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How to open a Zerodha NRI account

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This guide explains how a non-resident Indian (NRI) can open a Zerodha NRI demat and trading account, covering both the Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS) route through an NRE account and the non-PIS route through an NRO account.

Step-by-step procedure

Step 1: Choose PIS or non-PIS route

The first decision is which regulatory route to use for equity trading in India.

NRI MF investor, NRO route

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A non-resident Indian (NRI) investing in mutual funds through the NRO route uses a Non-Resident Ordinary rupee bank account as the source and destination of investment funds. The NRO route is distinct from the NRE route in that redemption proceeds and dividends are subject to limited repatriation and attract higher withholding tax rates. Understanding the NRO route is essential for NRIs who have legacy Indian income (rent, pension, interest) or who receive funds from within India that cannot be credited to a Non-Resident External (NRE) account.

Non-Resident Indian (NRI)

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A Non-Resident Indian (NRI) is an Indian citizen who is resident outside India as defined under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA). In the context of Indian capital markets, NRI status determines the accounts through which an investor may hold rupee funds and securities in India, the regulatory permissions required to invest in equity, and the repatriation rights on investment proceeds. NRIs occupy a distinctive position in the investor-category framework of the Indian primary market: they are eligible to subscribe to Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) but are subject to exchange-control conditions that differ materially from those applicable to resident Indian investors, including restrictions on the use of UPI ASBA and conditions tied to whether the investment is made on a repatriation or non-repatriation basis.

Zerodha NRI account (non-PIS)

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Zerodha NRI account (non-PIS) is a trading and demat account offered by Zerodha to non-resident Indians (NRIs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders who wish to invest in Indian financial markets without obtaining Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS) permission from the Reserve Bank of India. The non-PIS route is governed by the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) and the FEMA (Transfer or Issue of Security by a Person Resident Outside India) Regulations, 2017, which distinguish between exchange-traded equity (requiring PIS) and instruments that NRIs may hold without PIS permission.

Zerodha NRI account (PIS)

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Zerodha NRI account (PIS) is a trading and demat account offered by Zerodha to non-resident Indians (NRIs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders who wish to invest in Indian equity markets through the Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS). The PIS is a channel authorised by the Reserve Bank of India under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA), specifically under the FEMA (Transfer or Issue of Security by a Person Resident Outside India) Regulations, 2017 (as notified through various RBI master directions). Investments made through the PIS route from a Non-Resident External (NRE) bank account are fully repatriable, while those from a Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) account are repatriable within RBI-prescribed limits.