Finance Ministry announces relief for NRIs, foreign visitors on residency status amid lockdown

Union Government yesterday gave relief on residency status to NRIs and foreign visitors whose stay in India got prolonged due to lockdown in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak. In its circular, Central Board of Direct Taxes- CBDT said that the prolonged stay in India will be discounted.

 

It said, the circular for determining the residential status in such cases for Financial Year 2020-21 will be issued in due course, depending upon normalization and resumption of international flights. Considering various representations received from people who had to prolong their stay in India due to lockdown, expressed concerns



that they will be required to file tax returns as Indian residents.

 

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has allowed discounting of prolonged stay period in India for the purpose of determining residency status. The CBDT has decided that for the purposes of determining the residential status during the previous year 2019-20 in respect of an individual who has come to India on a visit before 22nd March, 2020 and were unable to leave India on or before 31st March 2020, his period of stay in India from 22nd March to 31st March shall not be taken into account.