RBI/2018-19/155
A.P.(DIR Series) Circular No.28
March
28, 2019
To
All Category - I Authorised
Dealers and Authorised Banks
Sir / Madam
Foreign Exchange Management
(Deposit) Regulations, 2016 - Opening of NRO Accounts by Long Term Visa
(LTV) holders, changes related to Special Non-Resident Rupee (SNRR) Account
and Escrow Account
Attention of Authorised Dealers
(ADs) is invited to the Foreign Exchange Management (Deposit) Regulations,
2016 notified vide Notification No. FEMA
5(R)/2016-RB dated April 1, 2016 and A.P.(DIR Series) Circular No.67/2015-16[(1)/5(R)] dated
May 5, 2016. The FEM (Deposit) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 i.e FEMA
5(R)(1) have since been notified by the Government of India vide GSR No
1093(E) dated November 9, 2018 necessitating following changes to the
extant instructions.
i.
Authorized
Dealers may allow a Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI) and a Foreign Venture
Capital Investor (FVCI), registered with the Securities and Exchange Board
of India (SEBI) to open and maintain a non-interest bearing foreign
currency account for the purpose of making investment in accordance with
the Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer or Issue of Security by a Person
Resident Outside India) Regulations, 2017, as amended from time to time.
ii.
Authorized
Dealers may open only one Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) Account for a citizen
of Bangladesh or Pakistan, belonging to minority communities in those
countries, namely Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians,
residing in India and who has been granted a Long Term Visa (LTV) by the
Central Government. The account will be converted to a resident account
once such a person becomes a citizen of India within the meaning of the
Citizenship Act, 1955. This account can also be opened if such person has
applied for LTV which is under consideration of the Central Government, in
which case, the account will be opened for a period of six months and may
be renewed at six monthly intervals subject to the condition that the
individual holds a valid visa and valid residential permit issued by
Foreigner Registration Office (FRO)/ Foreigner Regional Registration Office
(FRRO) concerned. The opening of such NRO accounts will be subject to reporting
of the details of the accounts opened by the concerned Authorised bank, to
the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on a quarterly basis. The report shall
contain details of (i) name/s of the individual/s; (ii) date of arrival in
India; (iii) Passport No. and place/country of issue; (iv) Residential
Permit/Long Term Visa reference and date & place of issue; (v) name of
the FRO/FRRO concerned; (vi) complete address and contact number of the
branch where the bank account is being maintained. The Head Office of the
AD bank shall furnish the above details on a quarterly basis to the Under
Secretary (Foreigners), Ministry of Home Affairs, NDCC-II Building, Jai
Singh Road, New Delhi – 110 001. AD banks are advised to ensure strict
compliance to these instructions.
iii.
In
terms of extant instructions, SNRR accounts cannot be held for more than
seven years. It has now been decided that SNRR accounts opened by persons
resident outside India may remain operative beyond the stipulated period of
seven years with RBI approval. Further, the restriction of seven years will
not be applicable to SNRR accounts opened by persons resident outside India
who are registered with SEBI and wish to make investment in India in
accordance with Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer or Issue of Security
by a Person Resident Outside India) Regulations, 2017, as amended from time
to time.
iv.
The
extant Schedule 5 of the Foreign Exchange Management (Deposit Regulations)
2016 pertaining to Escrow Accounts has been replaced to align the same with
the provisions of Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer or Issue of
Security by a Person Resident Outside India) Regulations, 2017, in terms of
which, Escrow Accounts can be opened by residents and non-residents for
acquisition/transfer of capital instruments/convertible notes and can also
be funded by guarantee(s).
2. AD Category – I banks may
bring the contents of this circular to the notice of their constituents and
customers concerned.
3. The directions contained in
this circular have been issued under sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the
Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999) and are without
prejudice to permissions / approvals, if any, required under any other law.
Yours faithfully
(R. K. Moolchandani)
Chief General Manager
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