Before you start

Valid passport and a long-term Indian employment visa (typically valid 182+ days)
A local Bengaluru address you can prove (rental agreement, employer letter, or a utility bill in your name)
PAN obtained or applied for before approaching the bank (Form 60 can stand in temporarily, but PAN is expected)
An Indian mobile number (strongly recommended for UPI and bank OTPs)

Step-by-step

1
Apply for your PAN first (Form 49AA)
Foreign citizens apply using Form 49AA via Protean (formerly NSDL e-Gov) or UTIITSL, using your passport for identity. The free instant e-PAN on the Income Tax portal is NOT available to you because it requires an Aadhaar — so foreigners must use the paid Form 49AA route. An e-PAN PDF often arrives sooner; the physical card follows in 2-4 weeks.
OnlineWho: You (some employers help arrange this)~15-20 working days for the physical card; e-PAN PDF often sooner~₹107 if your communication address is in India; ~₹1,017 if overseas
2
Open a RESIDENT savings account (not NRE/NRO)
Because you live and work in India on an employment visa, you're resident from day one — so you open a normal resident savings account, not an NRE or NRO account (those are for NRIs/non-residents). Pick a bank with strong digital onboarding and branch density in Bengaluru (HDFC, ICICI, Axis, Kotak, SBI). Many banks insist on an in-person foreigner KYC even if onboarding starts online.
In personWho: You, at a local bank branchAccount often active in 1-3 working days once KYC clearsUsually free to open; many accounts carry a minimum balance (often ₹10,000+)
3
Complete foreigner KYC at the branch
Submit passport, the employment visa, PAN (or Form 60 if PAN is still in process), an Indian address proof, and a passport photo. Some banks also ask for the FRRO registration or your employer's appointment letter. Expect extra scrutiny versus a local customer.
In personWho: You and the bank's KYC officerSame visit, plus 1-2 days for verificationNo fee
4
Activate UPI and link your account
Download Google Pay, PhonePe, or Paytm, register with the Indian mobile number tied to your bank account, link the account, and set a UPI PIN. You then scan-and-pay at any QR code — UPI is genuinely essential daily life in Bengaluru. (Short-term visitors who never open an account can instead use the UPI One World prepaid wallet loaded by a foreign card; resident workers don't need it.)
Mobile appWho: YouMinutes once the bank account and SIM are activeFree; no charge for person-to-merchant UPI payments

Documents you’ll need

Passport (identity proof) and valid employment/residence visa
PAN card (or Form 60 as an interim stand-in)
Indian address proof — rental agreement, employer letter, or utility bill not older than ~2 months
Passport-size photograph (and, if requested, FRRO registration copy)

Things most newcomers don’t know

PAN is the true first step — sequence everything around it.

Salary credit, account opening, tax filing and any large transaction all hinge on PAN. Starting the bank process before PAN is issued usually means a stalled application or a temporary Form 60, so apply for PAN the week you land.

Source: Income Tax Department — Apply for PAN

On an employment visa you want a RESIDENT account, not NRE/NRO.

A foreigner living and working in India is resident from day one, so the correct product is an ordinary resident savings account — opening the wrong type causes repatriation limits and tax confusion. Front-line bank staff sometimes default foreigners to NRO, so be explicit.

Source: ICICI Bank / SBI NRI banking guidance

The free instant e-PAN is off-limits without Aadhaar — budget for Form 49AA.

Indian citizens get a free Aadhaar-based e-PAN in minutes; foreigners almost never have Aadhaar on arrival, so they must use the paid Form 49AA route with document submission. Don't waste time on the e-PAN portal expecting it to work.

Source: Income Tax Department — Instant e-PAN

Aadhaar is the smoother path but generally locked for ~6 months.

Resident foreign nationals can only enrol for Aadhaar after 182+ days physically in India. For your first months you operate on passport + visa + PAN, so don't bank on Aadhaar early.

Source: UIDAI — Resident foreign national enrolment

Common mistakes to avoid

Trying to open the bank account before the PAN exists — expect rejection or a temporary Form 60 and re-verification later.
Accepting an NRE/NRO account when you're actually resident — it brings repatriation restrictions and tax headaches; insist on a resident savings account.
Weak address proof: a hotel or short-stay address is often refused. Have a rental agreement or an employer-issued address letter ready.
Assuming UPI works on a foreign phone number: resident workers should get an Indian SIM linked to the bank account to avoid OTP and registration failures.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.