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The Daily Insight

Is tax residency certificate mandatory in India?

Author

Mia Ramsey

Published Feb 26, 2026

India has made it mandatory for all foreigners to furnish a tax residency certificate of their home country to claim benefits under the double taxation avoidance agreement. All non residents are entitled to claim benefits under the domestic tax law or the relevant tax treaty to the extent it is more beneficial to them.

What if tax residency certificate is not available?

If the TRC is not produced by the non-resident, he would not be able to apply beneficial provisions of the Treaty, if any and the Indian Company will have to apply the provisions of domestic Income Tax Act on that payment and withhold the tax accordingly.

WHO issues tax residency certificate in India?

the Income Tax Department
In India, the authority for issuing the certificate rests with the Income Tax Department. For understanding the criteria of being a resident in India you can go through the following points. An individual is said to be a resident: If they stay in India for 182 days or more in the previous year.

What is tax residency certificate?

A Tax Residence Certificate (TRC) is needed in order to benefit from the application of double tax treaties and comply with local tax regulations.

Is Form 10F mandatory?

Section 90(5) of the Income Tax Act mandates the requirement of 10F in addition to TRC. Therefore to claim any benefit under DTAA, TRC & 10F are a must along with the No-PE declaration.

Is TRC compulsory?

TRC helps establish which country you are a tax resident of so that the relevant DTAA may be applied to you and you can avail of the benefits stated therein. India has made it mandatory to obtain TRC for a person who wants to avail any DTAA benefits of a treaty that India has entered into with another country.

Why do you need tax residency certificate in India?

The government of India had over the past couple of years made and proposed amendments in the tax law relating to requirement of furnishing tax residency certificates (TRC), so as to be entitled to avail of provisions of applicable double taxation avoidance agreements (treaty) entered into by India.

Do you have to pay tax as a non resident in India?

However non-residents have to pay tax only on the income earned in India or from a source/activity in India. Non-residents are liable to tax on Indian source income, including: Income arises from business connection or property in India.

Which is the form for Certificate of residence in India?

FORM No. 10FA – Application for Certificate of residence for the purposes of an agreement under section 90 and 90A of the Income Tax Act, 1961 FORM No. 10FB – Certificate of residence for the purposes of section 90 and 90A INCOME-TAX (TWELFTH AMENDMENT) RULES, 2012 – INSERTION OF RULE 21AB AND FORM NOs. 10FA & 10FB

How to apply for a tax residency certificate?

( b ) in Appendix-II, after the Form No. 10F, the following Forms shall be inserted, namely: – Application for Certificate of residence for the purposes of an agreement under section 90 and 90A of the Income Tax Act, 1961