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FCRA Registration stands for the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act Registration, and it’s all about getting the green light from the Indian government to accept foreign donations or contributions. It’s mainly for nonprofits, charities, and organizations that want to tap into international funds for their work. Those funds could be used for various things like community development, education, health services, and whatnot.
The whole idea is to make sure that foreign donations are used appropriately and not funneled into sketchy activities. If an organization is planning to receive funds from abroad, they’ve got to apply for this registration, show their financial records, and give a good reason why they need the funds, basically proving they’re legit and have nothing but good intentions. Once approved, they’ll stay compliant with the rules around how the money can be used.
It’s a process, but it’s essential for transparency and accountability. So, if you know any NGOs or social enterprises looking to go international with their funding, they should check this out!
The following files must be uploaded in Form FC-3A in order to finish the registration process:
Registration Certificate
Memorandum of Association / Trust Deed
Activity Report for the Past Three Years
Audited Statement of Revenue for the Past Three Years
Affidavit of Every Essential Employee
Signature of the Association’s Chief Functionary
Seal of the Association
The following files must be uploaded in Form FC-3A in order to finish the registration process:
Registration Certificate
Memorandum of Association / Trust Deed
Activity Report for the Past Three Years
Audited Statement of Revenue for the Past Three Years
Affidavit of Every Essential Employee
Signature of the Association’s Chief Functionary
Seal of the Association
Makes it possible for societies, trusts, and NGOs to accept foreign donations from overseas donors in a legal manner.
Enhances the organization’s standing among stakeholders, government officials, and international funders.
Provides avenues for grants, contributions, and collaborations with international organizations, agencies, and charitable foundations.
Ensured by helping NGOs diversify their funding sources.
Enables institutions to carry out extensive initiatives in disaster assistance, healthcare, education, and rural development.
Non-profits that are registered with the FCRA are also eligible for 12A and 80G tax exemptions, which lessen their financial burden.
Guarantees respect to Indian regulatory frameworks, preventing fines and legal problems associated with foreign money.
For projects with a worldwide impact, organizations can work with foreign governments, institutions, and non-governmental organizations.
In order to increase accountability and transparency in the use of funds, registered entities are required to keep accurate financial records.
Offers NGOs a solid platform to expand their initiatives and accomplish more significant social objectives.
i. Must be registered as one of the following:
A Section 8 Company under the Companies Act, 2013
Under the Societies Registration Act, 1860
Under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882
Or any other applicable Act
ii. Must have actively carried out social benefit activities in its chosen field and contributed meaningfully.
iii. Must have invested at least Rs. 10,00,000 in the past three years toward its objectives (excluding administrative expenses).
iv. Must submit audited financial statements for the last three years, certified by a chartered accountant.
v. A newly registered entity may apply through the Prior Permission (PP) route by seeking specific approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs for:
A defined activity
A specific purpose
A specified foreign source
i. Must be registered under:
The Companies Act, 2013 (as a Section 8 Company), or
The Societies Registration Act, 1860, or
The Indian Trusts Act, 1882, or any other relevant Act
ii. Must submit a commitment letter from the foreign donor to the Ministry of Home Affairs, clearly stating:
The donation amount
The purpose of the donation
iii. In cases where the foreign donor organization and Indian recipient organization have overlapping members, the following conditions must be met:
The Chief Functionary of the Indian organization cannot be affiliated with the foreign donor organization
Employees or members of the foreign donor organization must not constitute 51% or more of the governing body or office-bearers of the Indian organization
iv. If the foreign donor is an individual:
That individual must not serve as the Chief Functionary of the Indian organization
Members of the governing body or office-bearers of the recipient organization must not include 51% or more of the donor’s family members
The applicant is either Benami or a fake.
The applicant is being prosecuted for engaging in unfair behavior.
The applicant has been found guilty or charged with causing communal conflict, either in a designated district or anywhere in the nation.
The entity has participated in violent actions.
The entity has used foreign contributions for personal purposes, or is an organization prohibited by law from accepting any foreign grants or receipts.
Acceptance of any such foreign grant has a negative impact on:
India’s sovereignty
Public interest
Connection to any state
Opening an FC designated bank account with SBI, Main Branch, New Delhi, is a prerequisite for any organization wishing to register for FCRA.
Organizations may also open:
One “Utilization Account”, and
One “Another FCRA Account”
at any scheduled bank that complies with the PFMS (Public Financial Management System).
FCRA Registration – For businesses that meet the eligibility requirements.
FCRA Prior Permission – For new non-governmental organizations that require specific foreign funding.
By submitting an application, an FCRA registration can be renewed for an additional five years. An entity must submit an application for renewal by the deadlines listed below:
• At least 6 months before the license’s expiration date.
• At least 12 months prior to the registration expiration date, if the organization is working on a multi-year project.
Authorities may give notice to the relevant entity if they believe that a registered entity is not operating in accordance with the law and that its license needs to be revoked. The few factors listed below may be taken into account while terminating the license:
• The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act’s provisions are not followed by the NGO.
• If an annual return is not filed by the entity by the deadline.
• If an investigation is conducted into a claim made against such an organization for operational misconduct and the claim turns out to be accurate.
• The received contribution is not used to accomplish the entity’s primary goal.
Penalty for Accepting Foreign Contribution Without Registration: An organization faces a fine of ₹1,00,000 or 30% of the foreign contribution received, whichever is higher, if it accepts foreign contributions without first obtaining the necessary registration from the Central Government (per Section 11).
Failure to Report Foreign Contribution Receipt on Time: The penalty for not reporting foreign contributions within the allotted time frame (as stated in Sections 3, 11, and 35 of the FCRA Rules, read in connection with Rule 6) is 5% of the total amount of foreign contributions received during a financial year.
Failure to Provide Required Details on Time: Failure to provide required details (under Sections 37, 11, and 17, read with Rule 17A) carries a penalty of ₹10,000 for each instance of delayed reporting.
Failure to Upload Information on the Website: If an organization fails to upload required information on its website (under Sections 37 and 19 of the Act, read with Rule 13), the penalty is ₹10,000 per instance.
Failure to Report Opening of Account(s) on Time: In accordance with Sections 37, 17, and 19 of the Act, as well as Rules 9(1) and 9(2), an organization is subject to a penalty of ₹10,000 per utilization account for failing to notify within the allotted time if they fail to report the opening of a foreign contribution account.
• For FCRA Registration – Rs. 10,000.
• For Prior Permission – Rs. 5,000.
To acquire foreign funding for a particular project from a specific donor, organizations under three years old may apply for FCRA Prior Permission.
Depending on Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) verification and review, the process typically takes three to six months.
The five-year validity of an FCRA registration and must be renewed prior to its expiration.
No, it is against the law to accept foreign donations without FCRA authorization. Failure to do so may result in fines or registration cancellation.
Yes, registration may be canceled by the authorities if:
• Money is misappropriated.
• There are no annual returns filed.
• The group does things that are not in the best interests of the country.
Foreign funds cannot be granted to the NGO unless a renewal request is submitted at least six months prior to the expiration date.
No, only the approved SBI FCRA account may receive foreign donations. Money can be moved to other project-specific accounts, too.
You can check the status of your application by going to the “Status Check” section at https://fcraonline.nic.in.
The application must be completed online by filling Form FC-3A and paying the registration fee via the official website: https://fcraonline.nic.in
FCRA Registration is your gateway to receiving foreign contributions legally and transparently.
Whether you’re running an NGO, trust, or society, this registration empowers you to:
✅ Receive foreign donations lawfully
✅ Build international credibility
✅ Strengthen donor trust
✅ Comply with government regulations
Click here to see how we make FCRA Registration simple, secure, and stress-free.
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