Solo NRI founder
Identifies resident co-director, sets up cap table, lands seed capital correctly.
NRI Founders · Checklist
India Entry Checklist for NRI Founders — From Idea to First FC-GPR
A practical 8-week sequence: structuring → incorporation → FEMA filings → first hire → first invoice. Optimised for clean future fundraising.
A practical 8-week sequence: structuring → incorporation → FEMA filings → first hire → first invoice. Optimised for clean future fundraising.
Last reviewed: June 2026 · Updated for AY 2026-27
Why this matters
The stakes, plainly.
The first 90 days set the FEMA and governance baseline. Cutting corners now creates due-diligence problems later, when you can least afford them.
Common situations
Where this usually comes up.
Co-founder team (NRI + resident)
Founder share-allocation and ESOP pool design from day one.
Foreign parent + Indian subsidiary
Inter-company agreements, transfer pricing baseline.
What goes wrong
Expensive mistakes we keep cleaning up.
Skipping pre-incorporation tax structuring
Locked into a tax-inefficient structure.
Cap table errors
Pre-money / post-money math wrong; rounds 2-3 inherit the mess.
First FC-GPR missed
Compounding before product-market fit.
What we cover
The engagement, in writing.
- 01Week 1-2: structure decision + valuation framework
- 02Week 3-4: incorporation + initial bank accounts
- 03Week 5-6: first share allotment + FC-GPR filing
- 04Week 7-8: payroll, GST, first invoice readiness
- 05Handover to SME Advisory for monthly compliance
Common questions
Answered, candidly.
- How long does it take end-to-end?
- 8 weeks from kickoff to first invoice, assuming KYC documents are ready.
- Can I start with a foreign company first?
- Yes — common for fundraising. Indian subsidiary follows with transfer-pricing agreements.
- Do I need a CFO from day one?
- Virtual CFO via SME Advisory is the typical fit until revenue justifies a full-time hire.
Authored authority
The frameworks on this page are drawn from NRI Tax Blueprint 2025 — written by Regi Tom Antony, FCA, the practicing CA who advises on the same problems every week.
On the record
What clients say after the plan ships.
“Regi mapped out the RNOR window before I moved and saved us nearly two years of needless India tax on our US brokerage. The plan was written, dated, and exactly what I needed.”
Recovered USD 38k in pre-empted tax via RNOR sequencing.
Figures reflect aggregate RTA & Associates client engagements, 1997–2025; individual outcomes vary.
Anand R.
Tech founder, returning from California
USA → India
“We sold our Bengaluru flat from Dubai. The Section 197 lower-deduction certificate alone freed up ₹42 lakh of working capital while the sale closed. No other CA we spoke to even raised it.”
TDS reduced from 14.95% to 4.1% via Form 13.
Figures reflect aggregate RTA & Associates client engagements, 1997–2025; individual outcomes vary.
Farah K.
Investment banker, Dubai
UAE → India
“Clear, direct, on the record. Regi told us what would and wouldn't work — and exactly what the next filing was. No upsell, no fog.”
Priya & Mahesh S.
Doctors, NHS, planning return
UK → India
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- RTA & Associates· Chartered Accountants
- NRI Tax Blueprint· Authored playbooks
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