OCI Card Holder - Bank Account Query

A Posted by: arvindey.ad
• 06 August, 2026
1 Reply

Hello I am a US citizen by birth but I have been in India for 20 years and have no plans to leave. I have read about opening a bank account here but have been running into walls. SBI and ICICI insist on me opening a NRO account. But since I've been here for more than 182 days I am eligible for a resident bank account. They have also suggested that I make an account with my PAN and AADHAR but that locks in their records as an Indian citizen so I have not decided to go through with it. Any leads on this?

Tags : OCI Card Holder, Bank Account Query

  • Visament USA 06 August, 2026

    The confusion is likely between tax residency and FEMA residency. Staying in India for more than 182 days doesn't automatically decide what type of bank account you can open. If you've been living in India for 20 years with no plans to leave, you may qualify as a resident under FEMA, even though you're a U.S. citizen.

     

    Also, using your PAN and Aadhaar won't make you an Indian citizen. The bank should still record your nationality as U.S. and complete the required FATCA formalities.

     

    I'd suggest speaking directly with the branch manager or the bank's compliance team and asking them to assess your FEMA residential status instead of assuming you need an NRO account just because you have a U.S. passport.

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