Form 29 explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Everything on this form changes how, or whether, the foreign entity can be reached in India.
The four situations
The form is required to be filed for the following purposes:
- Alteration in the certificate of incorporation or registration of limited liability partnership incorporated or registered outside India;
- Alteration in the name or address of any of the persons authorized to accept service on behalf of a foreign limited liability partnership in India; or
- Alteration in the principal place of business of foreign limited liability partnership in India,
- Cessation to have a place of business in India.
Rule 34(3)(ii) requires the foreign LLP to file in Form 29 such alterations with the Registrar within thirty days from the date on which the alteration was made or occurred, and rule 34(8) provides that if any foreign limited liability partnership ceases to have a place of business in India, it shall give notice accordingly.
At first reading these look unrelated — a foreign certificate, some names and addresses, an Indian office, and a departure. They share one property: each changes how the entity can be reached or identified in India.
The certificate of incorporation is the entity's identity. If it is altered abroad — a change of name or of legal form — everything filed in India refers to an entity that no longer answers that description.
The persons authorised to accept service are the mechanism of reachability. Form 27 required two or more persons resident in India for exactly this purpose; if their names or addresses change and nobody says so, service can be attempted on people who are no longer there, and the entity may be treated as served when it has not been.
The principal place of business in India is the address on the register. A departed occupier at a stale address defeats correspondence, inspection and notice.
Cessation is the final case — the entity is no longer here at all, and the register should say so rather than continuing to show an Indian presence.
That common thread explains the thirty-day deadline, against sixty days from the year end for the Form 28 matters. Third parties in India rely on this information, and each of these changes makes it wrong immediately.
For a counterparty dealing with a foreign LLP, the practical point is the reverse: check the currency of the authorised persons and the principal place of business before serving anything, because the register is only as good as the last Form 29.
The two rules
| Rule | Situation | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| 34(3)(ii) | Alteration in the certificate of incorporation; in the persons authorised to accept service in India; in the principal place of business in India | 30 days from the date on which the alteration was made or occurred |
| 34(8) | Cessation to have a place of business in India | Notice to be given accordingly |
The foreign LLP sequence
- Form 25 — reserve the existing foreign name, for three years, renewable.
- Form 27 — register particulars within 30 days of establishing a place of business in India, with RBI approval and two resident agents for service.
- Form 8 — annual Statement of Account and Solvency, at Rs. 1,000, signed by authorised representatives.
- Form 28 — alterations abroad, within 60 days of the close of the financial year.
- Form 29 — alterations affecting India, within 30 days; and cessation of the Indian place of business.
Practical discipline
The person most likely to know that an authorised agent has moved or resigned is the agent themselves, not the head office abroad. A foreign LLP should therefore build the notification into its arrangements with its Indian representatives rather than relying on the annual review that governs Form 28.
On cessation, the notice matters for the entity's own protection. An Indian presence that remains on the register after the business has closed continues to carry filing obligations and continues to be an address at which the entity can be served.
Common mistakes
- Reporting a change of authorised agent in the annual Form 28 instead of within thirty days.
- Leaving a stale Indian address on the register after a move.
- Closing the Indian operation without giving notice of cessation.
- Assuming a change to the foreign certificate has no Indian filing consequence.
Key Facts About Form 29
- Applies in: All states across India, under the relevant central law.
- Mode: Mostly online via the official government portal.
- Typical timeline: Ranges from a few days to a few weeks depending on the case.
- Non-compliance: May attract penalties, interest or late fees.
- Expert help: TaxClue completes the entire process end to end for you.
What is Form 29 for?
Alteration in the certificate of incorporation or registration of an LLP incorporated or registered outside India; alteration in the name or address of any of the persons authorised to accept service on behalf of a foreign LLP in India; alteration in the principal place of business of a foreign LLP in India; and cessation to have a place of business in India.
What is the deadline?
Rule 34(3)(ii) requires the foreign LLP to file such alterations in Form 29 with the Registrar within thirty days from the date on which the alteration was made or occurred.
Over 90% of compliance penalties in India arise from missed due dates — timely handling can save businesses thousands of rupees each year.
Form 29: a key compliance topic in Indian tax and corporate law that businesses and individuals must understand to remain compliant.