Apply for FCRA Registration 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.
An application for a certificate of registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 is made in electronic form, in Form FC-3A, with an affidavit from each key functionary in Proforma 'AA'. The applicant must already have an FCRA Account, must meet a test of three years' existence and rupees fifteen lakh of spending (unless waived), and pays a fee of rupees ten thousand, with a small add-on for more than one purpose or State. This article sets out what the Act, rule 9 and the Form print.
It is written as per the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 read with the Amendment Act, 2020, and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rules, 2011 as amended by the notifications named in this article (latest consulted: S.O. 3272(E) dated 22 June 2026). Later amendments, notifications and Ministry of Home Affairs orders should be checked. The Rules say "in electronic form" and name the Form; this article gives no screen-by-screen steps because the Rules and the Form print none.
Who applies: a person with a definite cultural, economic, educational, religious or social programme (section 11(1)). How: Form FC-3A, in electronic form, with an affidavit by each key functionary in Proforma 'AA' (rule 9(1)(a)). Before applying: an FCRA Account (section 12(1A), rule 9(1)(d)). Test: three years in existence and rupees fifteen lakh spent on core activities in the last three financial years (rule 9(1)(f)). Fee: rupees ten thousand only (rule 9(4)(b)), plus rupees three hundred for each additional State or Union territory and each additional purpose. The chief functionary signs the Form with the seal.
Who applies, and for what
Section 11(1) says that, save as the Act otherwise provides, no person having a definite cultural, economic, educational, religious or social programme shall accept foreign contribution unless he obtains a certificate of registration from the Central Government. "Person" in section 2(1)(m) includes an individual, a Hindu undivided family, an association and a company registered under section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 (as the Act prints it; check the current law for the corresponding provision). A body that does not want a continuing registration may instead seek prior permission for one donor and one purpose, in Form FC-3B; see our article on prior permission and section 11. The Form carries a "Darpan ID" line; groundwork on that profile is part of our NGO Darpan and NITI Aayog service.
What rule 9(1) requires
| Clause | Requirement as printed |
|---|---|
| (a) | The application is made in electronic form in Form FC-3A, with an affidavit executed by each key functionary in Proforma 'AA' (the 2026 notification replaced "each office bearer and key functionary and member" with "each key functionary") |
| (b) | The signed or digitally signed application goes with scanned documents "as specified by the Central Government from time to time"; the rule does not list them (this clause rests on the third-party consolidation of 2019) |
| (d) | The person making the application shall have an FCRA Account |
| (e) | Any account opened for utilising the contribution is intimated in Form FC-6D within forty five days of opening |
| (f) | The three-year and fifteen lakh test, with a waiver proviso, and an undertaking for assets counted in the spending |
| (1B) | The application mentions the purpose or purposes, chosen only from the Schedule, and the States or Union territories of operation |
"Key functionary" is defined in rule 2(1)(ca); see rules 1 and 2. The detail of each clause is in the article on rule 9.
The three-year and fifteen lakh test
Rule 9(1)(f)(i): a person seeking registration under section 12(4)(b) shall be in existence for three years and have spent a minimum of rupees fifteen lakh on its core activities for the benefit of society during the last three financial years. The Central Government may waive this in exceptional cases or where the person is controlled by a Government. Under (f)(ii), if existing capital investment in land, buildings, vehicles or equipment is to be counted, the chief functionary gives an undertaking that the assets vest with the person for the validity of the certificate and are used only for activities covered by the Act and the Rules. The purposes come from the Schedule; see the Schedule.
The FCRA Account and the identification document
Section 12(1A) of the Act, inserted in 2020, requires every applicant to open an FCRA Account in the manner specified in section 17 and mention its details in the application. The section leaves the bank branch to a notification not in the texts consulted, so none is named; see section 17. Section 12A allows the Central Government to require the Aadhaar number of key functionaries, or a passport or Overseas Citizen of India Card copy for a foreigner; see section 12A.
What Form FC-3A contains
As substituted in 2020 and amended in 2025 and 2026 the Form covers:
| Part | Content |
|---|---|
| Expenditure | Amount spent in the last three years on activities for which registration is sought |
| Applicant and registration | Name, address, contact details, website and social media accounts; the Act under which it is registered, number, date and place; PAN |
| Nature and objects | Religious, cultural, economic, educational or social; main aims and objects |
| Scope (2026) | Purpose or purposes and States, and a table of activities in the last three financial years |
| Key functionaries | Name, nationality, Aadhaar number, PAN, designation, relationships; details of any foreigner |
| Disclosures | Convictions, pending prosecution, diversion of funds, prohibition, links with foreign-based organisations, earlier proceedings and applications |
| FCRA Account | The account, any other FCRA Account and utilisation accounts |
| Government status (2026) | Whether constituted by a Central or State Act or order, wholly owned by a Government, or audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General |
The Declaration and Undertaking states that the information is true and correct, that receipt and utilisation shall not violate the Act, Rules, notifications or orders, and that the key functionaries meet the criteria in section 12(4). The Form's 2025 Note lists the enclosures: financial statements and audit reports of the last three financial years, year-wise activity reports, an affidavit in Proforma 'AA' for each person in the key functionaries table, and specified certificates, undertakings and affidavits in particular cases; read the Form for the full list in the Forms article.
Who signs
The chief functionary (Chairperson, President, Secretary, CEO or MD) signs the application and the declaration in block letters, with the seal. Proforma 'AA' is executed by each key functionary individually; the copy consulted prints it on non-judicial stamp paper of Rs.10 attested by a Notary Public or 1st Class Magistrate, and rests on the third-party consolidation plus a paragraph added in 2025. Our affidavit and declaration drafting service prepares affidavits against the printed text.
Fee, repeat applications and the decision
- Fee. Rule 9(4)(b): rupees ten thousand only, paid through the payment gateway specified by the Central Government; the 2026 proviso covers one State or Union territory and one purpose, with rupees three hundred more per additional State or Union territory and per additional purpose. See rule 9 fees.
- Second application. Rule 9(3) bars a second application within six months after submitting an application.
- Foreign nationals. Explanation 1 to rule 9: an association with foreign nationals, other than those of Indian origin, as key functionaries shall ordinarily not be considered eligible.
- Decision. Under section 12(2) a defective application is rejected by order; under section 12(3) the Central Government may, ordinarily within ninety days, grant the certificate, and if it does not it communicates the reasons. The certificate is valid for five years (section 12(6)). The Act and the Rules print no other processing time.
Need help preparing for registration?
Registration depends on the key functionary details, three years of accounts and the scope you ask for. Our NGO Darpan and NITI Aayog team can help with the groundwork, and income-tax registrations are a separate matter handled under our 12A, 80G and CSR registration service.
Key takeaways
- Form FC-3A, in electronic form, with a Proforma 'AA' affidavit from each key functionary.
- An FCRA Account must exist and be mentioned before applying.
- Three years and rupees fifteen lakh (rule 9(1)(f)); fee rupees ten thousand only.
Read next
- Section 12: application, grant, refusal and validity
- Section 12: conditions for registration and prior permission
- Rule 9: application, conditions and scope
- Rule 17B: change of scope of registration
Disclaimer: Based on the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 as enacted, read with the Amendment Act, 2020 and the other amendments named in this article, and on the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rules, 2011 as amended by the notifications named (latest consulted: S.O. 3272(E) dated 22 June 2026), as consulted on 2 October 2026. No consolidated official text was available; some provisions rest on a third-party copy and are identified as such. Later amendments, notifications and Ministry of Home Affairs orders should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.