How many days can I spend in India before losing NRI status?

If you spend 182 or more days in India in a financial year (April–March), you become a tax Resident. Returning NRIs who have been NRI for 9 out of 10 prior years may also qualify for RNOR status for 2–3 years.

What is RNOR (Resident but Not Ordinarily Resident)?

RNOR is a transitional tax status lasting 2–3 years after returning to India permanently. Foreign income remains largely tax-exempt during this period, making it ideal for planning asset repatriation and portfolio restructuring.

When must I convert my NRE account after returning to India?

You must convert NRE accounts to a resident savings account upon becoming a Resident Indian — typically within the same financial year of return. Interest on NRE accounts becomes taxable once you become Resident.

What is the USD 1 million NRO repatriation limit?

NRI individuals can repatriate up to USD 1 million per financial year from NRO accounts after paying applicable Indian income taxes. Form 15CA and Form 15CB documentation is required for amounts above ₹5 lakh.

Planning tool

Return-to-India Planner

Plan your return journey with a residency timeline, corpus target, compliance checklist, and repatriation guidance.

Return timelineCorpus planningRNOR and FEMA guidance

Timeline

common.notSet

Corpus Gap

common.waitingInputs

Residency

Not projected

Your Return Plan

Target Return Date

Target City in India

Target Monthly Expenses in India (₹)

Current Savings / Corpus Abroad (₹ equivalent)

Notes

Enable milestone reminders (90, 30, and 7 days before your target date)

Assumed Inflation Rate: 6%

2%Conservative12%

Expected Investment Return: 8%

2%Conservative15%

Action Items

Set a target return date to see timeline projections
Set target city and monthly expenses to compute required corpus
Link your Budget Planner to track monthly savings capacity

Return Checklist

Complete checklist — set a return date to filter to relevant tasks

3+ Years Before

0/5

1 Year Before

0/6

6 Months Before

0/6

Month of Return

0/6

FEMA Compliance on Return

Convert NRE/FCNR accounts to resident savings accounts within 60 days of return
NRO account can be continued as a resident account — inform your bank
Repatriation from NRO: up to $1M/year via Form 15CA/15CB (CA required)
Foreign assets must be disclosed in ITR Schedule FA from Year 1 as resident
FEMA violations attract up to 3× penalty — do NOT delay bank notifications

Transfer of Residence — Customs Benefit

Duty-free import allowance for household goods when permanently relocating to India.

3–12 months abroad

₹1,50,000 duty-free

1–2 years abroad

₹3,00,000 duty-free

2+ years abroad

₹7,50,000 duty-free

•Goods must arrive within 6 months of your arrival in India
•Used/personal articles only — new or unused items don't qualify
•Excludes: alcohol, tobacco, gold/silver, motor vehicles

See full customs guide →

* General guidance only — not legal or tax advice. Residency calculations use simplified rules. Consult a FEMA-qualified CA for your specific situation.