Various Deposit Schemes available for Non-Resident Indians (NRI) and their features

by

Features of various Deposit Schemes available for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)1

Particulars Foreign Currency (Non-Resident) Account (Banks) Scheme [FCNR (B) Account] Non-Resident (External) Rupee Account Scheme
[NRE Account]		 Non-Resident Ordinary Rupee Account Scheme [NRO Account]
(1) (2) (3) (4)
Who can open an account

NRIs (individuals / entities of Bangladesh / Pakistan nationality / ownership require prior approval of RBI)

NRIs (individuals / entities of Bangladesh / Pakistan nationality/ownership require prior approval of RBI)

Any person resident outside India (other than a person resident in Nepal and Bhutan). Individuals / entities of Pakistan nationality / ownership, entities of Bangladesh2 ownership and erstwhile Overseas Corporate Bodies5 require prior approval of the Reserve Bank.
Joint account

In the names of two or more non-resident individuals provided all the account holders are persons of Indian nationality or origin;

Resident close relative (relative as defined in Section 6 of the Companies Act, 1956) on ‘former or survivor’ basis. The resident close relative shall be eligible to operate the account as a Power of Attorney holder in accordance with extant instructions during the life time of the NRI/ PIO account holder.

In the names of two or more non-resident individuals provided all the account holders are persons of Indian nationality or origin;

Resident close relative (relative as defined in Section 6 of the Companies Act, 1956) on ‘former or survivor’ basis. The resident close relative shall be eligible to operate the account as a Power of Attorney holder in accordance with extant instructions during the life time of the NRI/ PIO account holder.

May be held jointly with residents
Nomination

Permitted

Permitted

Permitted
Currency in which account is denominated

Any permitted currency i.e. a foreign currency which is freely convertible

Indian Rupees

Indian Rupees
Repatriablity

Repatriable

Repatriable

Not repatriable except for the following:
i) all current income and ii) up to USD 1 (one) million per financial year (April-March), by A NRI/ PIO.
Type of Account

Term Deposit only

Savings, Current, Recurring, Fixed Deposit

Savings, Current, Recurring, Fixed Deposit
Period for fixed deposits

For terms not less than 1 year and not more than 5 years.

From one to three years, However, banks are allowed to accept NRE deposits above three years from their Asset-Liability point of view

As applicable to resident accounts.
Rate of Interest

With effect from March 1, 2014 (i)deposits of 1 year to less than 3 year maturity, interest shall be paid within the ceiling rate of LIBOR/ SWAP rates plus 200 basis points; (ii) deposits of 3-5 years maturity, interest shall be paid within the ceiling rate of LIBOR/ SWAP rates plus 300 basis points

On floating rate deposits, interest shall be paid within the ceiling of SWAP rates for the respective currency /maturity plus 200 bps/ 300 bps as the case may be. For floating rate deposits, the interest reset period shall be six months.

With effect from March 1, 2014, interest rates offered by banks on NRE deposits cannot be higher than those offered by them on comparable domestic rupee deposits.

Banks are free to determine their interest rates on savings deposits under Ordinary Non-Resident (NRO) Accounts. However, interest rates offered by banks on NRO deposits cannot be higher than those offered by them on comparable domestic rupee deposits.
Operations by Power of Attorney in favour of a resident by the non-resident account holder

Operations in the account in terms of Power of Attorney is restricted to withdrawals for permissible local payments or remittance to the account holder himself through normal banking channels.

Operations in the account in terms of Power of Attorney is restricted to withdrawals for permissible local payments or remittance to the account holder himself through normal banking channels.

Operations in the account in terms of Power of Attorney is restricted to withdrawals for permissible local payments in rupees, remittance of current income to the account holder outside India or remittance to the account holder himself through normal banking channels.

Remittance to the NRI/ PIO account holder is subject to the ceiling of USD 1 (one) million per financial year.
Loans      
a. In India      
i) to the Account holder

Permitted without any ceiling subject to usual margin requirements.

Permitted without any ceiling subject to usual margin requirements

Permitted subject to the extant rules3
ii) to Third Parties Permitted without any ceiling subject to usual margin requirements. Permitted without any ceiling subject to usual margin requirements. Permitted, subject to conditions4
b. Abroad      
i) to the Account 
holder 		 Permitted without any ceiling subject to usual margin requirement Permitted without any ceiling subject to usual margin requirement Not Permitted
ii) to Third Parties

Permitted without any ceiling subject to usual margin requirements.

Permitted without any ceiling subject to usual margin requirements.

Not Permitted
c. Foreign Currency Loans in India      
i) to the Account holder

Permitted without any ceiling subject to usual margin requirements. 

Permitted without any ceiling subject to usual margin requirements. 

Not Permitted
ii) to Third
Parties		 Permitted without any ceiling subject to usual margin requirements Permitted without any ceiling subject to usual margin requirements Not Permitted
Purpose of Loan      
a. In India      
i) to the Account holder

i) Personal purposes or for carrying on business activities *

ii) Direct investment in India on non-repatriation basis by way of contribution to the capital of Indian firms / companies

iii) Acquisition of flat / house in India for his own residential use. (Please refer to para 9 of Schedule 2 to FEMA 5).

i) Personal purposes or for carrying on business activities.*

ii) Direct investment in India on non-repatriation basis by way of contribution to the capital of Indian firms / companies.

iii) Acquisition of flat / house in India for his own residential use. (Please refer to para 6(a) of Schedule1 to FEMA 5).

Personal requirement and / or business purpose.*
ii) to Third Parties

Fund based and / or non-fund based facilities for personal purposes or for carrying on business activities *. (Please refer to para 9 of Schedule 2 to FEMA 5).

Fund based and / or non-fund based facilities for personal purposes or for carrying on business activities *. (Please refer to para 6(b) of Sch. 1 to FEMA 5)

Personal requirement and / or business purpose *
b. Abroad
To the account holder and Third Parties

Fund based and / or non-fund based facilities for bonafide purposes.

Fund based and / or non-fund based facilities for bonafide purposes.

Not permitted.
* The loans cannot be utilised for the purpose of on-lending or for carrying on agriculture or plantation activities or for investment in real estate business.

Note :

a. When a person resident in India leaves India for Nepal and Bhutan for taking up employment or for carrying on business or vocation or for any other purpose indicating his intention to stay in Nepal and Bhutan for an uncertain period, his existing account will continue as a resident account. Such account should not be designated as Non-resident (Ordinary) Rupee Account.

b. Authorised Dealers (ADs) may open and maintain NRE / FCNR (B) Accounts of persons resident in Nepal and Bhutan who are citizens of India or of Indian origin, provided the funds for opening these accounts are remitted in free foreign exchange. Interest earned in NRE / FCNR (B) accounts can be remitted only in Indian rupees to NRIs and PIO resident in Nepal and Bhutan.

c. In terms of Regulation 4(4) of the Notification No.FEMA.5/2000-RB dated May 3, 2000, ADs may open and maintain Rupee accounts for a person resident in Nepal and Bhutan.

d. The regulations relating to the various deposit schemes available to Non-Resident Indians have been notified vide Notification No.FEMA.5 dated 3rd May 2000, as amended from time to time. The relevant Notifications and A.P. (DIR Series) Circulars are available on our website [www.rbi.org.in? Sitemap ? FEMA ? Notifications / A.P.(DIR Series) Circulars]. The Master Circular on Non-Resident Ordinary Rupee (NRO) Account [www.rbi.org.in? Sitemap ? Master Circulars] may also be referred to. The details of rate of interest on the various accounts, are available in the “Master Circular on Interest Rates on Rupee Deposits held in Domestic, Ordinary Non-Resident (NRO) and Non-Resident (External) (NRE) Accounts” and “Master Circular of instructions relating to deposits held in FCNR (B) Accounts”issued by our Department of Banking Operations and Development, available on our website [www.rbi.org.in? Sitemap ? Master Circulars].

e. AD Category – I banks and authorized banks may credit the proceeds of account payee cheques/ demand drafts / bankers’ cheques, issued against encashment of foreign currency to the NRE account of the NRI account holder where the instruments issued to the NRE account holder are supported by encashment certificate issued by AD Category-I / Category-II.

f. AD Category – I banks and authorised banks may permit remittance of the maturity proceeds of FCNR (B) deposits to third parties outside India, provided the transaction is specifically authorised by the account holder and the Authorised Dealer is satisfied about the bonafides of the transaction.

1 NRI means a person resident outside India who is a citizen of India or is a person of Indian origin [Regulation 2 (vi) of Notification FEMA 5/2000-RB dated May 3, 2000 viz. Foreign Exchange Management (Deposit) Regulations, 2000].

2.In terms of A.P.(DIR Series) Circular No. 82 dated February 11, 2013 Authorised banks are permitted to open NRO account of individual/s of Bangladesh nationality without the approval of the Reserve Bank subject to conditions.

3 Subject to usual norms as are applicable to resident accounts, for personal purposes or for carrying on business activities except for the purpose of relending or carrying on agricultural / plantation activity or for investment in real estate business.

4 Subject to conditions such as (i) the loans shall be utilised only for meeting borrower’s personal requirements and/ or business purpose and not for carrying on agricultural/ plantation activities or real estate business, or for relending, (ii) Regulations relating to margin and rate of interest as stipulated by the Reserve Bank from time to time shall be complied with and (iii) The usual norms and considerations as applicable in the case of advances to trade/industry shall be applicable for such loans/ facilities.

5 Overseas Corporate Body (OCB) means a company, partnership firm, society and other corporate body owned directly or indirectly to the extent of at least sixty per cent by Non-Resident Indians and includes overseas trust in which not less than sixty percent beneficial interest is held by Non-resident Indians directly or indirectly but irrevocably, which was in existence as on September 16, 2003 and was eligible to undertake transactions pursuant to the general permission granted under Foreign Exchange Management Regulations

No related posts.

Taxclick Team
This is the team of the finance profession who, update the site on daily basis. The team is also responsible for giving the update as earliest and also give the timely reply to the quires asked by the visitors. The team can be reached at info@taxclick.org.

Leave a Comment