Foreign currency account means an account held or maintained
in currency other than the currency of India or Nepal or Bhutan.
Reserve bank of India may on an application made to it,
permit a person resident in India to open or hold or maintain a Foreign
Currency Account, Subject to such terms and conditions as may be considered
necessary. (Application needs to me made to authorised dealer bank).
Benefits of maintaining foreign currency account
1. Reduction in the risk of Forex rate fluctuations.
2. Proceeds can be utilised for other foreign currency transactions.
3. Possible gain from increase in the value of the foreign currency.
A. Exchange Earners Foreign Currency Account (EEFC Account):
Residents can retain up to 50% of foreign currency in EEFC account the balance 50% needs to be converted to rupees.
Permitted Credits:
1. Inward remittance through normal banking channels, other than remittances received on account of foreign currency loan or investment received from abroad or received for meeting specific obligations by the account holder;
2. Payments received in foreign exchange by a 100 per cent Export Oriented Unit or a unit in (a) Export Processing Zone or (b) Software Technology Park or (c) Electronic Hardware Technology Park for supply of goods to similar such units or to a unit in Domestic Tariff Area;
3. Payments received in foreign exchange by a unit in the Domestic Tariff Area for supply of goods to a unit in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ);
4. Payment received by an exporter from an account maintained with an authorised dealer for the purpose of counter trade. (Counter trade is an arrangement involving adjustment of value of goods imported into India against value of goods exported from India in terms of the Reserve Bank guidelines);
5. Advance remittance received by an exporter towards export of goods or services;
6. Payment received for export of goods and services from India, out of funds representing repayment of State Credit in U.S. Dollar held in the account of Bank for Foreign Economic Affairs, Moscow, with an authorised dealer in India;
7. Professional earnings including directors fees, consultancy fees, lecture fees, honorarium and similar other earnings received by a professional by rendering services in his individual capacity;
8. Re-credit of un-utilised foreign currency earlier withdrawn from the account;
9. Amount representing repayment by the account holder's importer customer, of loan/advances granted, to the exporter holding such account; and
10. The disinvestment proceeds received by the resident account holder on conversion of shares held by him to ADRs/GDRs under the Sponsored ADR/GDR Scheme approved by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board of the Government of India.
Utilisation of amount:
Proceeds can be used in current account transactions and permissible capital account transactions as per the rules/ regulations/ directions/ notifications issued by RBI.
B. Foreign Currency Account.
Returning NRI who are returning permanently can open this account.
Permissible Credits:
1. Pension or any other superannuation or other monetary benefits from his employer outside India;
2. Coversion of assects and amount repriated to India
3. Foreign currency received or acquired as gift or inheritance froma a person referred to In sun section 4 of section 6 of the Act.
4. Proceeds of life insurance policy claims/ maturity/ surrender values settled in foreign currency from an insurance company.
Utilisation of amount (Debit):
Free to debit for any purpose, no restriction on investment outside India.
C. Resident Foreign Currecy Domestic Account
A person resident in India can open RFA (D) account out of foreign currency received in form of Currecy Note, Bank Notes and Travellers Cheques for nay of the sources like payment of services rendered abroad as honorarium, gift, services, rendered for settlement of any lawful obligation for any person non resident in India.
Permissible Credits:
1. While on a visit to any place outside India. Payment received for services not arising from any business or anything done in India, from any person not residing in India and who is on a visit to India, as honorarium or gift or for services rendered or in settlement of any lawful obligation.
2. Honorarium or gift while on a visit to any place outside India. Unspent amount of foreign exchange acquired from an authorized person for travel abroad
3. Gift from a close relative
4. Earnings through export of goods / services, or as royalty, honorarium or by any other lawful means.
5. Disinvestment proceeds received by a resident account-holder on conversion of shares held to ADRs / GDRs under the Sponsored ADR / GDR Scheme approved by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board of the Government of India
6.Earnings received as the proceeds of life insurance policy claims/maturity/surrender values settled in foreign currency from an insurance company in India permitted to undertake life insurance business by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority.
7.Amount received in any other manner as may be prescribed by the Reserve Bank of India.
Utilisation of amount (Debit):
Payments towards a current account transaction in accordance with the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management (Current Account Transactions) Rules, 2000 and towards a capital account transaction permissible under the Foreign Exchange Management (Permissible Capital Account Transactions) Regulations, 2000
All the above accounts will be maintained in the form of Current account.