Plan the documents for your foreign subsidiary in India
A foreign subsidiary company in India needs a document plan that reflects the overseas shareholder, proposed directors, registered office and business activity. This checklist supports preparation; use our foreign subsidiary registration service page for incorporation assistance.
An Indian subsidiary, a foreign company branch and a liaison office are different structures. Confirm the intended structure before preparing forms or signing documents.
Check the investment structure first
Do not assume that 100% foreign ownership, an automatic investment route or a tax incentive applies to every project. The activity, sector rules, investor country, beneficial ownership and any approval conditions need a separate review. Incorporation alone does not complete all investment, tax or operating compliance.
Information to prepare before document collection
- Overseas parent name, legal form, incorporation country and proposed shareholding.
- Proposed Indian company name, objects, capital and funding plan.
- Director and authorised representative details.
- Proposed registered office and operating locations.
- Business activity and any sector-specific permissions.
How the incorporation checklist is built
Review the structure and investment route, prepare name and incorporation information through the applicable MCA process, identify signatories, then arrange document execution and authentication. Current SPICe+ and linked-form instructions determine the required attachments; not every foreign subscriber uses the same electronic or physical signing route.
Agree separately which post-incorporation matters are included, such as banking coordination, tax registrations, foreign-investment reporting and statutory records.
Foreign subsidiary document checklist
| Document group | Preparation points |
|---|---|
| Overseas corporate shareholder | Incorporation certificate, constitutional records, board resolution or authority, and authorised representative details, as applicable. |
| Foreign individual subscriber or director | Passport/identity and residential evidence; DIN, digital signature and signing requirements according to the filing route. |
| Other proposed directors | Identity/address evidence, consent and declarations required for the selected structure and MCA form. |
| Indian registered office | Premises evidence, owner’s consent and current utility/address documents as required. |
Authentication depends on the country, document, place of execution and current rules. Notarisation, apostille or consular authentication should be decided from those facts. Arrange an accepted translation where required.
Document sequence and timing
Check names, addresses and signatory authority before overseas documents are executed. Authentication, translations, digital signatures, MCA resubmissions, bank checks and sector approvals can affect timing. Obtain a case-specific timetable after reviewing the complete document set; a fixed incorporation or bank-account deadline is not promised.
Fees and scope of work
Request a written quote separating professional work, government fees, stamp duty, authentication/translation costs and any banking or post-incorporation support. Capital, state, shareholder structure and document requirements can change the cost. Confirm which filings and follow-up work are included before engagement.
Country and applicant-specific checks
Provide the parent entity’s country, legal form, ownership chain and intended activity at the start. A checklist prepared for one country or shareholder type should not be reused without review. Additional approvals or evidence may be needed for a particular investment or regulated activity.
Discuss your document plan
Contact LegalMan with a non-sensitive summary of the proposed structure, business activity and incorporation country. An agreed secure process should be used for passports, corporate records and financial information.
Official incorporation references
The checklist is based on the document categories in MCA’s SPICe+ and linked-filing FAQs and SPICe+ instruction kit. Check current MCA instructions and the applicable Companies Rules at filing. Investment-route and sector compliance require a separate current-law review.
Frequently asked questions
Does every overseas document need an apostille?
No single authentication route applies to every document. The country, place of execution, document type and current rules determine the required attestation.
Is incorporation the same as permission for 100% foreign investment?
No. The investment route, sector conditions and any necessary approval must be reviewed separately from company incorporation.
Should the foreign parent provide a board resolution?
MCA guidance includes the foreign corporate shareholder’s incorporation and authorisation records among relevant attachments. The exact resolution, representative authority and filing format should be checked for the case.
Where can I discuss incorporation support?
See the foreign subsidiary registration service and request a written scope covering the document, incorporation and post-incorporation work required.