Your income and savings bring value only when you put them to good use. Letting them grow is the best way to do this. Several investment vehicles let you do this. They multiply your surplus funds for achieving wealth growth. Many Non-Resident Indians look for safe avenues as growth should not come at the cost of risk. Banks fulfil this criterion with various investment products. A famous avenue among them is an NRI Fixed Deposit.

As the interest rate gets pre-determined, it poses lower risks. Being an NRI does not deprive you of benefiting from the Indian financial system. You can choose between Non-Resident External, Non-Resident Ordinary, and Foreign Currency Non-Resident. Most people get confused between NRO and NRE Fixed Deposit. If you face a similar dilemma, refer to these FAQs.

How to open the NRI FD Account?

The procedure to open an FCNR, NRE, and NRO Fixed Deposit is simple. You have two methods: visit the branch or log in to the bank's website. The latter is relatively favourable as it lets you complete the formalities online. Also, it saves you the hassle of visiting the country. Preparation is essential to get through the process right. Hence, finalise the investment tenure and amount proactively.

Submit the finalised terms and personal information while filling out the NRE FD Account opening form. Then, fulfil the documentation requirements.

Are the interest earnings freely transferrable?

The best aspect about NRI Deposits is the flexibility they offer. As they are meant explicitly for NRIs, banks include easy transferability as a factor. You face no restrictions while transferring both principal and interest in NRE FD. A similar convenience is provided with NRO Account. However, it comes with certain limitations. You get to repatriate up to USD 1 million in a financial year.

The taxability of the interest earnings depends on the Deposit Account you choose. In the case of the NRE FD Account, the principal amount and interest earned are tax-free. But the income on NRO Deposits is taxable. The interest income is added to your total income in a financial year. After this, it gets taxed based on the applicable tax slab.

How to apply for DTAA to enjoy tax exemption?

Taxation is generally relaxed for all NRI Bank Accounts. The same goes for FDs. You enjoy tax-free repatriation with NRE Fixed Deposit Account. You apply for the Double Tax Avoidance Agreement if this is not automatically effective.  It is an agreement between two countries to avoid taxation on the same service.

You apply for it if you already pay taxes in a foreign country. You submit the required documents like passport copy, residency certificate, declaration form, PAN Card, etc.