Registrations

Company & Business Registrations

From your first incorporation to a cross-border entity, pick the structure you need.

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Statutory and regulatory filings we manage, tracked on one compliance calendar.

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Register, defend and manage the intellectual property that makes your business yours.

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From routine return filing to cross-border tax structuring and litigation support.

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Hisho & Kanri
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We provide accounting, compliance,
and advisory services.

Foreign Company Registration

Bring your global business into India, the compliant way.

Foreign Company Registration is the legal route under the Companies Act, 2013 (Sections 2(42) and 379–393) and the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 that lets an overseas parent establish a recognised presence in India — as a Liaison Office, Branch Office, Project Office, or a locally incorporated Wholly Owned Subsidiary or Joint Venture. Every route runs through RBI/FEMA clearance and Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) filing before your entity is legally allowed to operate.

Get the structure and filings right, and you unlock repatriation of profits, sectoral FDI benefits, and a fully compliant Indian footprint. Get it wrong, and you risk FEMA penalties, a blocked AD Bank account, or delayed ROC approval — which is why most overseas promoters bring in specialists who handle RBI, AD Bank, and MCA coordination every day, rather than navigating cross-border paperwork alone.

Talk to a FEMA & RBI Expert Compare Entry Structures
0Foreign Entities Established
0Home Countries Served
0Avg. RBI-to-ROC Turnaround
0Compliance Success Rate
RBI · FEMA · MCA Approved Route
Certificate of Establishment
Issued on successful registration of your India entity
Home Country India
Entity TypeWholly Owned Subsidiary
Approval RouteRBI Automatic Route
RegulatorsMCA + RBI/FEMA
StatusEstablishment Approved
The Journey

Your global-to-local registration flow, at a glance

From your home-country boardroom to an active Indian entity — here's the route every foreign company travels, and the regulators it passes through along the way.

Home Country Parent

Board resolution & entry structure decided

AD Bank & RBI/FEMA

Filing routed via an Authorised Dealer bank

Name & DSC/DIN

MCA name approval, signatures for directors

MCA/ROC Incorporation

SPICe+ filing and Registrar approval

Certificate & Compliance

Entity live, FEMA reporting begins

Entry Structures

Which entry structure fits your global business?

India offers foreign companies several routes of entry, each with a different scope of activity, capital requirement, and regulatory approval. Here's the full lineup we register, at a glance.

Wholly Owned Subsidiary

A separate Indian private limited company, 100% owned by the foreign parent — the default choice for companies planning full-scale India operations.

Most Popular

Joint Venture Company

Co-owned with an Indian partner, combining local market knowledge with the foreign parent's capital, technology, or brand.

Liaison Office

A representative window for the parent company to explore India, build relationships, and promote imports/exports — no revenue-generating activity permitted.

Branch Office

An extension of the parent that can invoice and trade in India, for companies with a profitable track record wanting to test the market before incorporating.

Project Office

A temporary presence set up to execute a specific contract awarded to the foreign company by an Indian client, closed once the project concludes.

Foreign-Owned LLP

A limited liability partnership with up to 100% foreign investment under the automatic route, in sectors where LLPs are permitted to receive FDI.

Registered Foreign Company

A company incorporated abroad that establishes a place of business in India under Section 2(42) of the Companies Act, filing as a foreign company with the ROC.

Franchise / Distributor Model

No separate legal entity required — the foreign brand licenses its name and operating model to an Indian franchisee or distributor.

The Process

From boardroom resolution to certificate, in eight steps

Here's exactly what happens between your parent company deciding to enter India and holding a Certificate of Incorporation or Establishment in hand.

1

Entry Structure & FDI Check

We assess your sector against India's FDI policy and help you choose between a Liaison Office, Branch Office, Project Office, WOS, or Joint Venture.

2

AD Bank & RBI/FEMA Filing

For Liaison, Branch, and Project Offices, Form FNC is routed to the RBI through an Authorised Dealer bank; WOS/JV entities file under the automatic route.

3

Document Legalisation

Parent company charter documents, board resolutions, and director identity proofs are apostilled or notarised in the home country.

4

DSC & DIN for Directors

Foreign and resident directors receive a Digital Signature Certificate and Director Identification Number needed to sign incorporation forms.

5

MCA Name Approval & Filing

We reserve your entity name via RUN/SPICe+ and file the complete incorporation application with the Registrar of Companies.

6

Certificate Issued

Once approved, the ROC or RBI issues your Certificate of Incorporation or Establishment — legal proof your India entity now exists.

7

PAN, TAN & Bank Account

Tax identifiers are generated and we assist in opening your Indian current account with an Authorised Dealer bank.

8

FEMA Reporting Begins

Share allotments are reported to the RBI via Form FC-GPR, and your entity enters its ongoing FEMA and ROC compliance cycle.

Eligibility

Who can register a foreign company in India?

Requirements vary by entry structure and sector, but every application is assessed against the same core RBI, FEMA, and MCA criteria.

Parent Company Good Standing

A track record of profitable operations and audited financials, required for Liaison, Branch, and Project Office applications.

Permitted Sector Under FDI Policy

The proposed activity must fall under a sector open to foreign investment via the automatic or government approval route.

Resident Director Requirement

Companies incorporating a WOS or JV need at least one director who has stayed in India for 120 days or more in the previous financial year.

AD Bank Sponsorship

Liaison, Branch, and Project Office applications must be forwarded to the RBI by an Authorised Dealer Category-I bank.

Valid Registered Office in India

A physical address in India to serve as the entity's registered office, verifiable by utility bill or lease agreement.

Apostilled Charter Documents

The parent company's incorporation certificate, MOA/AOA, and director identity proofs must be notarised or apostilled in the home country.

Paperwork

Documents you'll need to keep handy

Cross-border filings live or die on documentation. Gathering and legalising these upfront is the single biggest thing you can do to speed up your registration.

Certificate of Incorporation

Of the parent company, apostilled

MOA & AOA

Translated and notarised charter documents

Board Resolution

Authorising India entry and a local signatory

Passport of Directors

Apostilled copies for all foreign directors

Address Proof

Of foreign directors, notarised in home country

Audited Financials

Last 3–5 years, for LO/BO/PO applications

India Office Proof

Lease agreement or title deed of local address

Power of Attorney

For the authorised representative in India

Why It's Worth It

What entering India actually buys you

Beyond regulatory permission, a properly registered India entity changes what your global business can do — and how protected and credible it is while doing it.

Direct Market Access

A legal foothold in one of the world's fastest-growing economies

Limited Liability

The parent's exposure stays capped when structured as a WOS or JV

Profit Repatriation

Dividends and profits can be remitted home, subject to FEMA and tax rules

Automatic FDI Route

Most sectors allow 100% foreign investment without prior government approval

Local Legal Identity

The Indian entity can contract, invoice, and litigate in its own name

DTAA Tax Relief

Double-taxation avoidance treaties reduce cross-border tax friction

Vendor & Tender Access

Registered entities qualify for contracts closed to foreign branches

Structured Exit Path

A clear, compliant wind-up or divestment route when you're ready to exit

After Registration

Staying compliant, year after year

Registration is the start, not the finish — foreign-owned entities carry both standard ROC obligations and additional FEMA/RBI reporting to stay in good standing.

FC-GPR Filing

Reporting of foreign share allotments to the RBI within the prescribed window.

Annual Performance Report

Yearly APR filing with the RBI for Liaison, Branch, and Project Offices.

ROC Annual Filing

AOC-4 and MGT-7 filed with the Registrar of Companies for WOS and JV entities.

Income Tax & Transfer Pricing

Annual tax return plus Form 3CEB for related-party transactions with the parent.

FLA Return

Annual Foreign Liabilities & Assets return filed with the RBI.

Statutory & Secretarial Audit

Independent audit of accounts and secretarial records, where applicable.

Why Hisho & Kanri

Cross-border registration handled by people who do this daily

We've guided foreign parents from across the globe through India's RBI, FEMA, and MCA process — and know exactly where cross-border filings usually go wrong.

FEMA & RBI Specialists

Chartered accountants and company secretaries fluent in cross-border regulation.

AD Bank Liaison Network

Established relationships that keep your RBI filings moving without delay.

Cross-Border Documentation

We coordinate apostille and notarisation of parent-company documents end to end.

Transparent, Milestone-Based

You see every filing and regulator status update, not just a final certificate.

Cross-Timezone Support

A dedicated point of contact that works around your home-country business hours.

Secure Documentation

Parent-company and director documents handled under strict confidentiality.

FAQ

Common questions about foreign company registration

Can't find your question here? Use the form alongside this page and we'll answer it directly.

It's the legal process by which an overseas company establishes a recognised presence in India — via a Liaison Office, Branch Office, Project Office, or a locally incorporated subsidiary — under the Companies Act and FEMA.

It depends on whether you plan to generate India revenue, how long you intend to operate, and your sector's FDI cap — our experts assess this before recommending a structure.

Liaison, Branch, and Project Offices need prior RBI approval via an AD Bank. Wholly Owned Subsidiaries and Joint Ventures in automatic-route sectors don't need prior approval, only post-facto FEMA reporting.

Yes, if you're incorporating a subsidiary or joint venture company — at least one director must have stayed in India for 120 days or more in the previous financial year.

Typically around 15 working days once documents are legalised and filed, though RBI approval timelines for Liaison and Branch Offices can extend this further.

The parent company's certificate of incorporation, MOA/AOA, board resolution, and the passports of foreign directors typically need apostille or notarisation — see the Documents section above for the full list.

Most sectors permit up to 100% foreign investment under the automatic route, but a few remain restricted or require government approval — we confirm your sector's cap before you commit.

There's no fixed minimum paid-up capital mandated by law — you can start with an amount that suits your India business plan and FDI inflow requirements.

No. A Liaison Office may only represent the parent, share information, and promote trade — any revenue-generating activity requires a Branch Office or a locally incorporated entity instead.

Because we handle RBI, FEMA, and MCA filings daily, coordinate cross-border document legalisation for you, and stay on for compliance long after your entity is registered.