India Travel - NRI - FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions-Answers for India
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 tax consultants depending on your personal 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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Answers to
most questions asked
are usually posted within five days.
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Index to questions: Page Two
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√ Foreigners Registration in
India
√ OCI - Apply from India
√ NRIs Setting up
small scale industry in India
√ Closing NRE - NRO Accounts
√
Dental Practice Setup in India
√
Foreigners driving in India
√
OCI Visa on expired passport
√
Getting a driving License in
India
√
Pan Card mailing cost
√
International driving
Permit in India
FOREIGNERS REGISTRATION IN INDIA
Q. My wife got Canadian citizenship 2 months back and applied for the OCI card from Canada which is pending with MHA for more then one and half months, since she has to come to India urgently she took five year extendable Visa and came to India on 13Th of Aug 2008, now she is living with me, please advise if she has to register with FRRO office? If yes when? Immediately or after 180 days, what is the procedure and what all documents are required.
Since she is 6 months pregnant she can not go back right now, please advice if there is any procedure that she can get the OCI in India once it's granted and from where we can check the status in India except the online as it's been more then one and half month there is no updated on the website.
Please guide and help us as it is very crucial for us , we will be grateful to you if you will help us on this matter
Your quick response will be highly appreciated
Regards, Gurpreet
A. As your wife has not yet been granted OCI and she is visiting India on a long term visa, she does have to register with the FRRO. While she does not have to register immediately, registration should be done not after 180 days as mentioned in your email but before 180 days.
Since you already know her stay will be more than 180 days you may want to do this sooner and not wait till the last minute. Registration is a simple procedure. Fill out the required form (get three copies of form) and provide four passport size photographs. There is no fee for this service.
The Foreigners Regional Registration Office in Delhi is located at:
East Block-VIII, Level-II,
Sector-1, R.K. Puram,
New Delhi-110066
Telephone No. : 011-26711348
Please note that most major cities in India have FRRO offices.
You should be able to check the status of your OCI application online. Six weeks is not a very long time.
The office in Delhi that deals with applications from those applying for CCI from within India is:
Foreigners Division, Ministry of Home Affairs, 26-Mansingh Road,
Jaisalmer House, New Delhi-110011.
Tel. No. 011-23387436.
You may want to request the consulate in Canada to have OCI documents issued to your wife from the Delhi office.
OCI - APPYING FROM INDIA
Q. Hi, I'm 20 years old and I'm studying in BITS-PPilani, an engineering college in Rajastan, India. I have two more years left for my course (B.E.) to finish, after which i would like to study in the US.
I was born in USA, I stayed there till I was one year old, then came to India and have been living here ever since. I haven't yet renounced my US citizenship. I plan to get a US passport and then apply for OCI. I have the following doubts:
1. What exactly is my present nationality since i didn't renounce my US citizenship when i was 18 and now I'm 20 yrs old?
2. If i do get a US passport now, then will it be a problem staying in India till I get my OCI?
I would be very grateful if you could help me out in any way.
thanking you.
Nishant Seth
A. I am assuming that you travelled to India when you were two years old with a US passport and a valid Indian visa.
Applications for OCI can be made in India also so you should be able to get OCI in India if all your documentation is valid.
SETTING UP SMALL SCALE INDUSTRY IN INDIA
Q. Sir, I am seeking information on NRI investment in Small scale industries of India [SSIs]. A group of merchant navy employees are interested in setting up a small scale industry concern in India. Is this allowed by the law? Will the concern still be considered under Small scale industries?
Merchant navy employees in spite of being NRIs are not settled in any particular country. Will this affect their chances of setting up of an industry in India?
Thank you.
Regards
vijya komaragiri.
A. NRIs working with merchant navy should be able to setup a small scale industry in India. For your venture to be considered under small scale industries, your investment should not exceed Rs 10 million.
Problems such as red tape and corruption are part of life in India but the profits and rewards are also there.
It is not easy to run a profitable business if owners are absent for prolonged periods of time. So think it over carefully before you put your money into businesses in India.
CLOSING NRE - NRO ACCOUNTS
Q. Dear Sir, My son who has taken American Citizenship, has also taken OCI card for him self and his family members. He has returned with intention of staying back in India for good. At present he continues with his NRE / NRO savings accounts with the Banks.
As he completes 182 continuous stay in
this financial year,
he no longer will have
the status as Non Resident.
In such condition, which type of accounts he is eligible to hold
with the Indian / foreign Banks in India?
Thank you,
Shamsundar & Smita Gokhale
A. Banks would normally re-designate NRO and NRE accounts of NRIs who return to India for permanent settlement. However banking regulations have been considerably been relaxed when it comes to foreign currency accounts for both resident and non resident Indians.
India now has a Resident Foreign Currency (RFC) Accounts Scheme by Reserve Bank of India which allows persons of Indian nationality or origin, who have returned to India on or after 18th April 1992 for permanent settlement after being resident outside India for a continuous period of not less than one year to open foreign currency accounts with banks in India for holding funds brought by them to India. Persons who have returned to India before 18th April 1992 can also open RFC account if (a) they are holding foreign currency assets abroad with Reserve Bank's permission or (b) are in receipt of pension or other monetary benefits from their erstwhile employers abroad.
Funds held in NRE accounts hence can be held in RFC accounts.
Effective 17th July 1992, Returning Indians are permitted to retain their legally acquired assets abroad even after return to India.
As your son is a foreign national living in India with OCI, I suggest you contact your bank manager for the best course of action to take regarding his NRE - NRO bank accounts.
Shamsundar & Smita Gokhale
A. Banks would normally re-designate NRO and NRE accounts of NRIs who return to India for permanent settlement. However banking regulations have been considerably been relaxed when it comes to foreign currency accounts for both resident and non resident Indians.
India now has a Resident Foreign Currency (RFC) Accounts Scheme by Reserve Bank of India which allows persons of Indian nationality or origin, who have returned to India on or after 18th April 1992 for permanent settlement after being resident outside India for a continuous period of not less than one year to open foreign currency accounts with banks in India for holding funds brought by them to India. Persons who have returned to India before 18th April 1992 can also open RFC account if (a) they are holding foreign currency assets abroad with Reserve Bank's permission or (b) are in receipt of pension or other monetary benefits from their erstwhile employers abroad.
Funds held in NRE accounts hence can be held in RFC accounts.
Effective 17th July 1992, Returning Indians are permitted to retain their legally acquired assets abroad even after return to India.
As your son is a foreign national living in India with OCI, I suggest you contact your bank manager for the best course of action to take regarding his NRE - NRO bank accounts.
DENTAL PRACTICE SETUP IN INDIA
Q. I was impressed by your web site http://www.nriinformation.com/contactus.php
Congratulations!
I am interested in investing into setting up private medical practices in the South Delhi area that can be easily available to the residents and are of high quality and standards. I am currently permanently settled in Denmark for last 10 years.
If you can help me to understand the legal laws and get governmental approval forms in this respect, it will be highly appreciated. If I can also get the exact name and address of the department and person who deals in giving the approvals and licenses for such practices then I can even contact them directly.
With best regards,
Sincerely yours
Dr. Prem Bajaj
A. You need to clarify your dental registration in India to be able to practice in India. One place that you can contact for information is the Dental council of India.
Dentists Council of India, constituted under the Dentists Act, 1948, is a Statutory Body incorporated under an Act of Parliament to regulate the dental education and the profession of Dentistry throughout India.
You should be able to get licensing information from the Dental Council of India. Their website address is http://www.dciindia.org/
Contact the Indian Consulate in your area for visa formalities. If you already have OCI it will make things easier.
FOREIGNERS DRIVING IN INDIA
Q. Countries in Europe, like U.K & France allow recent immigrants to drive on their local country's license for maximum of a year. What is the similar limit here in India please? I am a returning NRI with a valid UK driving license. How long can I use this for driving in India? When does it become mandatory for me to get an Indian license? I do realize from your wonderful website that having an Indian one is useful for photo Id, address proof, etc. I tried asking at an RTO in Bangalore. They just said that foreign licenses are simply not accepted. It means that NRIs & foreign tourists are not allowed to drive in India?
Regards Venkatesh
A. As long as you are a tourist in India you should be able to drive in India if you have with you your valid UK driving license AND a International Driving Permit (IDP). Your UK driving license is not recognized without a IDP. You MUST have both these documents. As long as your IDP is valid you can drive with it.
An International Driving Permit (IDP) allows you to drive a private motor vehicle overseas when accompanied by a valid UK driving license. IDPs from UK are valid for 12 months from the date of issue.
You can obtain an IDP over the counter at many post offices in the UK.
You must apply IN PERSON (no third-party applications). You must complete an application form, available from the post office. You must also produce one of the following ORIGINAL valid documents:
√ Your UK driving license, or
√ Your UK pass certificate (certificate of competence to drive, valid for two years from the date of your test), together with your provisional driving license
International Driving Permits are not meant to be a replacement for Indian Driving Licenses, If you are not a tourist but returning to India for resettlement then you should apply for and get a valid Indian driving license. To get a Indian driving license you will have to go through the full procedure of getting a license. Your UK driving license cannot be simply exchanged for a Indian Driving License.
In Bangalore, foreigners with a valid IDP also have to complete all the formalities when applying for a Indian driving license but are exempt from the road driving test.
OCI 'U' VISA ON EXPIRED PASSPORT
Q.
Dear Sir/Madam,
My family wishes to travel to India from US during this month.
We all have OCI cards. During this past year my daughter had to
renew her US passport. She has the 'U' visa which is also the
life-long visa for India on her old US passport. I hear that to
transfer that visa to her new passport will take more than a
month and hence it is too long a time for me to do that. Will
she be allowed entry into India if I carry her old passport
(with the U visa) and the new passport along with her OCI
booklet ?
Thank you for all your help in this matter.
K.K.
A. As long as your daughter carries her old passport wherein the OCI ‘U’ visa sticker was pasted along with new passport there should be no problem.
(See #25 OCI FAQ).
GETTING DRIVING LICENSE IN INDIA
Q.
My name is Lakshmi Narayana. I am currently a non
resident Indian. I recently got my OCI visa. I will be visiting India
frequently. I was searching for some information on the procedure
to obtain a driving license in India and found your website.
I would like to know if I can get an Indian
Driving License with the OCI visa. I don't have a permanent address in
India. Can I obtain the driving license on my friend's address? If yes,
what is the procedure and what supporting document should I furnish in
lieu of proof of residence? I did not find this information on your
website, hence I am sending you this email.
Thanks in advance.
Regards
Lakshmi Narayana
In case you have a bank account in India and
they have your friends house address as a mailing address for you in
India. Then you can ask your bank to print out a statement for your
account and use that as proof of address.
When you got your OCI you should also have received
an OCI passport. This document can be used as proof of identity and age
as it has your photograph and also shows your date of birth.
You may find it a lot easier to get your license with the help of a driving school in India. They know the ropes and can guide you. When doing the road test you will also be able to use their car. The cost is also very reasonable. Shop around and you will find the right driving school in your area.
PAN CARD MAILING COST
Q. Hi, I am a Canadian citizen and an OCI. I saw your answer to a question that if the PAN card is to be mailed to an Indian address, the fee is Rs.67/.But where can I mention the Indian address? I see only address for communication in the form 49A which I think I should give my overseas address. Is it enough if I mention the Indian address in a covering letter? Could you please let me know whether Indian Embassy should attest my documents?
Thanks for your help.
Regards,
Ram
A. On form 49A you have to fill in your residential address but there is also a provision for an office address. Applicants have a choice of selecting the communication address. It can be the residential or office address. As long as the communication address is in India the fee is Rs 67.
Whether the tax authorities will accept a covering letter I honestly do not know. I don't understand what documents you would want to get attested by the Indian Embassy. Getting the Indian embassy to attest documents will probably cost more than the Rs 650 saving in having your Pan card mailed to your Canadian address.
INTERNATIONAL DRIVERS PERMIT - INDIA
Q. Dear Sir/Madame,
hello ,
I am an exchange student in Japan I would like to an international driving license ..please let me know as the bus and the trains are more expensive here ..looking forward for your mail ...Raj
A. You should have got a international driving permit before leaving India.
International driving permits are easily available by contacting the Automobile Association of India (Western or Southern)
You will have to fill the appropriate form, provide four passport size photographs and pay the required fee. Applicants for international drivers permits must have a valid Indian drivers license and should be present in India when applying for their International drivers.
ALERT FOR ALL READERS: Please note that websites offering an International Driver's License are a scam, In reality there is no such thing as an International Driver's License. When ever you travel internationally, you need to have an International Driving Permit and a valid driver's license, both issued by your country of residence
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