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Samir (Querist)
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22 February 2011 is it mandatory or obligatory for NRI being india citizen having total income 2million ??? even Though as per IT act foreign income of NRI is fully exepmted..!!

CA. Anuj Gupta

CA. Anuj Gupta (Expert)
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23 February 2011 Foreign income and not Indian Income is exempt under the Act, so if there is any foreign income then deposit taxes and file return in india.

Samir

Samir (Querist)
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23 February 2011 yes i know know only foreign income exempted from tax.. that's y i m asking foreing income 2 million...

is it mandatory or obligatory to file reutrn of income... If no then while final exit from abroad how the NRI can satisfy income tax official regarding money in his account??

Asha Kanta Sharma

Asha Kanta Sharma (Expert)
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22 July 2025 Great question! Here’s how it works for an NRI with foreign income of ₹2 million:

Is filing income tax return (ITR) mandatory for NRI with foreign income only?

If your total income (which includes Indian income and foreign income) exceeds the basic exemption limit (₹2.5 lakh for individuals below 60), then filing ITR is mandatory.

But foreign income of an NRI is exempt from Indian tax under the Income Tax Act. So if your only income is foreign income, and you have no taxable income in India, filing ITR is not mandatory.

What if you have foreign income but no taxable Indian income?

No tax is payable in India on foreign income for NRIs. So no need to file a return unless you have taxable income in India (like rental income, capital gains in India, etc.) exceeding the exemption limit.

How to satisfy Income Tax officials on Final Exit or when asked about foreign funds?

When you do a final exit or when asked by tax authorities, you can show:

Bank statements showing foreign income credits

Tax residency certificate (if applicable)

Documents showing your foreign earnings and taxes paid abroad (if any)

Declaration that foreign income is exempt in India for NRIs

If no taxable Indian income and no tax liability, usually no ITR is needed, but if officials insist, you can file a ‘Nil’ return showing exempt income.

Summary:
No, NRIs with only foreign income (exempt in India) and no taxable Indian income are generally NOT obligated to file ITR.

But if you want to maintain clear records or for final exit procedures, you can file a return showing nil taxable income or keep documents ready.

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