NRI Financial Planning & Wealth Advisory in India

Yes. Finnovate is a SEBI-registered Investment Adviser (INA000013518) that provides comprehensive financial advisory services specifically for NRIs managing assets in India. The engagement is fully remote. No India visit is required. Services cover NRI tax planning, ITR filing, NRI mutual fund investments, estate planning, repatriation, and returning NRI (RNOR) planning. The first introductory call is free.

When choosing a financial adviser for NRI investments in India, check for SEBI registration, how the adviser is compensated (fee-only versus commission-based), experience handling NRI-specific issues such as FEMA compliance and cross-border taxation, whether financial planning and portfolio advice are coordinated by the same adviser, how tax planning and repatriation are handled, whether ongoing portfolio and plan reviews are included, and whether the entire relationship can be managed remotely. Finnovate is registered with SEBI as an Investment Adviser under registration number INA000013518 and follows a fee-based advisory model.

Yes. Finnovate provides ongoing wealth management for NRIs with India-linked investments and financial goals. Depending on the engagement, this can include portfolio review and restructuring, asset allocation, financial planning, retirement planning, tax coordination, repatriation considerations and estate planning. The advisory relationship can be managed remotely from abroad.

Yes. Retirement planning for an NRI can consider Indian investments, overseas savings and retirement assets, future India expenses, asset allocation, retirement corpus requirements, tax residency, NRE/NRO accounts and retirement-income planning. The approach depends on whether the client intends to remain overseas or return to India.

Yes. Most NRIs end up piecing together advice from separate tax consultants, investment brokers, and legal advisers who do not coordinate with each other. Finnovate provides integrated NRI financial planning as a single SEBI-registered adviser: tax planning and ITR filing, mutual fund and SIP investments, estate and succession planning, repatriation structuring, and returning NRI advisory. Because every decision is connected (what you redeem affects your tax, which affects what you can repatriate, which affects your estate), a single coordinated view produces better outcomes than fragmented advice. Fully remote. First call free.

An NRI financial adviser can help coordinate India-linked financial planning, investments, portfolio management, retirement goals, taxation, NRE/NRO decisions, repatriation and estate planning. Finnovate brings these areas into one advisory relationship rather than treating each decision separately.

Returning NRI financial planning has a specific window and sequence that cannot be undone once missed. Six to twelve months before return: confirm RNOR eligibility dates; plan foreign investment liquidation to use the tax-free window; decide which NRE accounts to keep and when to convert; review estate documents. After landing: inform your bank so NRE and NRO accounts are redesignated as resident accounts, as RBI rules require (FCNR deposits can run to maturity); update KYC across all financial institutions; restructure India investments for resident tax treatment; set up India-based retirement income if applicable. An adviser who has worked with multiple returning NRIs reduces the risk of missing a deadline or losing the RNOR window by default.

Yes, NRIs can invest in mutual funds in India under FEMA. Investments via NRE account are repatriable; via NRO account are non-repatriable. US and Canada-based NRIs face restrictions: several fund houses do not accept investments due to FATCA compliance obligations. A fee-only NRI adviser can identify FATCA-compliant options, structure the account correctly, and ensure ongoing tax compliance.

An NRE (Non-Resident External) account holds funds remitted from abroad and is fully repatriable. Principal and interest can be transferred back freely. Interest on NRE accounts is tax-free in India. An NRO (Non-Resident Ordinary) account holds India-sourced income: rent, pension, dividends, property sale proceeds. NRO funds are repatriable up to USD 1 million per financial year after taxes. Interest on NRO accounts is taxable. Both can be used for investments, but with different tax and repatriation implications.

Yes. NRIs can invest in Indian listed stocks on a repatriable basis through an NRE-linked Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS) account, or on a non-repatriable basis through an NRO account (RBI has redesignated the earlier NRO-PIS account as a standard NRO account for this route). A separate NRI Demat account is required in either case. TDS applies on capital gains at redemption, and aggregate NRI holdings in a company are capped at 10% (extendable to 24% with board approval). An NRI adviser can help set up the correct account structure and ensure ongoing RBI and SEBI compliance.

AIFs (Alternative Investment Funds) are SEBI-regulated pooled structures covering private equity, venture capital, hedge funds, and real estate funds. NRIs can invest in Category I and II AIFs using NRE or NRO account funds. Minimum ticket is Rs 1 crore. NRI AIF investments require careful structuring given FEMA rules applicable at the time of investment. AIFs set up in GIFT City are a separate route, denominated in foreign currency and regulated by the IFSCA, covered in the GIFT City questions below.

GIFT City (GIFT-IFSC) is India's International Financial Services Centre in Gujarat, regulated by the IFSCA rather than by SEBI. Fund houses operating there offer schemes denominated in foreign currency, typically US dollars, that NRIs and OCIs can buy directly from an overseas bank account without converting to rupees. Some of these funds invest in Indian markets and others in global markets, so an NRI can hold both India and international exposure in one dollar-denominated account. Eligibility, KYC and the countries a fund accepts investors from are set by each fund.

Minimums are set by each scheme, not by the regulator, and currently range from a few hundred to a few thousand US dollars for retail funds, with top-ups usually allowed at lower amounts. Whether a fund offers systematic or recurring investing varies by scheme and should be confirmed in its offer document. Minimums change as new funds launch, so check the current figure for any fund you are considering. See our GIFT City investing guide for NRIs for the current product landscape.

For non-residents, capital gains on units of eligible GIFT City funds are exempt from Indian capital gains tax, subject to the conditions in the Income Tax Act and the fund's structure. Tax may still apply to other income from the fund, such as dividends, depending on how it is structured. The Indian exemption does not remove tax in your country of residence: UAE-based NRIs typically pay nothing, while US, UK and Canada residents are taxed at home, and US persons may also face PFIC reporting on pooled funds. Many GIFT City funds do not accept investors from the US or Canada for this reason. Check the fund's tax note and your home-country position before investing.

Whether an NRI needs to file an ITR depends on the tax regime, the amount and type of India-sourced income, capital gains, TDS already deducted, and other filing conditions that are revised periodically. Even where tax has already been deducted, filing may be needed or useful to report gains, claim eligible refunds, or claim treaty relief. See our NRI taxation guide for the current thresholds and rules. NRIs can file ITR-2 online without being physically present in India.

For equity funds, LTCG (held over 12 months) is taxed at 12.5% above Rs 1.25 lakh per year; STCG (held under 12 months) at 20%. Debt fund gains are taxed at slab rate. Dividend income is taxed at slab rate. TDS is deducted at redemption. Applicable DTAA provisions between India and the NRI's country of residence may reduce the effective tax, but only if you file an ITR and claim the benefit.

RNOR (Resident but Not Ordinarily Resident) is a transitional tax status under the Indian Income Tax Act for NRIs who have returned. During the RNOR period (typically 2 to 3 years), foreign income that is neither received nor accrued in India remains non-taxable in India. A returning NRI can continue receiving foreign dividends, rental income, or interest from overseas during this window without paying Indian tax. After RNOR ends, all global income becomes taxable in India as a full Resident (ROR).

Plan 6–12 months ahead. Key steps: time the return to qualify for RNOR status; inform your bank so NRE and NRO accounts are redesignated as resident accounts promptly after return, as RBI rules require; review and potentially liquidate foreign investments before the RNOR window closes; restructure India mutual fund and equity portfolios; update KYC across all financial institutions; review insurance, health cover, and estate documents. Returning without planning means losing the RNOR tax window permanently.

Under FEMA, a returning NRI can continue to hold overseas assets, foreign currency and overseas investments acquired while resident outside India, and can keep the income from them abroad. The tax position changes in stages: during the RNOR period, foreign income that is neither received nor accrued in India is not taxed in India. Once you become an ordinary resident, your global income is taxable in India and foreign assets and income must be reported in the foreign assets schedule of your Indian tax return. Relief under the relevant DTAA may be available for tax paid abroad. Planning the timing of sales, remittances and account changes before and after return makes a material difference.

Yes. Finnovate provides a tax planning and advisory consultation for NRIs moving back to India. It covers the change in residential status under FEMA and the Income Tax Act, the treatment of overseas assets and investments, redesignation of NRE and NRO accounts, remittance of overseas funds, capital gains on existing holdings, reporting of overseas assets and income after return, tax-planning opportunities around significant transactions, and ongoing consultation on questions that arise during the year. Filings and certifications are coordinated with a CA where required.

Without a registered Will in India, assets are distributed under applicable succession law (Hindu Succession Act, Indian Succession Act, etc.), which may not reflect the NRI's wishes. A nominee on a financial account receives assets operationally but is not the legal heir. Only a Will or succession certificate establishes legal ownership. An NRI estate plan should cover a registered Will in India, a valid Power of Attorney for family members, and correctly filled nominations across all accounts and investments.

Technically a foreign Will can cover Indian assets, but enforcing it in India requires apostilled copies, notarisation, and often a lengthy probate process. A separate registered Will in India, specifically covering Indian assets, is far simpler for the family to execute. NRIs with meaningful India assets (property, investments, bank accounts) should maintain a registered Will in India even if a Will already exists in their country of residence.

NRIs can purchase residential and commercial property in India without RBI approval. Agricultural land, plantation property, and farmhouses cannot be purchased (though they can be inherited). Funds for purchase must come from NRE or NRO accounts or inward remittance. Rental income is taxable in India (TDS at 31.2% for tenant payments to NRIs). For property transferred on or after July 23, 2024, long-term capital gains are taxed at 12.5%, plus applicable surcharge and cess, with TDS deducted accordingly at sale. Repatriation of sale proceeds from two residential properties is permitted under specified conditions.

NRE account funds are freely repatriable with no limit. NRO account funds can be repatriated up to USD 1 million per financial year after applicable taxes are paid, with Form 15CA and 15CB and a CA certificate required. Property sale proceeds follow the same NRO route with additional documentation. Timing the transfers, minimising tax leakage before repatriation, and maintaining complete documentation are the key elements of structured repatriation planning.

Form 15CA is a self-declaration by the remitter confirming that applicable taxes have been paid on the funds being repatriated. Form 15CB is a certificate issued by a Chartered Accountant confirming the nature of the payment, the applicable tax treaty provisions, and the tax deducted. Together, these two forms are required by the bank before processing most NRO repatriation transfers. They are not required for NRE account transfers, which are freely repatriable. A fee-only NRI adviser coordinates with a CA to prepare these documents correctly.

The first call is a complimentary one-hour consultation. There is no obligation and no sales pitch. We use it to understand your current situation: your country of residence, the India assets you hold, what is unresolved, and what you are trying to achieve. By the end of the call, you will have a clear picture of whether we are the right fit and what an engagement would look like. You can book directly from this page. No India visit or in-person meeting is required at any stage.

Finnovate charges a flat advisory fee and earns nothing from products. As a SEBI-registered Investment Adviser (INA000013518), we are legally required to act in your interest and prohibited from earning commissions on anything we recommend. An NRI advisory plan starts at ₹1 lakh plus GST as a one-time fee. The final fee depends on the scope and complexity of your India-linked finances and is confirmed in writing after your first call, before any work begins. The first consultation is complimentary for one hour. If you want further meetings before signing up, each is charged at ₹10,000 and the full amount is adjusted against your plan fee when you sign up. NRI ITR filing is scoped and quoted separately based on your situation. See the engagement scope and fee →

No. Finnovate provides advice and portfolio review, with execution support. We tell you exactly what to do, in what order, and with which documents, and we stay available while you do it. The actual execution, such as placing investments, submitting forms to your bank, or completing a repatriation, is carried out by you. This keeps you in control of your accounts and is consistent with how a SEBI-registered Investment Adviser operates.

Yes. Finnovate works exclusively online. All consultations, document reviews, ITR filings, and plan deliveries happen remotely via video call and secure file sharing. We currently work with NRIs across the US, UK, UAE, Singapore, Australia, Canada, and several other countries. There is no requirement to visit India, and sessions are scheduled to work around your time zone. The entire engagement, from the first call to ongoing reviews, can be completed without you being physically present in India.

Yes. Finnovate Financial Services Pvt Ltd is registered with SEBI as an Investment Adviser under the SEBI (Investment Advisers) Regulations, 2013. Registration number: INA000013518. SEBI registration means we are regulated, required to maintain a fiduciary standard, and legally prohibited from earning commissions or product-linked income. You can verify our registration on the SEBI website. We do not operate as a distributor, broker, or agent of any financial product.

It depends on the scope. A one-time NRI ITR filing is completed within 2–4 weeks depending on document readiness. A comprehensive NRI financial plan covering tax residency, investment structure, estate planning, and repatriation typically takes 4–6 weeks to deliver with two to three working sessions. Ongoing clients retain us annually for ITR filings, portfolio reviews, and planning updates. There is no lock-in. The plan is a one-time engagement, and any ongoing work after that is agreed with you separately before it begins.