Liaison Office Registration in India
A liaison office lets a foreign company explore the Indian market and represent itself here, without setting up a full trading entity. We handle the RBI and ROC approvals and keep the annual compliance on track.
|800+ businesses served since 2020
A representative presence, not a trading entity
A liaison office is an extension of a foreign company set up in India purely to represent it — exploring the market, promoting the parent’s brand, and acting as a communication channel with Indian businesses. It cannot invoice, trade, or earn income in India; every expense is funded by the parent company from abroad. That restriction is the trade-off for a lighter compliance load than a branch office or a subsidiary would carry.
Setting one up needs approval from an RBI-authorised bank, or from the RBI itself in restricted sectors, followed by registration with the Registrar of Companies once that approval is in hand.
- A minimum net worth for the parent company, per RBI rules
- A track record of profitability at the parent company
- The office name must match the parent company’s name
- No commercial or income-generating activity permitted
Foreign companies testing the Indian market
Understanding demand before committing
Companies wanting a genuine on-ground read of the Indian market, before deciding whether to invest in a full trading entity.
Building relationships, not revenue
Businesses looking to build visibility and facilitate technical or financial collaborations with Indian companies, without an income-generating footprint yet.
Supporting trade with the parent company
A liaison office can promote the import or export of goods between the parent company and India, without itself trading.
Approval to annual compliance
Eligibility check
We confirm the parent company meets the net worth and profitability track record RBI expects before filing anything.
AD Bank / RBI approval
Form FNC filed with an Authorised Dealer bank, or with the RBI directly where the sector requires it.
ROC registration
Form FC-1 filed with the Registrar of Companies once bank or RBI approval is granted.
PAN, TAN and bank account
Getting the office operational — tax registrations in place and a local bank account opened.
Local registrations
GST, Shops and Establishments, and other local registrations arranged as your activities require.
Annual compliance
Annual returns to the ROC, the Annual Activity Certificate to the AD Bank, financial statements, and the income tax return — all tracked and filed on schedule every year.
From eligibility to an operating office
Eligibility confirmed
Net worth, profitability and sector checked against current RBI norms.
Bank or RBI approval
Form FNC filed and followed up through to approval.
ROC registration
Form FC-1 filed, PAN, TAN and bank account set up.
Ongoing compliance
Annual filings tracked and managed every year the office operates.
Questions companies ask first.
Can a liaison office generate revenue in India?
No. It’s restricted to representative activities — market research, promotion, and acting as a communication channel — and cannot invoice or trade. All its expenses are met by the parent company from abroad.
What happens if a liaison office does earn income?
Income that arises from a business connection with the parent company becomes taxable in India under the Income Tax Act. This is a compliance risk we help clients structure around from the outset.
Is police registration required for every liaison office?
No, only for parent companies incorporated in specific countries that RBI designates for additional scrutiny. We confirm whether this applies to your case as part of the eligibility review.
Tell us what you need.
A short call to understand where you stand and how we would run this for you. No obligation.
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