Loading
Approval under FEMA, UIN, ROC registration, PAN, TAN and a bank account for the liaison office of your foreign company, handled by Chartered Accountants and Company Secretaries.
150+ Regular Clients · Chartered Accountants and Company Secretaries · Since 2016
A foreign company can open a liaison office in India, to represent it and act as a communication channel without earning income, only with approval under FEMA. It applies in Form FNC through an authorised dealer bank, normally needing three years of profits and a net worth of USD 50,000, receives a Unique Identification Number, files Form FC-1 with the Registrar of Companies within 30 days, and then obtains PAN and TAN. Applicants from Sri Lanka need prior RBI approval. AU Corporate, a New Delhi firm of Chartered Accountants and Company Secretaries serving foreign companies since 2016, handles the full process.
Written and reviewed by Abhishek Jaiin, Chartered Accountant (ICAI Membership No. 544646) · Last reviewed: 9 October 2026
A liaison office is the foreign company itself, represented in India without doing business. It needs approval, ROC registration and yearly filings, but no separate Indian company.
AU Corporate handles the application, the approvals and the registrations from India, and checks your planned tasks so the office stays within what is permitted.
The tasks a liaison office is approved for, and the lines it must not cross.
Act for the parent or group companies in India, and be their point of contact.
Introduce suppliers and buyers and pass on information between India and the parent's country.
Promote technical or financial collaborations between the group and Indian companies.
Relay messages and information between the parent and Indian companies.
No trading, selling, invoicing, commission or fees, and no income of any kind in India.
The main differences a foreign company looks at before choosing a structure.
| Point | Liaison Office | Branch Office | Project Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Represent the parent; no commercial activity | Carry on the parent's permitted business | Execute one contract awarded by an Indian company |
| Can earn income | No | Yes, from permitted activities | Yes, from the project |
| Funding | Remittances from the parent only | Remittances and own earnings | Remittances and project receipts |
| Approval | AD bank via Form FNC; RBI for some applicants | FEMA approval with eligibility tests | General permission via AD bank if conditions are met |
| Duration | Approved period, extendable | No fixed end | For the project only |
| Main filings | FNC, AAC, ROC FC forms | FNC, AAC, ROC FC forms | FNC, AAC, ROC FC forms |
Eligibility tests and conditions differ for each office. Our team confirms the right choice for your case.
Six items from the head office. We send a document checklist tailored to your country.
Audited financial statements for the last three years, and a net worth certificate from an accountant.
Certificate of incorporation and charter documents, notarised and apostilled.
Approving the liaison office, its tasks and an authorised signatory.
The tasks in India, the budget and the parent's group structure.
A leased office, a co-working space, or a registered address service.
At least one person resident in India to receive notices for ROC purposes.
Indian filings are prepared while your documents are notarised. Liaison office setup typically takes 3 to 6 weeks, depending on the bank, the route (AD bank or RBI) and how quickly the parent's documents are notarised and apostilled.
Check net worth, track record, route and planned tasks.
Prepare the application and the document set.
File with the AD bank, or the RBI where needed, and receive the Unique Identification Number (UIN).
File Form FC-1 within 30 days and obtain PAN and TAN.
Open the liaison office account and receive the first remittance.
A fixed fee, confirmed in writing before work starts.
Not included: government fees, notary and apostille costs in your country, courier costs, and ongoing compliance after registration, which is available as a separate service — see Liaison Office FEMA and RBI Compliance.
Your liaison office accounts, tax returns, RBI filings and ROC forms must agree with each other. The same team handles each of them.
Straight answers to the questions foreign finance teams ask most about a liaison office in India.
Written and reviewed by Abhishek Jaiin, Chartered Accountant (ICAI Membership No. 544646) · Last reviewed: 9 October 2026
This is general guidance based on Indian law and practice as at the date above. It is not advice for your specific case, and rules can change.
Tell us where your head office is, what the liaison office will do in India, and how many people it will employ — our team will confirm eligibility, the route, and a fixed written quote.