Before you start

PAN card
Passport with valid visa and FRRO registration
Proof of address in Delhi, Gurgaon or Noida
Passport photographs and completed KYC forms

Step-by-step

1
Apply for the PAN card first
Nothing else moves without it, and its absence means a higher rate of tax deducted from your salary. Foreign nationals can apply online.
OnlineWho: YouWeek 1
2
Establish which account type applies
Your residential status under the Foreign Exchange Management Act — separate from immigration and income tax residency — determines whether you open a resident savings account or an NRO/NRE account. Ask the bank to confirm the classification in writing.
In personWho: You
3
Use a branch that handles diplomats and expatriates
Central Delhi branches near the diplomatic enclave, and the Gurgaon branches serving the consulting and multinational corridor, process foreign KYC routinely. A suburban branch may not have seen a foreign passport in months.
In personWho: You
4
Complete KYC in person with originals
Bring passport, visa, FRRO registration, PAN, registered rent agreement and photographs. Indian KYC is thorough and address verification may involve someone visiting. Expect days rather than minutes.
In personWho: You
5
Set up UPI immediately
The Unified Payments Interface is how everything from a chai stall to a hospital bill is paid. It needs an Indian bank account and an Indian mobile number linked to it. Getting it working is the biggest single quality-of-life improvement of your first month.
Mobile appWho: YouWeek 2
6
Understand the rules on repatriating money
India has capital controls. Moving funds abroad has documentation requirements and a defined route for salary income. Ask about the process before you need it and keep evidence of source of funds.
In personWho: You

Documents you’ll need

PAN card
Passport with valid visa
FRRO registration certificate
Registered rent agreement as address proof
Passport photographs and completed KYC forms

Things most newcomers don’t know

UPI is the thing to prioritise, and most relocation guides bury it.

India's instant payment system handles transfers between any two accounts from a phone, free, accepted almost universally including by street vendors and autorickshaws. Once it works you barely handle cash. It requires an Indian account plus a linked Indian mobile number, which is why it lands in week two.

Source: National Payments Corporation of India — UPI

Diplomatic-area branches are noticeably faster for foreign KYC.

Delhi has an unusually large foreign population concentrated in the diplomatic enclave and the Gurgaon corporate corridor, and the branches serving them process foreign documentation as routine. Choosing one of those over a branch nearer your flat can save a fortnight.

Source: community-reported

Your FEMA status, not your visa, decides the account type.

The Foreign Exchange Management Act has its own residency test. Someone here on employment is generally FEMA-resident and opens an ordinary savings account; a non-resident uses NRO or NRE accounts with different repatriation rules. Banks sometimes misclassify foreign customers — get it confirmed in writing.

Source: Reserve Bank of India — FEMA regulations

Minimum average balance penalties are real.

Most Indian savings accounts require a minimum average monthly balance and charge a fee for falling below it. Thresholds vary enormously between banks and branch tiers. Ask what yours is before opening.

Source: Reserve Bank of India — customer service