I live abroad. How do I claim my parent’s account in India?
The document list does not change because you are an NRI. The logistics do. Someone has to present papers at the home branch. You attest copies at the Indian embassy or a local notary the bank accepts, and you appoint a person in India — by a specific mandate, not a general power of attorney — to file and collect.
What you send
Death certificate (if issued abroad, have it apostilled or attested as the bank specifies). Your passport and OCI or PIO page if you have one. Your overseas KYC and an Indian cancelled cheque if the bank will credit an NRO account.
Banks are inconsistent about crediting a foreign account directly. Many will only pay an Indian account in the claimant’s name. Open or use an NRO account before the claim, not after the cheque is printed.
Who walks into the branch
A sibling or spouse in India can carry a mandate limited to this claim. A sweeping property POA is the wrong instrument and many branches will refuse it for a deceased-deposit claim.
If you can travel, one visit with a complete file beats three rounds of courier. If you cannot, do not let the person in India sign an NOC that gives away your share.
Common questions
- Can the bank insist I fly to India?
- It can insist that an authorised person attend the home branch. It cannot invent a rule that only the NRI heir in person may collect a nominated account. Ask for the policy paragraph.
- Will FEMA block the remittance?
- Once the bank has paid an Indian account in the heir’s name, taking the money out is a separate remittance question. That is not the deceased-claim form. Speak to the bank’s NRI desk after the claim is settled.
Find out what your case needs
The free check applies all of the above to your actual family and your actual accounts, and tells you the shares and the document list in two minutes.
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Last reviewed 2026-09-24. This is general information, not legal advice. Institution requirements change — confirm before you file.