Set up your business in Indiaas an NRI
Set up and manage your Indian business from abroad: structure selection, company registration, NRI ownership and FEMA/RBI reporting, PAN/TAN/GST, banking and the annual compliance that follows, handled by Indian chartered accountants while you stay where you live.
Built for NRIs managing business interests in India from overseas. No India visit needed for incorporation. Signing, verification and filing happen online, scheduled around your time zone.
One coordinator for company law, FEMA, tax and banking
Illustrative — your structure depends on sector, ownership and documents.
Filings, incorporations, repatriations and property transactions handled for Indians living abroad.
Business setup in India, without managing it all from abroad
Registering a company is one filing. Owning one from London, Dubai, Toronto or Singapore means nine separate workstreams that each assume you are standing in an Indian office with an Indian phone number. Most NRIs end up juggling a CA, a company secretary, a banker and a cousin.
Decide, sign digitally, fund the company. Nothing here needs a flight.
Structure, filings, RBI reporting, registrations, bank liaison and the compliance calendar.
Incorporated, funded, registered and compliant — with records you can see from anywhere.
What we help you handle
Every item below is a service Savetaxs delivers today for NRI clients. Take the modules you need; most clients start with setup and the four core modules, then add ongoing support once the bank account is live.
Business structure & company registration
Pvt Ltd, LLP, OPC or partnership — chosen against your ownership, funding and exit plans, not a default. Then DSC, DIN, name reservation and SPICe+ filing with the MCA, with documents pre-checked to reduce resubmissions.
OPC · Subsidiary
MoA · AoA
Certificate issued
NRI investment & ownership
Repatriable vs non-repatriable holding, sector caps and the pricing rules that apply when you subscribe or buy shares.
FEMA & RBI guidanceFEMA / RBI reporting
FC-GPR after allotment, FC-TRS on transfers, annual FLA return — filed on time so your ownership is clean on paper.
RBI compliance supportAccounting & tax compliance
Books, TDS returns, advance tax, GST returns and the company income-tax return — one team, one calendar.
Tax filing servicesBusiness banking coordination
Current account opening, KYC pack, inward remittance purpose codes and the FIRC your RBI filing depends on.
Bank account assistancePAN / TAN / GST
Company PAN and TAN with incorporation; your personal NRI PAN if you don't hold one; GST where your activity requires it.
PAN for NRIsOngoing corporate compliance
Statutory registers, board minutes, AOC-4/MGT-7 annual filings, DIR-3 KYC and auditor appointment reminders.
Post-incorporation supportCross-border tax coordination
Indian TDS certificates, dividend records and treaty documentation, prepared for your tax adviser abroad. If you file in the US, our CPA team can prepare that return too.
Cross-border tax servicesPost-incorporation support
Questions after the certificate arrives — adding a director, changing registered office, share transfers, repatriating profits.
Repatriation servicesStructure changes later
OPC to Pvt Ltd conversion, adding partners to an LLP, or restructuring ownership when a foreign investor comes in.
OPC for NRIsOverseas entity coordination
Investing through a company you already own abroad? We handle the parent-company documents, board resolutions and RBI reporting when it becomes a shareholder.
Subsidiary setup supportWhich business structure fits your plans?
Most NRIs land on a private limited company, but not all should. The right structure depends on your business activity, ownership, investment plans and how you will operate between India and your country of residence. The table is a starting point; the consultation is where we test it against your sector, co-owners and how you plan to take money out.
exit route
Relative compliance load by structure
Based on the compliance load column below; 4 = full board, audit and ROC process.
| Structure | Usually suits | NRI ownership | Running it from abroad | Compliance load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private limited companyMost chosen | Startups, service businesses, anything raising capital or taking on investors | Up to 100% in most sectors under the automatic route. Shares can be held on repatriable or non-repatriable basis. | Min. 2 directors and 2 shareholders; one director must be India-resident. You can be director and majority owner. | Annual ROC filings, audit, board process |
| LLPLimited liability partnership | Professional services, small consulting or trading operations with a trusted partner | Foreign investment allowed in sectors with 100% automatic-route FDI and no performance conditions. | Min. 2 partners; at least one designated partner must be India-resident. | Lighter than a company; audit above thresholds |
| One Person CompanyOPC | Solo founder who wants limited liability and full control | Available to NRIs holding Indian citizenship since the 2021 amendment; not for foreign citizens, including OCI cardholders. | Single member and director; nominee required. | Fewer meetings; annual filings still apply |
| Partnership firmUnregistered or registered | Small family businesses already operating informally | NRI capital only on a non-repatriation basis, with conditions; sector limits apply. | Unlimited liability; relies on partners in India. | Minimal, but weak for investors and banks |
| Wholly owned subsidiaryForeign parent | Overseas business expanding operations, hiring or delivery to India | Foreign entity holds the shares; automatic route in most sectors. | Same board rules as a Pvt Ltd; parent-company documents need apostille or consular attestation. | Plus transfer-pricing documentation |
| Branch / liaison officeRBI approval based | Established foreign companies with a track record, limited to permitted activities | No Indian entity; the foreign company operates directly. | Approval driven; liaison offices can't earn income in India. | Annual activity certificate, RBI reporting |
*Highlighting shows what most NRI clients choose, not what is right for every case.
Not sure which structure you need? A 30-minute call usually settles it. We'll ask about ownership, investors, exit plan and whether money needs to go back to your country of residence, and tell you if the structure you have in mind creates a problem later. Read our comparison of private limited company vs LLP for NRIs first if you want the detail.
Talk to an expertSetting up a business in India as an NRI involves more than company registration
Each node in the diagram is handled by a different authority with its own portal, deadline and penalty. None of them talk to each other. When the company secretary files the allotment but the bank never issued the FIRC, the RBI reporting fails — and you find out when you try to repatriate a dividend two years later.
Professional coordination means one team owns the sequence, not just the individual forms.
How our NRI business setup process works
Eight steps, one coordinator. Depending on your business structure and requirements, some steps merge or drop; the sequence stays the same.
Understand your objective
Consultation on what the business will do, who owns it and whether profits need to move abroad.
Assess structure & ownership
Entity type, sector route, repatriable or not, resident-director plan.
Review documentation
Personalised checklist; we tell you exactly what to notarise and authenticate where you live.
Handle registration
DSC, DIN, name approval and SPICe+ filing. You e-sign; we file and respond to MCA queries.
Coordinate tax & banking
Company PAN/TAN issued; current account opened; capital remitted with the right purpose code.
Complete registrations
FC-GPR to RBI within the window, GST and any state or sector registrations you need.
Set up accounting & compliance
Books, TDS, statutory registers and a compliance calendar shared with you.
Ongoing support
Filings, notices, changes and repatriation — the same team, year after year.
What happens after you click "Book a consultation"
You pick a slot that suits your time zone. A Savetaxs CA joins the call, asks about the questions above, and within two working days you get a written summary: recommended structure, document checklist, a scope-based quote and a realistic timeline. No commitment until you approve the scope.
Book a consultationWhat documents may be required?
The overseas part is authentication. Documents you sign abroad generally need notarisation, then an apostille in Hague Convention countries or attestation by the Indian embassy or consulate elsewhere, before the MCA accepts them. Indian-passport NRIs and foreign-citizen or OCI founders have different requirements; we confirm which applies to you.
Personal identity
- Valid passportIndian or foreign; OCI card if you hold one
- PANWe can apply for an NRI PAN from abroad if you don't have one
- Passport-size photograph
- Indian address proofIf available; not always mandatory
Overseas residence documents
- Overseas address proofRecent utility bill, bank statement, driving licence or residence permit
- Notarisation + apostille or attestationApostille where your country is a Hague Convention member; Indian embassy or consulate attestation where it isn't
- Digital signature certificateObtained through video KYC; we arrange it
- Foreign entity documents, where applicableOnly if a foreign company is a shareholder: certificate of incorporation, board resolution, authenticated
Business information
- Proposed activity and two name options
- Shareholder and director detailsIncluding the India-resident director
- Registered office in IndiaOwner NOC and utility bill
- Capital and ownership split
Requirements vary by structure, citizenship and country of residence, and authentication rules differ between countries. We'd rather give you a list that is right for you than a generic one.
Get your personalised checklistYour money entering an Indian company is a regulated event
The Foreign Exchange Management Act decides what you may own, how it must be priced, how it is reported and whether it can leave again. Get the entry right and the exit is routine; get it wrong and the exit is where the problem surfaces.
Most sectors — IT, consulting, e-commerce marketplaces (B2B), manufacturing, education services — allow 100% NRI ownership under the automatic route, with no prior approval. A shorter list needs government approval or has caps, and some activities are closed.
Investment on a repatriation basis comes in from abroad or from your NRE/FCNR account and can later go back out, subject to tax and reporting. Non-repatriation investment, often from an NRO account, is treated much like a resident's and is harder to take out of India later.
Shares issued to a non-resident must be priced at or above fair value under FEMA pricing rules, and the money must arrive through normal banking channels with the right purpose code.
Share allotments to non-residents are reported in form FC-GPR after allotment, transfers in FC-TRS, and the company files an annual FLA return where applicable. Late reporting can attract late-submission fees and complicate exits.
Dividends and sale proceeds on repatriable holdings can generally be sent abroad after Indian tax, with Form 15CA/15CB where required and the bank's own checks. Tax may also apply where you live.
Your business setup needs a compliance plan too
Registering the company is the first step. From the day of incorporation, deadlines start: auditor appointment within 30 days, first board meeting, TDS from the first payment, GST returns from the first taxable supply, and annual filings whether or not you traded. Each item below is a service we run for NRI-owned companies.
Your first-year compliance calendar
- Day 0Incorporation
Certificate with CIN, company PAN and TAN
- Within 30 daysBoard meeting & auditor
First board meeting and first auditor appointed
- After allotmentFC-GPR to RBI
Within 30 days of issuing shares to non-residents
- Every monthTDS
Deducted and deposited from the first payment that attracts it
- Monthly / quarterlyGST returns
Once registered, from the first taxable supply
- Every yearAnnual filings
Audit, AOC-4, MGT-7, DIR-3 KYC and the FLA return
Setup
Get the entity, identifiers and bank in place.
- IncorporationMCA, DSC, DIN
- PAN / TANCompany + personal
- GST where applicableRegistration & returns
- BankingAccount, FIRC, KYC
Run
Monthly and quarterly obligations once you trade.
- AccountingBooks, TDS, registers
- TDSDeducted, deposited, returned
- GSTMonthly or quarterly returns
- TaxCompany & your NRI return
Maintain
Annual filings and the changes that come up.
- ROC annual filingsAOC-4, MGT-7, audit
- Director KYCDIR-3 KYC every year
- Ongoing supportChanges, notices, repatriation
Your India business can have tax considerations in India and in your country of residence
The company is taxed in India. Depending on where you live, you may also be taxed there on income from it, and some countries require you to report a stake in a foreign company. Neither side excuses the other; where a tax treaty applies, it decides who taxes what and who gives credit.
In India — the company and you
Corporate income tax on the company's profits, with a concessional regime available to domestic companies that opt in.
TDS obligations on salaries, contractor payments, rent and professional fees the company makes.
GST on taxable supplies, with monthly or quarterly returns once registered.
Dividends to you attract TDS at the non-resident rate; the tax treaty with your country of residence may lower it, with a tax residency certificate and Form 10F.
Capital gains when you sell shares, taxed in India with TDS deducted by the buyer.
Your own NRI return in India if you receive dividends, director's remuneration or gains.
Savetaxs files all of the above — NRI income tax filing for you and business filings for the company.
In your country of residence — potential considerations
Foreign income — Indian dividends, salary and gains may be taxable where you live, often with credit for Indian tax paid, subject to local rules.
Ownership reporting — some countries require you to disclose a stake in a foreign company (for US persons, for example, Form 5471).
Foreign accounts and assets — many countries require reporting of foreign bank accounts and assets, which can include NRO/NRE accounts or signature authority over the company's account.
Anti-deferral rules — depending on your country, ownership and the company's income mix, local rules may tax company profits before cash is distributed.
Capital gains — selling your shares may be taxable where you live as well as in India, depending on the treaty.
Treaty position — where India has a tax treaty with your country, it affects withholding rates and credits, not whether you file.
These are considerations, not advice for your return. We prepare the Indian records your local tax adviser needs. If you file in the US, our CPA team handles US tax filing and FBAR/FATCA reporting.
Why NRIs choose Savetaxs
Not a general CA firm that also takes NRI clients. Cross-border work for Indians living abroad is the practice.
NRI-focused approach
Residential status, FEMA basis and treaty position are checked first, because they change every filing that follows.
One point of coordination
Company secretary work, RBI reporting, bank liaison and tax sit with one team, so nothing falls between vendors.
India tax + compliance expertise
Chartered accountants working inside the Indian system daily, with a CPA team for clients who also file in the US.
Remote support across time zones
Consultations, e-signing and document collection happen online, scheduled around your time zone. Nothing here needs you to be in India.
Structured documentation
Personalised checklists, verified before filing, stored in a secure portal instead of email threads.
Ongoing compliance support
A shared calendar, reminders before every deadline, and the same team when a notice or a change comes up.
What are you planning to do in India?
Pick the closest match to see the usual starting point. This is a guide to scoping, not legal advice.
Starting a business in India?
We help you choose the right business structure and complete the incorporation process from documentation to compliance.
Recommended starting point- Business structure review
- Company incorporation planning
- DSC and DIN assistance
- PAN, TAN and bank coordination
- Initial compliance roadmap
What business setup in India costs
Every quote splits into the same five components, so you can see which costs are government fees and which are ours.
MCA filing fees scale with authorised capital; state stamp duty on MoA/AoA varies by state; DSC issuance and PAN/TAN carry small fixed fees.
Structure consultation, drafting, filing and MCA follow-up, FC-GPR preparation and bank coordination.
Notarisation and apostille or attestation where you live, courier, and certified translations if any document is not in English.
GST and other registrations, your personal NRI PAN, trademark, agreements or ESOP documentation — only if you need them.
Accounting, TDS and GST returns, ROC annual filings and audit liaison, the company return and your NRI return.
Government fees, professional fees, documentation, optional registrations and ongoing compliance are always shown separately on your quote.
How long does business setup take?
Typical timelines vary with your structure and documentation. For founders based overseas, document authentication is usually the longest phase; government filing is rarely the bottleneck once documents are clean.
Consultation & structure
DaysObjective, structure, ownership basis, resident-director plan and a written scope.
Documents & attestation / apostille
Depends on your countryNotarisation and apostille or consular attestation, DSC via video KYC, name reservation in parallel.
Incorporation
MCA processingSPICe+ filing, responses to any resubmission, certificate of incorporation with PAN and TAN.
Bank, capital & RBI
Bank-dependentCurrent account, inward remittance, share allotment, FC-GPR within the 30-day window, GST if needed.
How we work, and who checks the work
No fabricated star ratings here. What you can verify: who prepares the work, who reviews it, and what published clients have said.
Chartered accountants and CPAs. Indian filings are prepared by CAs working inside the Indian system daily; US returns, where needed, by our CPA team. Meet them on the tax experts page.
Reviewed before anything is filed. Every computation is checked internally and shown to you. Nothing is submitted to the MCA, RBI or the tax department until you approve it.
Documents stay in controlled channels. Passports, PAN, bank statements and board papers are collected and stored through a secure portal rather than email threads.
Read the reviews yourself. Client feedback across NRI services is published on the Savetaxs reviews page.
What you can check before you hire us
Every engagement starts with a written scope you approve, and nothing is filed until you have seen it.
Read client reviewsReviewed for accuracy. Content on this page is prepared by the Savetaxs NRI advisory team and reviewed by our compliance reviewers against the Companies Act, 2013, FEMA (Non-Debt Instruments) Rules, 2019 and current RBI and MCA guidance. Last reviewed: 31 August 2026.
This page is general information for NRIs, not personalised legal, tax or investment advice. Regulations change; confirm your position with a professional before acting.
Common questions from NRIs
Short answers. The consultation is where they become specific to you.
Yes. NRIs can establish or invest in eligible businesses in India, subject to the applicable company law, FEMA/FDI rules, sector-specific requirements and the proposed business structure. SaveTaxs helps you evaluate the appropriate registration route before you begin.
In many cases, the registration process can be managed remotely with digital documentation and guided verification. The exact process and documentation depend on your business structure, ownership and individual circumstances.
There is no single structure that is best for every NRI. Private Limited Companies, LLPs, OPCs and Partnership Firms may suit different business models. The right option depends on your business activity, ownership, investment plans, number of partners or shareholders and long-term goals.
An NRI may be able to establish or invest in an Indian Private Limited Company, subject to applicable company law, FEMA/FDI regulations, sector-specific conditions and other requirements. SaveTaxs can help assess your proposed business structure and registration requirements.
An LLP may be suitable for certain NRI-owned or NRI-invested businesses, depending on the proposed activity, ownership structure and applicable foreign investment requirements. Our team can help you understand whether an LLP is appropriate for your business.
The documents depend on the business structure and applicant circumstances. Common requirements may include a passport, PAN, overseas address proof, photograph and director, shareholder or partner information. Certain foreign documents may also require authentication or other formalities.
FEMA and FDI requirements may apply when a non-resident establishes or invests in an Indian business. The applicable requirements depend on factors such as the business structure, sector, investment route and transaction. SaveTaxs provides guidance on the requirements relevant to your proposed setup.
The total cost depends on the business structure, government fees, professional fees and any additional registrations required. SaveTaxs offers a $29 business consultation to help you understand the appropriate registration route before proceeding with the full service.
The timeline varies depending on the business structure, document readiness, government processing and any additional registrations or approvals required. After reviewing your requirements, our team can provide a more relevant estimated timeline.
Yes. SaveTaxs provides remote support for NRIs, including business structure guidance, documentation assistance, incorporation filing support and applicable post-registration compliance guidance.
Depending on your business and activities, you may need additional registrations or compliance such as PAN, TAN, GST, business banking, ROC filings, tax filings or applicable FEMA/FDI reporting. The requirements vary by business structure and activity.
Yes. SaveTaxs can continue supporting your business after incorporation with applicable accounting, GST, ROC filings, payroll, taxation and other compliance requirements. This allows NRIs to manage both their business registration and ongoing Indian compliance through one service provider.