Online FCRA Registration in India

Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, in short, FCRA is the mandatory registration that makes any Trust, NGO or Section 8 Company eligible to get donations from foreign entities. The FCRA registration is done under the FCRA Act 2010. It ensures that foreign donations will be used for social causes. The FCRA registration needs to be done through the FCRA online services portal. By getting the FCRA registration certificate the following things can be done:

Accept and utilize a foreign contribution and foreign hospitality.
Get money from foreign institutes and nationals. The FCRA regulates that foreign donations do not affect the domestic political scene.

These days the world is well-connected and it takes place on a day to day basis between people and country. The inflow and outflow of foreign currency is on a very high level and to regulate this, there is a need for the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010.

The purpose of FCRA Registration for NGOs in India

Advantages of Using FCRA Online Services

An FCRA Online Services is a web portal of the Ministry of Home Affairs. In this portal, you can apply, track your application and can also verify the validity of the FCRA certificate. There are some other advantages of FCRA online services:

1. Get Permission to Receive Foreign Contributions – The organisations have to receive the permission from Ministry of Home Affairs to receive foreign contributions. This license is required for a person or NGO.

2. Submit Annual Return – Every FCRA-NGO has to submit an Annual Return to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) before 31st December online. It is filled to mention the foreign fund received for the previous financial year. If FCRA-NGO does not receive the foreign contribution then filing a NIL return is mandatory.

3. Check Status of FCRA Application – To check the status of the FCRA application, the applicants have the option to check the status on the portal. You can check whether the application got approved or rejected.

4. File Complaint – Individuals and organisations have a right to file a complaint about the malpractices related to FCRA. Different emails are available to file complaints and there’s a complaint box placed near the MHA reception in Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium (MDCNS), Near India Gate, New Delhi.

Types of Foreign Contribution a NGO Can Receive

The following are the ways in which foreign contribution can be receive:

Direct/Indirect Transfer: Any donation or transfer of any articles, currency or foreign security by any person from a foreign source, directly or indirectly, will be termed as a foreign contribution.

Donations: Even donations in Indian rupee currency received from foreign sources, including foreign nationals of Indian origin, are also considered foreign funds.

Second-hand Contribution: Funds transferred by a recipient of foreign contribution to other organization/s within the country will be considered foreign contributions under the FCRA

Foreign Deposit Interest: Interest earned from deposits from foreign contributions is also foreign contributions.

Benefits of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act

The FCRA Act has several benefits for Indian society as well as the Nation. Some of the key benefits of the FCRA includes the following:

1. An FCRA regulates the utilization of foreign contributions from individuals, political parties and organizations ensuring the contributions are not used for any illegal purposes.

2. Mandates that organizations receive foreign funds for proper accounts and records maintenance, thereby promoting transparency as well as accountability in the utilization of foreign funds.

3. Many organizations in India receive foreign funds for social as well as charitable work for providing education, healthcare and relief to the poor and needy. The Authority encourages organizations to continue their work within the legal framework for receiving foreign funds.

4. Foreign Contributions can be sought for supporting development projects such as building schools, hospitals and community centers. The FCRA provides a legal framework to receive such contributions to promote development in the Country.

5. The FCRA comes with its own set of legal frameworks for accepting foreign contributions and strengthening bilateral relationships between India and other Nations. In such cases, the FCRA contributes to increasing cooperation and collaboration on various issues of both countries.

Eligibility Criteria for FCRA Registration in India

The following are the eligibility requirements for getting an online FCRA Online Registration certificate in India:

1. Must be registered under the Section-8 of Companies Act.

2. Trust must be registered under the Indian Trust Act

3. Societies must be registered under the3 Indian Society Registration Act

4. Entity should not be prohibited by the provision of the FCRA

5. Must be operate for 3 years before opting for FCRA registration certificate

6. Foreign contribution should not risk the life or safety of any individual

7. Must have the objective to serve the society by promoting health, education, economic development, promotion of art, sports, etc.

Documents Required for FCRA Registration in India

The following documents provided in the given table, must be upload on the portal of FCRA online services to complete the FCRA registration process:

A copy of the PAN card of the NGO	Certified copy of the Trust Deed or the MOU
Audited Balance Sheet of the past three years	Details pertaining to the current and past management of the Trust
Copy of Board Resolutions passed by the governing body of the NGO	Undertaking copy signed by the chief functionary of the NGO
80G certificate issued by Governmental Authorities	12A certificate issued by Governmental Authorities

Process of FCRA Registration in India

The below mentioned steps are required to complete the FCRA registration process through the portal of FCRA online services:

Step 1	Visit the official FCRA online portal (fcraonline.nic.in)
Step 2	Choose the type of application. For FCRA registration select Form FC - 3A and for FCRA prior permission select Form FC- 3B.
Step 3	After that click on “Apply Online’ option and create a username and password.
Step 4	Now, login into the website by using the credentials. After the successful login a screen will appear by reflecting “I am applying for” from which FCRA registration should be selected.
Step 5	Choose FC-3 Form and fill all the required fields and attach requisite documents.
Step 6	Along with this, these two options must be fulfill by the applicant. Select The Executive Committee option from the menu bar. These particulars should be filled in the Executive Committee form. An applicant can add/delete/edit the details by entering “Add details of Key Functionary”.
Step 7	Next, provide bank details such as bank name, account number, IFSC code and address of the bank.
Step 8	Now upload all the documents in PDF format. Also write a place and date after final submission.
Step 9	Lastly, make the online payment and must note that no changes will be made once the payment gets done.

Note: The FCRA renewal process should be done after 5 years, as per the new FCRA 2010 rules and the FCRA renewal can be done online.

Our Assistance in getting the FCRA Registration in India

Registrationwala, the FCRA registration consultant, offers India's best FCRA online services. We can assist you in the FCRA registration process by providing you with the following services:

Document drafting
Application filing
Processing the application
Completing the FCRA certificate registration

Therefore, get in touch with us if you want the FCRA Registration in minimum time and at minimum FCRA registration fees. You can also check your FCRA online registration status on their official website.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. In which form must we file the application for FCRA registration?

A. Form FC-3

Q2. What are the benefits of NGO FCRA registration?

A. The benefit of FCRA registration is getting legal approval for gaining foreign money and hospitality for the NGO.

Q3. How to check the online FCRA registration status and number?

A. You can visit the official portal of the FCRA to check your application status.

Q4. How to apply for online renewal of FCRA registration?

A. You can apply for renewal only before the FCRA license expiry. The renewal application must be submitted one month before the license expiry.

Q5. What is the validity of the FCRA registration certificate?

A. Five Years

Q6. How to access the FCRA registration checklist?

A. You can visit the official FCRA portal and download the registration checklist. For the documents checklist, you can refer to the documentation section of this page.

Q9. What is an FCRA registration number?

A. It is the certificate number issued to an NGO post its FCRA registration.

Q11. Why is the FCRA registration required?

A. To get funds and donations from a foreign land with legal approval.