FCRA Registration - Receive Foreign Contributions Legally

FCRA registration is an approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 that permits an NGO, Trust, Society, or Section 8 Company to legally receive donations, grants, or funding from a foreign source. Without it, accepting foreign contribution is not permitted under law.

Any registered NGO, Trust, Society, or Section 8 Company that wants to receive donations, grants, or funding from foreign individuals, foreign companies, international agencies, or overseas foundations needs either FCRA registration or prior permission before accepting the funds.

Standard FCRA registration is for organisations at least 3 years old with a track record of spending on their core activities, and allows ongoing foreign funding from any source. Prior permission is for newer organisations and is limited to a specific foreign donor and a specific project or activity.

For standard registration, the organisation generally needs to be at least 3 years old with a genuine, verifiable record of spending on its core charitable activities during that period. Organisations younger than 3 years can instead apply for prior permission tied to a specific donor and project.

It is a dedicated account that every FCRA-registered organisation must maintain at the State Bank of India, New Delhi Main Branch. All foreign contributions must be received into this account first - you may also maintain one additional 'utilisation' account at another bank for spending, but not for receiving foreign funds directly.

Yes, MHA charges a nominal government fee for FCRA registration and prior permission applications, prescribed on the fcraonline.nic.in portal at the time of filing. We do not add a markup on this government fee - it is separate from our professional service fee.

There is no fixed or guaranteed timeline. Processing commonly takes several months and can involve field or background verification by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Be cautious of any service that promises a fast or guaranteed approval date - MHA does not commit to one.

Form FC-4 is the mandatory annual return that every FCRA-registered organisation must file, reporting foreign contributions received and utilised during the financial year. It must be filed every year the registration is active, even if the organisation received no foreign contribution that year.

FCRA registration is valid for 5 years from the date of grant. A renewal application must be filed before the validity period ends to continue receiving foreign contributions without interruption.

Receiving foreign contribution without valid FCRA registration or prior permission is not permitted under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, and can lead to penalties, compounding proceedings, or freezing of the organisation's accounts. If this has already happened, get compliance advice before taking any further action.

A valid NGO Darpan (NITI Aayog) Unique ID is generally required as part of the FCRA application process and strengthens your filing. We recommend completing NGO Darpan registration, along with 12A/80G if not already done, before applying for FCRA.

Yes. Trusts, Societies, and Section 8 Companies are all eligible to apply for FCRA registration or prior permission, provided they meet the applicable eligibility criteria for the route they are applying under.

It depends on the specific facts - contributions from foreign citizens, foreign companies, international agencies, and multinational NGOs are generally treated as foreign contribution under FCRA, while some remittances from Indian citizens living abroad may be treated differently. This distinction is fact-specific, so we recommend checking your particular case with our team before accepting such funds.

Yes. The Ministry of Home Affairs can suspend or cancel FCRA registration for non-compliance - such as misuse of funds, failure to file annual returns, or violation of the conditions of registration. A cancelled registration generally also affects the organisation's ability to reapply for a period of time.

Yes, FCRA rules cap the proportion of foreign contribution that can be spent on administrative expenses, and this cap was reduced by the 2020 amendment to the Act. The exact permissible percentage should be confirmed with our team, as it applies strictly and non-compliance is a common reason for adverse action.

NGO Darpan is a free NITI Aayog identity database and does not permit receiving foreign funds. FCRA registration is a separate, MHA-administered approval that is legally required to receive any foreign contribution. Most NGOs need both, but they serve entirely different purposes.

Yes, through the prior permission route, which does not require a 3-year track record but is limited to a specific foreign donor and project that has already been identified. It does not allow open-ended foreign fundraising the way standard registration does.