NRI Demat account in India
An NRI Demat account keeps your India investments in one place: shares, mutual funds and IPOs, held against your NRE or NRO bank account. Opening is free, paperless and takes about 15 minutes.
Why NRIs keep an India account
Many NRIs want rupee-denominated growth tied to a country they still bank in and remit to.
PIS or non-PIS, your choice
A PIS account lets you invest repatriable NRE funds in shares. A non-PIS account works with NRO funds for most investments.
One portfolio, two countries
Indian shares and funds sit in one app view alongside your foreign holdings, with rupee and foreign-currency clarity.
KYC from abroad
Passport, visa, overseas address proof and an Indian bank account handle most of it. Many brokers complete NRI KYC without a visit to India.
Clear tax picture
Indian equity gains carry the same STCG and LTCG treatment for NRIs, with TDS where applicable. The broker's statements simplify DTAA claims.
How to think about it as an NRI
Your India account is a rupee layer on top of your foreign life. Decide first whether the funds are repatriable (NRE, PIS) or not (NRO, non-PIS). Then keep records clean, because FEMA does not forgive shortcuts.
Repatriable investing
PIS account against NRE funds
Non-repatriable
Non-PIS account against NRO funds
Documents
Passport, visa, both address proofs, photos
Golden rule
Convert resident accounts before using them abroad
What an NRI can start with
There is no fixed minimum. Shares start at their market price, and SIPs in permitted funds start at ₹500 a month from your NRE or NRO account.
Your first week, day by day
A realistic four-day start. Nothing here needs a branch visit or a phone call.
Day 1
Gather the documents
Passport, valid visa, both address proofs and photographs.
Day 2
Start the application
Against your NRE or NRO bank account. Choose PIS or non-PIS deliberately.
Day 3
Complete verification
A video call or in-person check, depending on where you live.
Day 4
Fix any resident account
Convert or close it. Using a resident account abroad violates FEMA.
What people usually get wrong
Three beliefs that cost this group real money. Each one has a simple fix.
My old Indian account still works
Using a resident account after moving violates FEMA rules.
PIS is required for everything
Mutual funds and most holdings work through a non-PIS NRO account.
India taxes me twice
DTAA treaties credit foreign tax on Indian gains for most countries.
Open your account in four steps
Fully digital and paperless. Keep these documents nearby and you will finish in about 15 minutes.
Keep these handy
Enter your mobile and email
Verify both with an OTP. This takes two minutes.
Fetch your PAN and Aadhaar
DigiLocker pulls them in automatically. No typing, no uploads.
Link your bank account
Funds move in and out through this account. UPI works fine.
Complete e-sign and video KYC
A short selfie video and an Aadhaar OTP finish the check.
Done. Buy your first share.
Add money via UPI and place your first order. Start with as little as ₹100.
Your shares, held the safe way
The broker behind this page is SEBI-regulated, and your shares sit with India's central depositories.
SEBI-regulated broker
Upstox is registered with SEBI (reg. no. INZ000185137) as RKSV Securities India Pvt Ltd.
ISO 27001 certified
The international standard for information security management.
NSDL & CDSL depositories
Shares sit with India's central depositories, not with any single broker.
Bank-grade encryption
Every session and every order runs over encrypted connections.
1.3Cr+ investors
India's retail investors use the platform every market day.
Segregated client funds
Your money is kept separate from the broker's own accounts.
2FA + biometric login
Password, OTP and fingerprint before any order goes out.
Questions NRIs ask
Straight answers for first-time investors.
No. A resident Demat account must be converted into an NRI Demat account or closed and reopened as one after you change status. Investing through a resident account after moving abroad violates FEMA rules, so convert it within the allowed window.
A PIS (Portfolio Investment Scheme) account is linked to your NRE bank account and is needed for trading shares with repatriable funds. A non-PIS account links to your NRO account and covers most mutual fund investments. Many brokers offer both in one setup.
Passport with a valid visa, PAN (or a PAN-exempt declaration in some cases), overseas and Indian address proof, a recent photograph, and your NRE or NRO bank details. The broker also runs an in-person or video verification depending on where you live.
Keep reading
The guides behind this page, in the order most people read them.
Your first share is 15 minutes away.
Open the account, add as little as ₹100 and start when you feel ready. Opening is free, and the first year of AMC is on the house.
- ₹0 opening
- 15 min setup
- SEBI-regulated partner
Investments in securities markets are subject to market risks. Read all relevant documents carefully before investing.