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For NRIs, OCI holders and their families

Moving back to India

Everything a returning family needs, in the order you need it: tax residence and RNOR, bank accounts, shipping your home, pets, schools, Aadhaar, insurance and choosing a city.

Free tool

Will you be NRI, RNOR or resident?

Enter your days in India and your years abroad. We show your status for this year and plan the next few years after your move, under the Income-tax Act 2025 rules.

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Who this is for

NRIs with an Indian passport

You are still a citizen. Your main jobs are tax status, bank accounts and Aadhaar, which you can get on arrival.

Foreign citizens of Indian origin

You need an OCI card (after surrendering your old Indian passport) to live and work in India without limits. Tax residence works the same as for anyone else.

Foreign spouses and children

Children of Indian citizens are usually eligible for OCI. A foreign spouse can apply after two years of registered marriage; until then, an entry (X) visa.

Coming back to care for parents

Since 2024 there is no upper age limit on buying health insurance. See our guide, then plan a city with good hospitals near family.

Your month-by-month plan

Want it on paper? Download the one-page checklist (PDF) or save it as an image to send to family.

12-9 months before

  1. 1Decide togetherWork, children, parents and money.
  2. 2Pick a city and schoolSchool admissions for April open around October.
  3. 3Plan your tax yearsYour landing date decides how long you stay RNOR.
  4. 4OCI for the familyForeign-citizen spouse or children? Apply early.

6-3 months before

  1. 1Advice in both countriesRetirement accounts, shares and property abroad.
  2. 2Buy health insuranceStart the waiting-period clock early.
  3. 3Book moversTransfer of Residence: up to ₹7.5 lakh duty-free.
  4. 4PetsRabies shot, health certificate and NOC.

The month you move

  1. 1Hand-luggage documentsPassports, OCI, degrees, school and medical records.
  2. 2Baggage and goldDuty-free limits under the 2026 rules.
  3. 3Keep a foot abroadOne bank account, a card and your phone number for OTPs.

First 90 days

  1. 1Tell your banksNRE and NRO become resident accounts; FCNR runs to maturity.
  2. 2Aadhaar, SIM and PANIndian passport holders can enrol for Aadhaar on arrival.
  3. 3Find a homeRent first, buy later.
  4. 4Start a travel logDays in India decide your tax status.

Guides for moving back

Should you move back to India?A practical checklist for NRIs deciding whether to return to India: work and income, children and schools, ag…Returning to India for goodA month-by-month checklist for NRIs moving back to India: schools, tax residence and RNOR, NRE/NRO/FCNR accou…RNOR statusHow India decides if you are a non-resident, RNOR or resident when you move back: the 182-day, 60 and 120-day…Your NRI bank accounts when you move backWhat happens to your NRE, NRO and FCNR deposits when you return to India for good, what an RFC account is, an…Transfer of ResidenceIndia’s 2026 Transfer of Residence rules: duty-free limits of ₹1.5, ₹3 and ₹7.5 lakh by time abroad, the 6-mo…The documents to sort out when you move backAadhaar for NRIs and OCI holders, updating your PAN status, Indian driving licence, SIM card, voter ID and Di…Choosing a school when you move back to IndiaHow returning NRI families choose a school in India: CBSE, CISCE (ICSE), state boards, IB and Cambridge compa…Health insurance for returning NRIs and their parentsHow to insure your family when you move back to India: the 3-year maximum waiting period for pre-existing con…Took another citizenship? Surrender, OCI and moving backIf you became a US, UK, Canadian or other citizen: why you must surrender your Indian passport, the surrender…Moving to India with a petHow to bring a pet dog or cat to India: the two-pet limit, the quarantine NOC, rabies vaccination timing, mic…OCI cardOverseas Citizenship of India (OCI) explained: who qualifies, 2026 fees, how to apply, the passport-renewal r…India customsIndia’s new Baggage Rules 2026 explained: duty-free allowances for residents, NRIs and foreign tourists, gold…Buying property in India from abroadWho can buy property in India, what you can’t buy (agricultural land), how to pay, RERA checks, TDS when buyi…Investing in India from abroadHow NRIs and OCI holders can invest in India: NRE and NRO accounts, the PIS route for shares, mutual funds (i…How to rent a home in IndiaHow renting works in India: 11-month leave and licence agreements, security deposits, brokers, rental agreeme…Cost of living in IndiaHow expensive is it to live in India? A city-by-city comparison of relative living costs and the biggest fact…

Where returning families live

Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi and Chandigarh are the usual choices. Compare them on cost, climate, schools and air.

Bengaluru

India’s tech capital and the most popular landing spot for returning NRIs and foreign professionals: mild weather, big expat community, notorious tra…

₹₹₹ High Mild all year (rarely above the l…

Pune

A student and IT city with a gentler pace than Mumbai, good weather and easy weekends in the Western Ghats.

₹₹ Moderate Pleasant most of the year; hot Ap…

Hyderabad

A fast-growing tech city with good infrastructure for the money, a big new airport and some of India’s best food.

₹₹ Moderate Hot summers (April to June); mild…

Mumbai

India’s financial and entertainment capital: the highest salaries and the highest rents, by the sea.

₹₹₹₹ Highest Hot and humid; heavy monsoon June…

Chennai

A traditional, culture-rich coastal city with a big IT and auto industry, the longest urban beach in India and great value.

₹₹ Moderate Hot and humid most of the year; n…

Goa

India’s favourite place for remote workers and retirees: beaches, a relaxed pace and a big international community.

₹₹₹ High Tropical; heavy monsoon June to S…

Kochi

Kerala’s commercial capital: green, coastal, well-connected to the Gulf, with good hospitals and schools.

₹₹ Moderate Tropical; two monsoons (June to S…

Best cities to live in India, compared on data

Before your first trip back as a resident

Visiting temples with the family? See pilgrimages in India, including the Nau Devi yatra and Punjab’s great shrines.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a returning NRI stay RNOR?
Usually two tax years after the year of return for someone who lived abroad for ten years or more, sometimes three. Use the calculator to check your own dates.
What happens to my NRE account when I return to India?
It must be redesignated as a resident account, or the balance moved into a Resident Foreign Currency (RFC) account. FCNR deposits can run to maturity.
How much can I ship back to India duty-free?
Under the Baggage Rules 2026, Transfer of Residence allows used personal and household articles up to ₹7.5 lakh after two years or more abroad, ₹3 lakh after one year in the last two, and ₹1.5 lakh after three to twelve months.
Can I get Aadhaar as soon as I return?
Yes, if you hold a valid Indian passport. OCI holders need to have lived in India for 182 days in the previous 12 months.

This hub is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Each guide links to the official source we checked on 21 October 2026.