Banking
India — Banking: Opening an Account
Non-resident Indians and foreign nationals of Indian origin generally open one of three account types: NRE (Non-Resident External, for foreign-earned income, fully repatriable, tax-free interest in India), NRO (Non-Resident Ordinary, for India-sourced income like rent/dividends, only partially repatriable, interest taxable), or FCNR (Foreign Currency Non-Resident, foreign-currency term deposits shielding against rupee depreciation). Major banks (HDFC, ICICI, SBI, Axis) let applicants open these accounts from abroad via an online application followed by attested/notarized document submission by courier or embassy attestation — no in-person branch visit is strictly required, and accounts are often opened within 48 hours of document verification.
Key facts
- NRE account: holds foreign-earned income, fully repatriable, interest is tax-free in India.
- NRO account: holds India-sourced income (rent, dividends, pension), only partially repatriable, interest is taxable in India.
- FCNR account: foreign-currency term deposit, protects against rupee depreciation, principal and interest both foreign-currency denominated.
- Major banks let applicants open NRI accounts entirely from abroad via online application plus notarized/embassy-attested document courier — no branch visit is strictly required.
- Verified applications are often processed within 48 hours once documents are confirmed.
Steps
- Choose account type — NRE for foreign income, NRO for India-sourced income, FCNR for foreign-currency deposits.
- Apply online with the chosen bank — Submit the application form and scanned documents through the bank's NRI portal.
- Attest and courier physical documents — Notarize or get embassy attestation on passport/visa/address proof copies and courier them, or visit a branch in India if convenient.
- Account activation — Typically completed within 48 hours of document verification.
Timelines
- Account activation after document verification: ~48 hours
Required documents
- Valid passport
- Visa/work permit/residence permit
- PAN card (mandatory for NRO)
- Overseas address proof
- Passport-sized photographs
Common mistakes
- Opening an NRO account for foreign-earned income when an NRE account would be fully repatriable and tax-free on interest.
- Skipping the PAN card requirement, which is mandatory for NRO accounts even though not always required for NRE.