Student
154 Points
Joined July 2012
If you are an NRI, you would have to file your income tax returns for 2012-2013 if you fulfill either of these conditions:
--> Your taxable income in India during the year 2012-2013 was above the basic exemption limit of Rs 2 lakh OR
--> You have earned short-term or long-term capital gains from sale of certain investments and assets, even if the gains are less than the basic exemption limit.
"What this means is that firstly, NRIs do not get the benefit of differential exemption limits on basis of age or gender that is available to Resident Indians. Secondly, for NRIs, certain short term or long term capital gains from sale of investments or assets are taxed even if the total income is below the basic exemption limit. These include short term capital gains on equity shares and equity mutual funds where tax rate is 15% and long term capital gains on securities and assets where tax rate is either 20% or 10% without indexation.
There is an exception: If your taxable income consisted only of investment income (interest) and/or capital gains income and if tax has been deducted at source from such income, you do not have to file your tax returns.
e-Filing Income Tax software