How FDI reporting works.
Foreign investment in India is governed by FEMA and the Non-Debt Instruments Rules. Investment under the automatic route needs no prior approval, but it must be reported after the event. Reports are filed on the RBI's FIRMS portal: the Indian company first registers through the Entity Master Form, then files each transaction in the Single Master Form.
The authorised dealer bank checks each filing before it reaches the RBI, so complete documents make all the difference.
Forms and deadlines.
| Transaction | Form | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Shares issued to a foreign investor | FC-GPR | 30 days from allotment |
| Shares transferred between resident and non-resident | FC-TRS | 60 days from transfer or receipt of money, whichever is earlier |
| Capital contribution to an LLP | LLP-I | 30 days from receipt of the money |
| Transfer of LLP interest | LLP-II | 60 days from transfer or receipt of money |
| Convertible notes issued by a start-up | CN | 30 days from issue |
| Shares under an ESOP to non-residents | ESOP | 30 days from issue |
| Downstream investment by a foreign-owned company | DI | 30 days from the investment |
| Annual foreign liabilities and assets | FLA | 15 July every year |
See FCGPR Filing Services, FC-TRS Filing Services and FLA Return Filing for more on each.
Key rules to follow.
- Banking channels onlyInvestment must come by inward remittance or from NRE or FCNR accounts.
- Issue within 60 daysShares must be issued within 60 days of receiving the money, or it must be refunded within 15 days after that.
- Pricing rulesShares issued to non-residents cannot be priced below fair value, supported by a valuation.
- Sector caps and conditionsEach sector's foreign ownership limit and conditions must be met.
- Downstream investmentInvestments by foreign-owned Indian companies follow the same rules and need reporting.
- KYC of the investorThe remitting bank's KYC report on the UK investor is required.
If a filing is late.
Late filings can be regularised by paying a late submission fee worked out from the amount and the delay, within the time allowed. Beyond that, or for other breaches such as pricing issues, the route is compounding with the RBI.
Charged on late FDI filings, based on the amount and how late they are.
Pricing, sector or other breaches need a compounding application.
Pending filings can delay future investments and repatriation.
How we handle your FDI filings.
Entity Master Form
Register the Indian entity and users on FIRMS.
Documents and valuation
FIRC, KYC, board resolutions, valuation and certificates.
Single Master Form
The right form for each transaction, on time.
Bank and RBI queries
We respond to the AD bank until the filing is approved.
Compliance calendar
Every future filing deadline tracked for you.
Why UK companies choose us in India.
We work with your UK finance team, lawyers and auditors, and translate Indian requirements into plain English.
Every filing and certificate is checked by a second Chartered Accountant before it goes in.
A written scope, timetable and fee before work starts.
One calendar of every MCA, RBI, GST and income-tax deadline for your Indian entity.
Set-up, accounts, payroll, tax, audit and RBI filings handled together.
Encrypted document sharing and digital signatures. Directors never need to travel.
FDI reporting for UK investors across the country.
We work with UK companies headquartered in every part of the UK, from start-ups in London and Manchester to established groups in the Midlands, Scotland and Wales. All the work is coordinated online with your UK team.
London
South East
Midlands
North of England
East and South West
Scotland, Wales, NI
FDI filing with RBI FAQs.
Investing in India from the UK?
Tell us about the investment. We will file every RBI form it needs, on time.
This page is general guidance based on the Companies Act, 2013, FEMA, RBI directions and Indian tax law as they stand. It is not legal or financial advice for your situation. Rules, limits and deadlines can change, so please speak to us before acting on it.