Banking
India — Banking: Best Banks
HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and SBI (State Bank of India) are the most commonly recommended banks for NRIs and foreigners, each offering dedicated NRE/NRO/FCNR account services, 24/7 digital banking, and remote account opening from abroad. HDFC has the largest domestic branch/ATM network (9,000+ branches, 21,000+ ATMs); ICICI offers strong global partnerships and tax-free-interest NRE accounts with full repatriation; SBI has the advantage of physical branches in major overseas cities (London, New York) for in-person NRI banking support. Axis Bank is a common fourth alternative with comparable NRI services.
VerifiedGovernment / official sourceReserve Bank of India (list of scheduled banks) / bank NRI service pagesLast reviewed: 2026-07-20
Key facts
- HDFC Bank: largest branch/ATM network in India (9,000+ branches, 21,000+ ATMs), strong digital NRI banking tools.
- ICICI Bank: strong global partnerships, 24/7 digital banking, fully repatriable NRE accounts with tax-free interest.
- SBI (State Bank of India): maintains physical branches in major overseas cities (London, New York), useful for in-person NRI support before relocating.
- Axis Bank is a widely used fourth option with comparable NRI account services.
Common mistakes
- Choosing a bank based solely on brand recognition without checking whether it has an overseas branch or online NRI account-opening process relevant to the applicant's current country.