Can NRIs open a joint demat account?

Yes, NRIs can open a joint demat account if the NRI is the primary holder of the PIS or Non-PIS account and the Zerodha account. A resident individual can only be a joint account holder in an NRI joint account. To learn how to open an account as an NRI, see What documents are required to open a Zerodha account as an NRI?

If the second holder is an NRI, the documents required will vary based on the KYC status. If the KYC status of the NRI is not known, create a ticket by mentioning the PAN and date of birth of the NRI to know the KYC status.

If the KYC status of the NRI second holder is registered as Non-resident, the following documents are to be submitted:

Application form

KYC application form (PDF).

FATCA Declaration

Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) declaration (PDF). Tax Identification Number (TIN) must be filled in the FATCA declaration. The common TINs are as follows:

• USA: SSN, EIN or ITIN
• Canada: SIN
• UK: UTR or NINO
• Singapore: NRIC or FIN
• Australia: TFN

TINs for other countries can be found by visiting oecd.org/tax/automatic-exchange/crs-implementation-and-assistance/tax-identification-numbers/.

P.O. Box Declaration

Declaration of P.O. box of your country of residence (PDF).

FEMA Declaration

Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) declaration form (PDF).

Supporting Documents

• Passport-size photographs to affix on the KYC application form.
• Self-attested and notarised copy of the passport:
• In case of an Indian passport, a copy of the valid passport with the place of birth as India and a copy of the valid visa.
• In case of a foreign passport, a copy of the valid passport and a copy of the PIO or OCI card.
• Self-attested copy of the PAN card.
• Self-attested and notarised copy of the overseas address proof. The address proof can be any one of the following: Driving licence, Foreign passport, Utility bills, Banker letter attested by the bank (PDF), Rental agreement or lease or sale deed. Mariner’s declaration or certified copy of Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC) in case of Merchant Navy NRIs.
  

If the KYC status of the NRI second holder is Not-registered or registered as a Resident, a new KYC is to be done, and the above-mentioned documents need to be notarised.  The attesting authority should affix a verified with original stamp, name, designation, authority or employee code, signature and date on the said documents.

Did you know? The documents can be notarised by the Indian embassy or any other competent authority such as authorised officials of overseas branches of scheduled commercial banks registered in India (WEB) , public notaries, court magistrates, judges, or the Indian embassy (WEB) or consulate general in the country that they reside in the country where the NRI resides.

In-person Verification (IPV)

As part of the mandatory In-Person Verification (IPV) requirement for all brokers, a webcam or physical verification is required for NRI joint accounts, the joint account holders should complete the IPV. See What is In-Person Verification (IPV), and why is it required?

Need help ? Call on 080 4680 5727 or create a ticket.

Once all the documents are ready, e-mail the soft copy of all the forms to [email protected]. The forms will be reviewed in case any corrections are required. After the forms are reviewed, courier the documents along with a cheque in favour of Zerodha Broking Limited for the following amount:

• ₹500 towards Equity trading account opening charges.

Courier all the documents to:

Zerodha Customer Support Centre,
680, Fortuna 1, 15th Cross Road,
8th Main Road, 2nd Phase, J. P. Nagar,
Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560078

It can take up to 72 working hours for the account to be opened once the documents are received.

Did you know? NRI clients living in blacklisted countries as per the FATF list cannot open an account with Zerodha. NRI clients living in greylisted countries can open an account only after Zerodha's compliance team approval. To learn more about the FATF list, visit fatf-gafi.org/en/countries/black-and-grey-lists.html