Setting up of Liason Office in India

A Liaison Office (also known as Representative Office) can undertake only liaison activities, i.e. it can act as a channel of communication between Head Office abroad and parties in India. It is not allowed to undertake any business activity in India and cannot earn any income in India. Expenses of such offices are to be met entirely through inward remittances of foreign exchange from the Head Office outside India. The role of such offices is, therefore, limited to collecting information about possible market opportunities and providing information about the company and its products to the prospective Indian customers. Permission to set up such offices is initially granted for a period of 3 years and this may be extended from time to time by an AD Category I bank.

A Liaison Office can undertake the following activities in India:

i. Representing in India the parent company / group companies.

ii. Promoting export / import from / to India.

iii. Promoting technical/financial collaborations between parent/group companies and companies in India.

iv. Acting as a communication channel between the parent company and Indian companies.

ELIGIBILITY

- A profit making track record during the immediately preceding three financial years in the home country.

- Net Worth [total of paid-up capital and free reserves, less intangible assets as per the latest Audited Balance Sheet or Account Statement certified by a Certified Public Accountant or any Registered Accounts Practitioner by whatever name], not less than USD 50,000 or its equivalent

-  Copy of the Certificate of Incorporation / Registration and Memorandum and Articles/ Charter of the company attested by the Notary Public in the country of registration

- Latest Audited Balance sheet of the applicant company

- Bankers' Report from the applicant’s banker in the host country / country of registration showing the number of years the applicant has had banking relations with that bank.

- Last 3years balance sheet of foreign company