proceeds.
Applications for necessary permission for remittance of sale proceeds should be made in form IPI 8 to the Central Office of Reserve Bank at Mumbai within 90 days of the sale of the property.
Only NRE accounts do not have TDS. On all other bank accounts tax deduction at source is mandatory and hence unavoidable. If you have no taxable income then you can file your income tax return and claim a refund. Check with a accountant.
REPATRIATION OF NRE ACCOUNT PROCEEDS
Q. Dear Madam/ Sir
I am an NRI and my spouse is a foreign citizen with an OCI passport. Can I appoint my spouse as a nominee on my Bank accounts held in India, both NRO and NRE accounts? Can he also inherit my property in India, can I specify this in a will?
My second question: I understand I can freely repatriate the amount held in NRE accounts in banks in India to banks held abroad, but that RBI permission would be required to convert it back into a foreign currency? I look forward to your kind clarification on the same.
Thanks in advance for your responses.
With best regards
Dr. Chokkalingam
A. Yes, you can appoint your spouse as your nominee for your bank accounts. He can also inherit your property by virtue of your will.
My understanding is that RBI permission is not required to repatriate NRE accounts. Your bank should be able to convert currency as per current rate of conversion.
Funds held in NRO accounts on the other hand would require RBI permission as the bank would consider repatriation of NRO accounts based on the merits of each case. Contact your bank and they should be able to clarify things for you.
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