FCRA Registration the licence to receive foreign contribution lawfully.

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA) is the central legislation that regulates the acceptance and utilisation of foreign contribution by individuals, associations, and companies in India. Foreign contribution is broadly defined to include any donation, delivery, or transfer made by a foreign source — whether by way of money, security, or article — for a definite cultural, economic, educational, religious, or social programme. FCRA is administered by the Foreigners Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs and is the single most important regulatory framework for NGOs receiving foreign funds.

FCRA permission is available in two routes. The first is FCRA Registration under Section 11 of the Act, which is granted to organisations that have been in existence for at least three years, have spent at least Rs 15 lakh on their core activities in the preceding three years, and meet stringent character and governance criteria. The second is FCRA Prior Permission under Section 11(2), which is granted on a project-specific basis to organisations not yet eligible for full registration, allowing receipt of a specific foreign contribution from a specific source for a specific purpose. Both require a designated FCRA bank account at the State Bank of India, New Delhi Main Branch.

Our FCRA practice supports NGOs through every stage of the FCRA lifecycle — pre-registration eligibility advisory, drafting and filing of FCRA Registration or Prior Permission applications, support during scrutiny and clarification queries by the MHA, FCRA bank account setup at SBI New Delhi, annual FCRA return (FC-4) filing, FCRA renewal every five years, and FCRA compliance audit. We also handle compliance with the 2020 amendments — the 20 percent administrative expense cap, prohibition on transfer to other FCRA-registered entities, and Aadhaar requirements for office-bearers.