NRI Stay in India: Rules, Rights, and Financial Tips for Non-Resident Indians

When we talk about NRI stay in India, the legal and financial conditions under which Non-Resident Indians live or visit India without becoming tax residents. Also known as Non-Resident Indian status, it’s not just about how many days you’re here—it’s about taxes, banking, property, and long-term rights. Many NRIs assume they can come and go freely, but the Indian government has clear rules that change what you can do, how much tax you pay, and even whether you can buy land.

One big thing to understand is the difference between an NRI, an Indian citizen living abroad who meets specific stay criteria. Also known as Non-Resident Indian, it is a tax and legal classification based on days spent in India and a OCI holder, a foreign citizen of Indian origin granted lifelong visa-free entry and residency rights in India. Also known as Overseas Citizen of India, it’s not citizenship but offers near-permanent residency. An NRI might be in India for 3 months a year to visit family, while an OCI holder could live here full-time, work, open a bank account, or even get a driver’s license—without a visa. But here’s the catch: OCI holders can’t vote, hold government jobs, or buy farmland. And if you’re an NRI staying more than 182 days in a year, you might suddenly become a tax resident. That means your global income could be taxed in India. Most people don’t realize this until they get a notice from the tax department.

Banking is another area where NRI stay in India gets tricky. You can open NRE and NRO accounts, but mixing them up or depositing local income into an NRE account can cause problems. And if you’re thinking of buying property, remember—NRIs can buy residential or commercial property, but not farmland. If you’re an OCI holder, you have the same rights here. But if you’re staying long-term, you’ll need to file tax returns even if you earn nothing in India—because your foreign income might still be linked to Indian assets. There’s also the 7-year rule: if you return to India and stay for 7 years straight, you lose your NRI status permanently. That affects everything from your tax breaks to your ability to repatriate money.

What you’ll find below are real, practical posts that cut through the noise. We’ve got clear breakdowns of how long you can stay without triggering tax residency, what OCI holders can actually do, how NRI banking works in practice, and even how your credit score is affected if you take a gold loan while living here. No fluff. No jargon. Just what you need to know if you’re an NRI planning a long stay—or thinking about moving back.