NRI Account Meaning - Know What is NRI Account?

If you are a Non-Residential Indian (NRI) or a Person of Indian Origin (PIO), you will have different banking and investment needs. Since you are residing abroad, most of your income and savings will be in foreign denominations, e.g. US dollar, Euro, etc. As such, you might need an account that would suit your requirements.

Many major banks and financial institutions in India offer the facility of opening an NRI Account. These accounts provide numerous facilities with respect to the currency denomination, transferability of the amount, tax, etc. But do you know everything about NRI Accounts? Let’s learn in detail what is an NRI Account and the different types of NRI Accounts.

NRI Account Meaning:

An NRI Account refers to the accounts opened by a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) or a Person of Indian Origin (PIO) with a bank or financial institution which is authorised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), to provide various services.

Here are the types of NRI Accounts that you can opt for, to meet your financial requirements.

• Non-Resident External (NRE) Accounts
• Non- Resident Ordinary (NRO) Accounts
• Foreign Currency Non-Resident (FCNR) Accounts

• Non-Resident External (NRE) Accounts
  
  The Non-Resident External (NRE) Account allows you to transfer your foreign earnings easily to India. However, this type of account is rupee dominated and can be opened in the form of Current, Savings, Fixed or Recurring Deposits.
  
  It is vital to know that there is no tax levied on the interest earned from these accounts, i.e. they are tax exempt, and they are also easily repatriable, i.e. transferable. These accounts can be jointly opened with close relative Resident Indian on Former or Survivor basis.

• Non- Resident Ordinary (NRO) Accounts
  
  The Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) Account are primarily opened for depositing rupees earned in India. Foreign earnings can also be deposited in this account. When an Indian citizen goes abroad for a job with an intention to stay there, his resident accounts should be converted into an NRO Account by the bank. Therefore, it is essential to inform the bank about the individual's departure abroad.
  
  Also, it is vital to know that NRO Accounts are rupee dominated and can be opened in the form of Savings, Current, Recurring Deposits or Fixed Deposits. These accounts can be jointly opened with any Resident Indian on Former or Survivor basis.

• Foreign Currency Non-Resident (FCNR) Accounts
  
  The Foreign Currency Non-Resident (FCNR) Account can be opened in different currencies such as US Dollars, Canadian Dollars, Australian Dollars, Sterling Pounds, Euro, Japanese Yen, etc. These FCNR Accounts can be opened in the form of term deposits for the following maturity periods:

• 1 year and above but less than 2 years
• 2 years and above but less than 3 years
• 3 years and above but less than 4 years
• 4 years and above but less than 5 years
• 5 years.

It is essential to know that the entire deposit, i.e., principal and interest is tax-free until you hold the NRI status and is easily repatriable.

Looking to open an NRI Account? Click here to get started!

Want to know about how NRIs can take advantage of currency fluctuations? Read more!

* The information provided in this article is generic in nature and for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for specific advice in your own circumstances.