UAE NRIs and India’s 180-day rule: Are your savings at risk?

For Indians living and working in the UAE, however, the key question is whether the same rules apply to their UAE salaries and savings. The 180-day requirement applies to a “person resident in India” under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). Foreign exchange acquired by an Indian resident but left unused generally has to be surrendered or repatriated within 180 days. The applicable rules may require the unused amount to be brought back within the prescribed period. An Indian citizen who qualifies as a person resident outside India under FEMA can retain salary, business income and savings earned in the UAE in UAE bank accounts.