Form 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.
Form No. 162 is the yearly statement that a non-resident with a liaison office in India gives the tax department: who runs the office, who works there, whom it deals with, and what the non-resident earns and spends in India. It has two Parts, A and B, and covers each liaison office separately. This guide explains the form as printed in the Income-tax Rules, 2026 (G.S.R. 198(E), notified on 20 March 2026), read with the amending notifications issued up to 22 September 2026.
Under rule 234, the annual statement under section 505 for every financial year is furnished in Form No. 162 within eight months from the end of that financial year. It is furnished in electronic form along with digital signature, duly verified by the Chartered Accountant or the person authorised by the non-resident (the authorised signatory). Part A covers the non-resident, Part B covers officers, employees, agents, each liaison office and India-specific financial details.
The section and the rule
Section 505 of the Income-tax Act, 2025 requires every non-resident having a liaison office in India, set up as per the guidelines issued by the Reserve Bank of India under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999, to prepare and deliver to the Assessing Officer having jurisdiction, in respect of its activities in a tax year, a statement in the prescribed form and containing the prescribed particulars within the prescribed period. The reference to the Reserve Bank of India guidelines and that Act is to another law; check it where relevant. The section is explained in sections 505 to 507.
Rule 234(1) prescribes Form No. 162 and the period of eight months from the end of the financial year. Rule 234(2) prescribes the electronic filing with a digital signature, verified by the Chartered Accountant or the person authorised in this behalf by the non-resident. The rule is covered in rules 234 to 236.
If you run or advise a liaison office, our NRI tax filing team can help you collect the information and prepare the statement before the eight months run.
Part A: the non-resident person
| Row | What it asks |
|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | Name, PAN, Tax Identification Number in the country of incorporation or residence, if any |
| 4 and 5 | Head office: address, country of residence, email ID, contact number; principal office in India: address, email ID, contact number |
| 6 | Date of submitting the Annual Activity Certificate for the tax year to the Reserve Bank of India |
| 7 | Details of the Chartered Accountant signing that Annual Activity Certificate: name, address, PAN, UDIN, membership number, firm name and registration number, email ID, contact number |
| 8 | The tax year for which the statement is submitted |
Part B: other information
| Row | What it asks |
|---|---|
| 9 | Officer in charge of each office of the non-resident in India: name, designation, email, contact, address |
| 10 | Salary or compensation of any sort payable outside India to any employee working in India or for services rendered in India: name, PAN if allotted, contact, address, amount |
| 11 | Agents, representatives or distributors in India: name, PAN, contact details, address |
| 12 to 18 | For each liaison office: date of the Reserve Bank of India approval, registration number granted by the Reserve Bank of India, date of opening, address, nature of activities, and the products or services for which liaisoning is done |
| 19 and 20 | Whether other group entities operate from the same premises, and whether the liaison office performs liaisoning for any other entity, with details |
| 21 | The top five parties in India with whom the office has done the liaisoning |
| 22 and 23 | Total number of employees working in the liaison office during the year; details of employees drawing salary or compensation of ₹ 50,000 or above per month |
| 24 | India-specific financial details for the financial year, being receipts and expenses of the non-resident from or in India: for each liaison office, receipts and expenses against its registration number; for the non-resident including those offices, receipts and the expenses attributable to receipts from India |
| 25 | All purchases and sales of material and services from or to Indian parties during the year, by liaison office and for the non-resident as a whole: nature of transaction, party, PAN, contact, address, amount |
| 26 and 27 | Whether a group entity is present in India as a branch office, company or limited liability partnership, and whether other liaison offices of group entities exist in India, with details |
Row 12 says the data in rows 13 to 23 is to be furnished liaison office by liaison office, with multiple sets for multiple offices. The tables in Part B are to be repeated as required.
The ₹ 50,000 figure in row 23 is the only amount the form prints. The form refers to Reserve Bank of India approvals and registration; those belong to the foreign exchange laws and are not explained here.
Verification, Notes and who signs
The verification says that the information is true and correct as far as the signatory knows and believes and that no relevant fact has been concealed. The signatory states his or her capacity, designation and PAN and says he or she is competent to verify and submit. Under rule 234(2), the verifier is the Chartered Accountant or the authorised signatory of the non-resident.
Notes say that the name shall include the full name of the person; that the address shall include flat or door or building, road or street or block or sector, area or locality, post office, town or city or district, state, country and pin code; that some information is pre-filled; and that amounts are in rupees unless stated otherwise.
How the pieces fit
| Question | Answer from the text |
|---|---|
| Who files? | A non-resident having a liaison office in India (section 505) |
| For which period? | Every financial year (rule 234(1)) |
| By when? | Within eight months from the end of the financial year (rule 234(1)) |
| In what manner? | Electronic form with digital signature (rule 234(2)) |
| Who verifies? | The Chartered Accountant or the authorised signatory (rule 234(2)) |
| To whom? | Section 505 says the Assessing Officer having jurisdiction; the form prints no addressee |
An example
Fennel Marine Instruments GmbH, a non-resident, has a liaison office in Chennai under Reserve Bank of India approval. For the financial year, its authorised signatory fills Part A with the head office and principal office details and the date it submitted the Annual Activity Certificate to the Reserve Bank of India. In Part B she lists the officer in charge, the agents and the top five Indian parties, enters the registration number and dates for the liaison office in rows 13 to 16, and fills row 24 with the receipts and expenses. She files electronically with digital signature within eight months from the end of the financial year.
Need help with a liaison office statement?
The form asks for information that sits across the head office, the liaison office and the group in India. Our NRI tax filing team can help you gather the data, prepare the statement and meet the eight-month limit.
Key takeaways
- Form No. 162 is the annual statement under section 505 for a non-resident with a liaison office in India.
- Rule 234 requires it within eight months from the end of the financial year, electronically with digital signature.
- Part A covers the non-resident and the Chartered Accountant who signs the Reserve Bank of India Annual Activity Certificate.
- Part B covers officers, employees, agents, each liaison office, group entities, top parties, financial details and transactions.
- The Chartered Accountant or the authorised signatory verifies the form.
Read next
- Rules 234 to 236: liaison office, Form No. 162 and film producer Form No. 164
- Sections 505 to 507: statements by liaison offices, Indian concerns and film producers
- Form Nos. 154 to 159: tax clearance for persons leaving India
- Form No. 129: application to determine the taxable portion of a payment to a non-resident
Disclaimer: Based on the Income-tax Rules, 2026 (G.S.R. 198(E), notified on 20 March 2026), read with the amending notifications issued up to 22 September 2026, as consulted on 4 October 2026. It explains the words of the forms and rules only; later notifications, the forms and utilities on the e-filing portal, circulars and the way the tax authorities apply these provisions should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.