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PAN Card for Foreign Nationals & Businesses in India 2026

You don't need to be Indian or even of Indian origin to need an Indian PAN card. If your company has Indian operations, if you're investing in Indian securities or real estate, or if you earn income from Indian sources — a PAN card is required. Here's everything non-Indian applicants need to know.

Updated March 2026 · Form 49AA · Foreign nationals & entities

Who This Applies To

This guide is written specifically for people and organisations who are not of Indian origin and are not Indian citizens — but who have financial, investment, or business connections to India. That includes:

If you are an NRI (Non-Resident Indian — someone of Indian origin or citizenship living abroad), this guide has some relevant information, but you should also consult our main step-by-step NRI PAN guide and our NRI documents guide.

Key distinction Foreign nationals and entities use Form 49AA — not Form 49A, which is for Indian citizens and PIOs. Using the wrong form is a common error that causes rejections. See our Form 49A vs 49AA comparison guide for full details.

Why Foreign Individuals Need an Indian PAN Card

India's income tax infrastructure routes almost every significant financial transaction through PAN. For foreign individuals with Indian financial interests, the requirement arises in several situations:

Investing in Indian Securities or Real Estate

Foreign nationals who wish to purchase Indian listed equities, bonds, mutual funds, or real estate must have a PAN card. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) require PAN for all investment account (demat account) openings, and property registration in India requires PAN for both buyer and seller above certain transaction values.

Earning Income from Indian Sources

If you receive any income that originates in India — consulting fees from an Indian company, royalties on intellectual property licensed to an Indian entity, rental income from Indian property, or dividends from Indian shares — that income is subject to Indian withholding tax (TDS). Without a PAN, the withholding rate is the maximum applicable rate. With a PAN and a valid tax treaty claim, you may be eligible for a significantly lower rate.

Tax Treaty Benefits Require PAN

India has Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs) with over 90 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Australia, Singapore, and UAE. To claim reduced withholding tax rates under these treaties, you must furnish a PAN. Without it, your Indian payer is legally required to deduct at the higher domestic rate, and reclaiming the excess requires filing an Indian tax return — a much more involved process.

Starting a Joint Venture or Indian Subsidiary

Foreign individuals who are directors of, or significant shareholders in, Indian companies must provide PAN during company incorporation and annual filings with the Registrar of Companies (RoC). Many foreign nationals are surprised to discover this requirement only after incorporation is underway.

Opening an Indian Bank Account

Non-resident external (NRE) and foreign currency non-resident (FCNR) accounts require PAN for foreign-origin individuals with Indian income connections. Indian banks operating KYC under PMLA regulations require PAN for accounts above minimum balance thresholds.

Ready to Apply? Foreign citizens and OCI/PIO holders can begin a PAN card application directly with PAN Card Express — serving applicants from 100+ countries with English-language support throughout. Start OCI / Foreign Citizen PAN Application →

Why Foreign Companies Need an Indian PAN Card

Foreign entities — incorporated outside India — face their own set of PAN requirements when they engage with India commercially:

Indian Subsidiary KYC Requirements

A foreign parent company must furnish its own PAN (obtained via Form 49AA) when its Indian subsidiary conducts related-party transactions above FEMA thresholds, when transferring dividends or profits offshore, and in many regulatory filings with RBI under the Foreign Exchange Management Act.

TDS Compliance When Receiving Indian Payments

Indian entities paying foreign companies are required to deduct TDS on many categories of payment — technical services fees, royalties, software licensing, management fees. Without the foreign company's PAN, the deducting entity faces complications, and the foreign company cannot credit the TDS against its Indian tax liability or claim a refund.

Filing Indian Tax Returns

Foreign companies with a Permanent Establishment (PE) in India, or those deemed to have a "business connection" in India under Indian tax law, may have Indian tax filing obligations. PAN is mandatory for all Indian income tax return filers.

Invoicing Indian Clients

Under India's GST regime and TDS rules, foreign companies providing B2B services to Indian clients increasingly need to participate in India's tax infrastructure. PAN underpins much of this compliance chain.

Company Applications Foreign companies and entities requiring an Indian PAN card can apply through PAN Card Express. The service handles the full application process including document review and liaison with Indian tax authorities. Apply for Company PAN Card →

Form 49AA: The Form for Foreign Applicants

Form 49AA is the designated application form for individuals who are not Indian citizens and for entities incorporated outside India. It differs from the standard Form 49A in several important ways:

Required fields specific to Form 49AA Unlike Form 49A, Form 49AA requires: (1) Passport number and country of issue, (2) Country of citizenship, (3) Overseas residential address — an Indian address is not required, (4) Tax identification number from your home country (e.g. SSN for US citizens, UTR for UK nationals), (5) Visa type and number if residing in India, (6) For companies: country of incorporation, registration number in home country, and name of authorised representative with their own identity proof.

The form is submitted to Protean eGov Technologies (formerly NSDL) or UTI Infrastructure Technology and Services (UTIITSL), India's two authorised PAN-issuing agencies. Foreign applicants must submit physical applications — the instant e-KYC process (which would theoretically issue a PAN in minutes) is only available for Indian residents with Aadhaar biometric authentication. PAN Card Express handles Form 49AA submissions on behalf of foreign nationals, managing the entire process so applicants never need to navigate Indian government portals directly.

Document Requirements for Foreign Applicants

The documentary requirements for foreign nationals are distinct from those for Indian citizens or NRIs:

Identity Proof Valid foreign passport (all pages with stamps, ideally). This is the primary identity document for foreign nationals.
Address Proof Overseas bank statement (last 3 months), utility bill, or bank certificate from a recognised bank in your country of residence. Must show full name and address.
Date of Birth Proof Passport typically suffices. Alternatively: birth certificate, driving licence, or other government-issued document with date of birth.
For Companies Certificate of incorporation (country of origin), memorandum and articles of association, proof of registered office address, resolution authorising the application.

Apostille and Embassy Attestation

This is where many foreign applicants encounter their first major hurdle. India requires that identity and address documents submitted by foreign nationals be attested or apostilled:

Important Documents in a language other than English must be accompanied by a certified English translation. The translation itself may need to be apostilled or attested depending on who produced it.

The Bureaucratic Challenge for Foreign Applicants

Applying for an Indian PAN card is already a complex process for NRIs who are familiar with India and may have relatives who can help with logistics. For foreign nationals with no Indian background whatsoever, the challenges are considerably greater:

PAN Card Express for Foreign Applicants

For foreign nationals and companies navigating this process, PAN Card Express is the service we recommend. Their key capabilities for non-Indian applicants include:

Our recommendation

PAN Card Express — for foreign nationals & companies

Handles the entire Form 49AA process including apostille guidance, AO code determination, and Indian liaison. No need to navigate government portals yourself.

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Real-World Use Case Scenarios

To make this concrete, here are three typical scenarios we see among foreign nationals seeking Indian PAN cards:

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American Tech Entrepreneur Setting Up India Operations

A San Francisco-based software founder wants to open an Indian subsidiary to hire engineers in Bengaluru. As a director of the Indian entity, he needs his own PAN card before the company can be incorporated. He applies via Form 49AA using his US passport and Social Security Number. PAN Card Express handles the apostille process and Indian filings. PAN arrives within 3 weeks.

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British Property Investor Buying in Mumbai

A London-based property investor wants to purchase a residential flat in Mumbai as a long-term investment. Foreign nationals can purchase residential property in India under certain conditions. The property registration process requires PAN for the transaction. She applies via 49AA using her British passport, UK bank statements, and apostilled documents. She also needs PAN to repatriate rental income without full withholding.

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Singapore Fund Investing in Indian Equities

A Singapore-registered fund has been approved by SEBI as a Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI). As part of the FPI registration and ongoing compliance, the entity needs its own PAN. The fund's legal team applies via Form 49AA. They also need PAN to claim the benefits of the India-Singapore DTAA on dividend income, reducing withholding from 20% to 15%.

Timeline and What to Expect

Processing times for foreign national PAN applications via Form 49AA are typically:

Using a service like PAN Card Express typically compresses the overall timeline by reducing the chance of rejection and handling queries quickly through their Indian representatives.

Summary: What Foreign Nationals and Companies Need to Do

  1. Determine whether you need Form 49AA (you do, if you are not an Indian citizen or PIO)
  2. Gather your passport, overseas address proof, and tax identification number from your home country
  3. Get documents apostilled or embassy-attested as applicable
  4. Determine the correct AO code for your application (or use a service that does this for you)
  5. Submit Form 49AA with all supporting documents via an authorised service such as PAN Card Express
  6. Track application status and respond to any queries promptly
Further reading See our full fee guide for 2026, our complete documents guide, and our FAQ page for more detail on every stage of the process.
Corrections & Updates Foreign nationals with an existing Indian PAN card who need to update details, correct errors, or request a duplicate can also apply through PAN Card Express. Request PAN Card Correction or Reprint →
Company PAN Updates Foreign businesses needing to update or correct existing Indian PAN card details — including address changes, signatory updates, or other corrections — can initiate changes through PAN Card Express. Update Company PAN Details →