Study abroad turns into stash cash abroad; RBI takes note
The «misuse» of a 20-year-old foreign exchange rule, originally intended to make life easier for young Indians attending foreign universities, is believed to have drawn the attention of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), sources told ET.
In 2003, the central bank allowed students going abroad to study to be treated as 'non-resident Indians' (NRIs). The regulation was issued to primarily help students who take up jobs in a foreign land to supplement their income. Until then, they were considered 'residents'. Since 'residents' are required under the law to send their foreign earnings back home, the rule was meant to shield working students from unwittingly breaching the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) which was enforced in 2000.
However, over time several wealthy Indian families discovered that their children's NRI tag can be a convenient gateway to transfer large amounts of funds abroad-something that the 'resident' parents are disallowed under the law.
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Higher Remittance Headroom
«Once a person is treated as a non-resident under FEMA, he is entitled to freely repatriate all current income in India and all capital sums up to $1 million every financial year from his NRO bank account… compared to a resident who can remit only $250,000. If RBI is considering reviewing this circular, it may be worthwhile for the regulator to draw a distinction for those students who go for long-duration courses, say, more than 4 years. Such persons could continue to
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