New to Bangalore · Banking Guide
Banking in India
Opening a local account is one of the first practical steps to settling in — including the bits that work differently here.
A local bank account is what lets you receive a salary, pay rent, set up utilities and — increasingly — pay for almost everything day to day through India's tap-and-go payment apps. The process is straightforward once you have the right paperwork, but a few things work differently than they might back home, particularly for an accompanying spouse and around joint accounts.
Documents at a glance
A quick reference — full details are in the sections below.
Primary account holder
- Passport with valid visa, plus copies
- FRRO Registration Certificate / Residential Permit
- PAN card (or proof you've applied)
- Proof of local address
- Passport-sized photographs
- Employment contract or employer letter
Accompanying spouse
- Own FRRO registration
- Own PAN card (Form 49AA — no local income needed)
- Address proof — ideally in both names
- Passport, visa copies & photographs
- For a joint account: ask for "Either or Survivor"
First things first: the order of play
Three things need to fall into place before a bank will open an account, and they follow a natural order:
- Register with the FRRO. If your visa is valid for more than 180 days, register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office within 14 days of arrival. This gives you a Residential Permit, which banks treat as key proof of your status and address.
- Get a PAN card. The Permanent Account Number is India's tax ID and is essential for opening an account. Foreign nationals apply on Form 49AA; if you're employed, your company usually arranges this.
- Get a local mobile number. An Indian SIM in your name is needed for the one-time passwords that run banking and the payment apps you'll use daily. Sort this early — it makes everything else smoother.
The FRRO certificate is the linchpin — it underpins both your PAN application and your bank account. Register within 14 days of arrival and everything else becomes far easier. Our FRRO guide walks through the whole process.
Choosing a bank
Indian banks with strong digital and English service: HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra and State Bank of India (SBI) all have wide branch networks, good apps and English-speaking staff. HDFC and ICICI are especially popular with newcomers.
International banks: HSBC, Standard Chartered and Deutsche Bank still operate here and can be reassuring if you already bank with them.
Citibank no longer offers everyday retail banking in India — Axis Bank took over its India consumer business in 2023 — so the old advice to "bank with Citi" no longer applies.
Which type of account?
If you're living and working here on a long-term employment visa, you're generally treated as a resident for banking and will open an ordinary Resident Savings Account — the same product locals use, and what your employer sets up for your salary. You may also hear about NRE and NRO accounts, but those are designed mainly for Non-Resident Indians living abroad and usually aren't the right fit for a foreign national physically living in Bangalore.
A note for accompanying spouses
This is where many families hit friction. The working partner usually gets banked quickly through their employer. The accompanying spouse — typically on a dependent or "X" visa, and often without local income — can find it harder to open an account in their own name, because banks lean on income and employment in their checks. A few things make it much smoother:
- Sort the spouse's own paperwork too. They also register with the FRRO and can get their own PAN on Form 49AA — you don't need local income to hold a PAN.
- Fix the address-proof gap early. Leases and bills are often only in the working partner's name; where you can, put the rental agreement in both names, or ask the employer for a letter covering both spouses.
- Consider a joint account so the spouse has full access, their own debit card and app login — but read the next section first.
Joint accounts work differently here
Joint accounts do exist in India, but you can't assume the default "we both just share it equally" arrangement common back home. You must choose a mode of operation that governs who can actually operate the account:
Either or Survivor
Either holder can operate the account independently; if one passes away, the other keeps it. Closest to what most expat couples expect.
Former or Survivor
Only the primary holder can operate it while alive; the second holder gains access only afterwards. More restrictive.
Jointly
Every transaction needs all holders' signatures. Secure, but impractical for everyday spending.
Ask explicitly for "Either or Survivor" and confirm the spouse will get their own debit card and mobile-banking login — don't assume it.
A salary account is usually opened as a single account in the employee's name and can't always be converted. It's often cleaner to open a separate joint household account alongside it.
The process
- Complete the application at the branch — many banks offer online pre-registration to speed things up.
- Submit your documents for verification — originals plus copies.
- Complete KYC ("know your customer") checks, including in-person or video verification.
- Receive your kit — once approved, you'll get a cheque book, debit card and online/mobile banking access.
Going digital: UPI and everyday payments
Once your account is live, link it to UPI (Unified Payments Interface) through an app like Google Pay, PhonePe or your bank's own app. UPI is how India pays — from supermarkets to street vendors to your maid or driver — by scanning a QR code or sending to a phone number, instantly and free.
UPI needs an Indian bank account and mobile number — another reason to get that SIM early. For many newcomers, it quickly becomes more useful day to day than cash or cards.
Banking and visa rules in India change from time to time, and requirements differ between banks and FRRO offices. Treat this as a friendly starting point rather than formal financial or legal advice, and confirm current details with your chosen bank and the FRRO. Fellow ICB members are also a great source of up-to-date, on-the-ground tips.