FEMA / FCRA / PMLA / Forex Law & Compliance Consultant - Ozg Lawyers

08/06/2026

OZG Digital offers specialized FCRA compliance solutions, facilitating CRYPTOCURRENCY DONATIONS for Indian NGOs under the FCRA Amendment Act, 2026!

📞 Contact OZG Digital Helpdesk:
🪀 WhatsApp: +91-9811415837
✉️ OZG Email: [email protected]

12/02/2026

05/09/2025

FCRA Bank Account Opening Process

1) Get the Account Opening Form (AOF) -

Download the AOF from the SBI website or collect it from any convenient SBI branch.

Fill the form and attach all mandatory KYC documents for signatories and controllers/beneficial owners as per RBI guidelines.

Submit at Any SBI Branch

Submit the completed application and documents at any SBI branch (not mandatory to visit NDMB, New Delhi).

Receive an acknowledgement from the branch.

Verification and Forwarding

The receiving SBI branch scrutinizes and verifies the documents, then emails the scanned documents to SBI NDMB within 3 working days.

2) Processing at the SBI NDMB -

SBI NDMB acknowledges receipt by email within 1 working day.

Within the next 3 working days, NDMB processes the application and opens the designated FCRA account. Details are sent by SMS and email to the registered contacts.

3) Activation (Post MHA FCRA Approval)

NDMB activates the account for foreign remittance after confirmation of FCRA registration or prior permission by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

4) Checklist - Required Documents

Filled Account Opening Form.

KYC of signatories and beneficial owners (as per RBI norms).

Board Resolution copy.

PAN or Form 60, recent photograph of signatories, proof of address.

5) 100% FREE Guidance:

The OZG has been offering compliance filings and advisory for FCRA for the last 20 years. It has comprehensive services for registration, renewal, maintenance of accounts, and compliance with FCRA and related regulations like FEMA.

Email ✉️ [email protected]
WhatsApp 🪀 9811415831

28/11/2024

👁️‍🗨️ *Section (4) (f) of the FCRA, 2010*

Email ✉️ ask@fcra .in
Chat 🪀 9811415837

The acceptance of foreign contribution by the person referred to in sub-section (1) is not likely to affect prejudicially —

📌 (i) the sovereignty and integrity of India;

📌 (ii) the security, strategic, scientific or economic interest of the State;

📌 (iii) the public interest;

📌 (iv) freedom or fairness of election to any Legislature;

📌 (v) friendly relation with any foreign State;

📌 (vi) harmony between religious, racial, social, linguistic, regional groups, castes or communities.

FCRA Compliance
OZG Legal Services
Email ✉️ ask@fcra .in
Chat 🪀 9811415837

11/09/2024

*WHAT ARE FOREIGN CONTRIBUTIONS?*

Go to 👁️‍🗨️ FCRA.ozg .in
Chat 🪀 9811415831

In reference to *Section 2(1)(h) in The Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010*

2(1)(h) “foreign contribution” means the donation, delivery or transfer made by any foreign source —

🔖 (i) of any article, not being an article given to a person as a gift for his personal use, if the market value, in India, of such article, on the date of such gift, is not more than such sum as may be specified from time to time, by the Central Government by the rules made by it in this behalf;

🔖 (ii) of any currency, whether Indian or foreign;

🔖 (iii) of any security as defined in clause (h) of section 2 of the Securities Contracts Regulation Act, 1956 and includes any foreign security as defined in clause (o) of section 2 of` the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999.

*FCRA Compliance*
Filing & Consultation
Email ✉️ ask@fcra .in
WhatsApp 🪀 9811415831

19/08/2024

The offence of Money Laundering generally involves the following three stages namely placement, layering and integration.

1. 📌 Placement: The Money Launderer, who is holding the money generated from criminal activities, load the illegal funds into the financial systems. This might be done by breaking up large amount of money into smaller sums which are deposited directly into a Bank Account or by purchasing a series of financial products.

2. 📌 Layering: In this stage, the Money Launderer typically engages in a series of continuous conversions or movements of funds, within the financial or banking system by way of numerous accounts, so as to hide their true origin and to distance them from their criminal source. The Money Launderer may use various channels for movement of funds, like a series of Bank Accounts, sometimes spread across the globe, especially in those jurisdictions which do not cooperate in anti-money laundering investigations.

3. 📌 Integration: Having successfully processed through the first two stages of Money Laundering, the Launderer then moves to this third stage in which the funds reach the legitimate economy, after getting inseparably mixed with the legitimate money earned through legal sources of income. The Money Launderer might then choose to invest the funds into real estate, business ventures & luxury assets, etc. so that he can enjoy the laundered money, without any fear of law enforcement agencies. The supporting case documents get you a better strength than anything else. You may consider taking the services of Ozg Legal for the same.

*Punishment for Money Laundering* -

1. 📌 Attachment of property under Section 5 of PMLA, 2002, seizure or freezing of property and records under Section 17 or Section 18 of PMLA, 2002. It is also applied on assets of any kind used in the commission of an offence under PMLA, 2002 or any of the scheduled offences.

2. 📌 Persons found guilty of an offence of Money Laundering are punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 3 years but may extend up to 7 years and shall also be liable to fine under Section 4 of PMLA, 2002.

3. 📌 When the scheduled offence committed is under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS), 1985 the punishment shall be imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 3 years but which may extend up to 10 years and shall also be liable to fine.

4. 📌 The prosecution or conviction of any legal juridical person is not contingent on the prosecution or conviction of any individual.

To get consultation on your case, please schedule a tele-appointment with an OZGIAN at the link below or write to: [email protected]

Ozg Lawyers: AML Advisory
📲 https://moneylaundering.ozg .in

*The role of Enforcement Directorate (ED)*

The ED has got following power -

1. 🔖 To provisionally attach any property derived or obtained, directly or indirectly, by any person as a result of criminal activity relating to a scheduled offence or the value of any such property under Section 5 of PMLA Act, 2002;

2. 🔖 To conduct survey of a place under Section 16 of PMLA Act, 2002;

3. 🔖 To conduct search of building, place, vessel, vehicle or aircraft & seize/freeze records & property under Section 17 of PMLA Act, 2002;

4. 🔖 To conduct personal search under Section 18 of PMLA Act, 2002;

5. 🔖 To arrest persons accused of committing the offence of Money Laundering under Section 19 of PMLA Act, 2002;

6. 🔖 To summon and record the statements of persons concerned under Section 50 of PMLA Act, 2002.

Before appearing on summons at Enforcement Directorate and recording your statements, please make sure you've consulted with an OZGIAN. For FEMA related matters, please write an email to: ask@fema .in

*Time limit of Seizure* -

📌 The property & record may, if seized be retained or if frozen may continue to remain frozen for a period not exceeding 180 days from the day on which such property or record were seized or frozen, unless the Adjudicating Authority permits retention of such record or property beyond the period of 180 days as per sections 20 & 21 of PMLA, 2002.

*Arrest* -

📌 The Authorized Officer making arrest shall, as soon as may be, inform the arrestee of the grounds for such arrest.

📌 Every person so arrested shall, within twenty four hours, be taken to a Judicial Magistrate or a Metropolitan Magistrate, as the case may be, having jurisdiction as per section 19 of PMLA, 2002.

📌 To get consultation on your case, please schedule a tele-appointment with an OZGIAN at the link below or write to: [email protected]

*OZG LAWYERS: AML ADVISORY*
📲 https://moneylaundering.ozg .in

02/08/2024

FCRA administrative expenses?

Go to 👁️‍🗨️ FCRAonline.in

Rule #5 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rules, 2011 lays down a broad definition for administrative expenses.

The following shall constitute administrative expenses:-

📌 (i) salaries, wages, travel expenses or any remuneration realised by the Members of the Executive Committee or Governing Council of the person;

📌 (ii) all expenses towards hiring of personnel for management of the activities of the person and salaries, wages or any kind of remuneration paid, including cost of travel, to such personnel;

📌 (iii) all expenses related to consumables like electricity and water charges, telephone charges, postal charges, repairs to premise(s) from where the organisation or Association is functioning, stationery and printing charges, transport and travel charges by the Members of the Executive Committee or Governing Council and expenditure on office equipment;

📌 (iv) cost of accounting for and administering funds;

📌 (v) expenses towards running and maintenance of vehicles;

📌 (vi) cost of writing and filing reports;

📌 (vii) legal and professional charges; and

📌 (viii) rent of premises, repairs to premises and expenses on other utilities:

Provided that the expenditure incurred on salaries or remuneration of personnel engaged in training or for collection or analysis of field data of an association primarily engaged in research or training shall not be counted towards administrative expenses: Provided further that the expenses incurred directly in furtherance of the stated objectives of the welfare oriented organisation shall be excluded from the administrative expenses such as salaries to doctors of hospital, salaries to teachers of school etc.

🔊 If you need a case-specific consultation on the FCRA administrative expenses, please feel free to write an email to: ask@fcra .in

WhatsApp📱9811415837
OZG Email ✉️ ask@fcra .in

WhatsApp Chat ☎️ WA.me/919811415837

--~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~----

08/07/2024

The Karnataka High Court annulled the MHA's order to cancel the registration of Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS) under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010.

*The FCRA (2010) under subsection 14(2) allows for the cancellation of registration, and subsection 14(3) prevents the NGO from re-registering under FCRA for three years.*

The Karnataka High Court said in order passed on 25 June 2024 -

"The words depicted in the Act ‘reasonable opportunity of being heard’ cannot be restricted to issuance of a show cause notice but a personal hearing in the peculiar facts of the case owing to the peculiarity of sub-section (3) of Section 14 of the Act must have been afforded to the petitioner."

*OZG FCRA Advisory* 📬 ask@fcra .in

Go to 📲 FCRA.ozg .in

Advocates 🕹️ OZGiAN.com

Contact us for more info:

WhatsApp Chat ☎️ WA.me/919811415837

--~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~----

Pay your OZGiAN Fee ₹192/year 🏠 Pay ➡ ozg@upi

13/06/2024

*FAQ - Filing of FCRA Annual Returns*

🔖 1. Is online filing of annual returns mandatory?

Yes, Annual returns are to be filed online at FCRA online portal. No hard copy of the returns will be accepted by the Wing of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

🔖 2. What is the last date for online filing of returns?

The return is to be filed online for every financial year (1st April to 31st March) within a period of nine months from the closure of the year i.e. by 31st December each year.

🔖 3. What is the procedure for filing Annual Returns?

The Annual return is to be submitted online at FCRA online portal in prescribed Form FC-4, duly accompanied by balance sheet and statement of receipt and payment, which is certified by a Chartered Accountant. Submission of a ‘NIL’ return, even if there is no receipt/utilization of foreign contribution during the year, is also mandatory.

🔖 4. For how many years an association which has been granted prior permission to receive foreign contribution should file the mandatory annual return?

The association should file the mandatory annual return on a yearly basis, till the amount of foreign contribution is fully utilized. Even if no transaction takes place during a year, a NIL return should be submitted.

🔖 5. What are the consequences of not filling the annual returns on time?

An association not filing annual return on time may face the following consequences:

(1) Penalty for late submission of FCRA return.
(2) Cancellation of FCRA registration.
(3) Prosecution for violation of provisions of FCRA, 2010.

OZG Law Group
Email 📬 ask@fcra .in
📱WA.ME/919811415837