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

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Hisho & Kanri
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Foreign Subsidiary Company Registration

Give your global business a legal home in India.

A Foreign Subsidiary Company is an Indian-registered entity in which a foreign parent company — or a group of foreign shareholders — holds a controlling or complete stake. Registered as a private limited company under the Companies Act, it lets an overseas business hire locally, sign contracts, open bank accounts, bill customers in rupees, and operate under Indian law, while remaining fully governed and owned by its parent abroad.

Done correctly, it gives you FDI-compliant market entry, tax-treaty advantages, limited liability protection for the parent, and a credible local face for customers, vendors, and regulators. Because it also triggers FEMA and RBI reporting obligations, most overseas parents bring in a cross-border registration specialist rather than treating it like a routine incorporation.

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Cross-Border Structure Live Route
Parent Co. Overseas Indian Subsidiary 💼 🌍 Parent Jurisdiction India
FEMA Compliant Up to 100% FDI DTAA Benefits
Understand The Model

How Foreign Subsidiary registration actually works

One flow explains the whole journey: your overseas company decides to enter India, and we carry it through to a fully operating local entity.

Parent Decides to Expand

Overseas company chooses India as a market and selects the subsidiary route.

Resident Director Appointed

An India-resident director and registered office are lined up before filing.

Subsidiary Incorporated

Private limited company incorporated in India with the parent as majority shareholder.

FEMA / RBI Reporting

Inbound investment reported to the RBI through the FC-GPR filing.

Operate & Repatriate

Subsidiary trades locally; profits flow back to the parent per treaty and FEMA rules.

Entry Structures

Which India entry structure fits your parent company?

A wholly owned subsidiary isn't the only route into India — here's how it compares to the other structures foreign companies commonly use.

Wholly Owned Subsidiary

The parent holds 100% of shares in an Indian private limited company — full control, limited liability, and eligibility for the automatic FDI route in most sectors.

Most Popular

Joint Venture Subsidiary

The foreign parent partners with an Indian shareholder, sharing ownership, local market knowledge, and compliance responsibility.

Liaison Office

A non-revenue-generating presence used purely to represent the parent and explore the Indian market before committing to a subsidiary.

Branch Office

An extension of the foreign parent (not a separate legal entity) permitted to conduct specific approved commercial activities in India.

Project Office

A temporary Indian presence set up to execute a specific contract awarded to the foreign parent, wound up once the project concludes.

LLP with Foreign Partners

A limited liability partnership structure with foreign contribution, suited to sectors where 100% FDI is permitted under the automatic route.

Majority-Owned Subsidiary

The parent holds a controlling (but not full) stake, often used where sectoral FDI caps apply.

Multi-Country Holding Subsidiary

An Indian subsidiary held through an intermediate holding company abroad, structured for tax-treaty and jurisdictional efficiency.

The Process

From overseas parent to operating Indian entity, in eight steps

Here's exactly what happens between your parent company deciding to enter India and holding a Certificate of Incorporation for its subsidiary.

1

Structure & Sector Check

We confirm the sectoral FDI cap and entry route (automatic or government approval) that applies to your business activity.

2

Name Approval

We check availability and reserve the Indian subsidiary's name with the Registrar of Companies.

3

Document Collection & Apostille

Parent company's incorporation certificate, board resolution, and director documents are collected, notarised, and apostilled as required.

4

Resident Director, DSC & DIN

An India-resident director is appointed, and all directors obtain Digital Signature Certificates and Director Identification Numbers.

5

Incorporation Filing

The complete incorporation application, memorandum, and articles are filed electronically with the Registrar of Companies.

6

Certificate of Incorporation

Once approved, the Registrar issues the Certificate of Incorporation — the legal proof your Indian subsidiary now exists.

7

PAN, TAN & Bank Account

Tax identifiers are generated and a current account is opened to receive the inbound investment from the parent.

8

FC-GPR / RBI Reporting

The share allotment to the foreign parent is reported to the RBI within the statutory FEMA timeline, completing the compliance loop.

Eligibility

Who can set up a Foreign Subsidiary in India?

Requirements vary by sector and entry route, but most subsidiary incorporations share the same baseline criteria.

Minimum Two Shareholders

The foreign parent (individually or with a nominee) and at least one other shareholder, per private limited company rules.

One India-Resident Director

At least one director on the board must have stayed in India for the statutory minimum number of days in the preceding year.

Sectoral FDI Compliance

The proposed business activity must fall within permitted FDI limits, whether automatic route or government-approval route.

Registered Office in India

A valid Indian office address, which can be residential or commercial, is required from day one of incorporation.

Valid Parent Company Documents

The parent's certificate of incorporation and board resolution, notarised and apostilled in its home country.

Unique Company Name

A proposed name that isn't identical or deceptively similar to an existing Indian company, LLP, or trademark.

Paperwork

Documents you'll need to keep handy

Gathering these upfront — from both the parent company and its India-resident director — is the single biggest thing you can do to speed up registration.

Parent's Incorporation Certificate

Notarised and apostilled in the home country

Board Resolution

Authorising the Indian subsidiary and its subscription

Passport Copies

Of all foreign directors and shareholders

Overseas Address Proof

Of foreign directors, apostilled where required

Resident Director's PAN & Aadhaar

For the India-based director on the board

Registered Office Proof

Rent agreement or title deed of the Indian address

Power of Attorney

Authorising a representative to sign forms in India, if used

Photograph

Recent passport-size photo of every director

Why It's Worth It

What a registered Indian subsidiary actually buys your parent company

Beyond legal formality, incorporation changes how confidently your business can hire, bill, and grow inside India.

Limited Liability

Parent company's exposure is limited to its shareholding

Up to 100% Ownership

Full control possible in sectors under the automatic FDI route

Separate Legal Entity

The subsidiary can contract, own assets, and sue in its own name

DTAA Tax Benefits

Access to Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement provisions

Local Credibility

Indian clients, vendors, and banks trust a locally registered entity

Repatriation of Profits

Dividends and royalties can flow back to the parent under FEMA rules

Local Hiring & Payroll

Employ staff directly and run compliant Indian payroll

Market Growth Platform

A single registered base to scale sales, service, and operations across India

After Registration

Staying compliant, on both sides of the border

Incorporation is the start, not the finish — here's what keeps your Indian subsidiary in good standing with the RoC and RBI.

Annual ROC Filing

Yearly returns and financial statements filed with the Registrar of Companies.

FEMA / RBI Reporting

FC-GPR on share allotment and the Annual Return on Foreign Liabilities and Assets (FLA) filed with the RBI.

Income Tax Return

Annual filing of the subsidiary's income tax return by the statutory due date.

Transfer Pricing Compliance

Form 3CEB and supporting documentation for transactions with the foreign parent.

GST Compliance

Regular GST returns once the subsidiary is registered under the GST regime.

Statutory Audit

Annual audit of accounts by a qualified auditor, mandatory for all Indian subsidiaries.

Why Hisho & Kanri

Cross-border registration handled by people who do this daily

We've filed enough foreign subsidiary incorporations to know exactly where FEMA, RBI, and RoC requirements usually trip up first-time entrants — and how to avoid it.

Cross-Border Specialists

Company secretaries and FEMA consultants who handle foreign-parent filings every week.

Fast Processing

Apostille, notarisation, and filing coordinated without back-and-forth delays.

Time-Zone Friendly

Structured for overseas founders — calls and updates scheduled around your time zone.

Transparent Process

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

Dedicated Support

One point of contact from your first call through incorporation and beyond.

Secure Documentation

Parent and director documents handled under strict confidentiality.

FAQ

Common questions about Foreign Subsidiary registration

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

It's an Indian company in which a foreign parent holds a controlling or complete stake, letting the parent operate in India through a locally registered legal entity.

Yes, in sectors that fall under the automatic FDI route. Some sectors cap foreign ownership or require government approval — we confirm this for your activity.

Yes — at least one director on the board must meet the statutory Indian residency requirement, even if every shareholder is based abroad.

For most sectors under the automatic route, no prior approval is needed — but the investment must still be reported to the RBI after allotment via FC-GPR.

Typically around 12 working days once apostilled parent documents are ready, though timelines vary by home country and registrar workload.

A notarised, apostilled certificate of incorporation and board resolution, alongside director identity and address proofs — see the Documents section above.

Yes, dividends and permitted payments can be remitted abroad under FEMA rules, often with reduced withholding tax under an applicable DTAA.

There's no fixed minimum paid-up capital mandated — the parent can fund the subsidiary at a level suited to its India business plan.

ROC filings, income tax returns, FEMA/RBI reporting (including the annual FLA return), transfer pricing filings, and a statutory audit — see the Compliance section above.

Because we handle cross-border filings daily, coordinate apostille and FEMA reporting end-to-end, and stay on for compliance long after incorporation is done.