When a bank or broker in India asks for notarized copies of your documents, the in-person options abroad all cost you time: a notary's office during working hours, a consulate appointment that could be weeks away, or a branch of an Indian bank in another city. Rupeeflo lets you do it online instead. A licensed notary in the country you live in certifies your documents over a 15-minute video call, and you can do it all from your phone.

This guide covers:

• why Indian institutions accept online notarization

• which documents you need for each type of account

• what happens on the call

• how to avoid the mistakes that get documents sent back

What does notarization mean for NRI documents?

For NRI paperwork, notarization means a recognised third party checks your original documents and certifies that your copies match them. Indian banks and brokers need that certification because they can't see your originals when you apply from abroad.

This is a different act from notarizing a signature, which is what most notaries abroad spend their day doing. For bank and demat KYC, what you need is a certified copy: your passport, PAN or address proof, stamped as a true copy of the original.c

Will an Indian bank accept a document notarized online?

Yes. RBI's KYC Directions let Indian banks accept documents certified by a notary public in the country where you live. In September 2026, RBI extended the same route to foreign portfolio investors. Our notaries are licensed in the countries they serve, and they certify every copy in the format Indian institutions check for: "Verified with the original", plus the notary's name, designation, signature and date.

GIFT City has gone further. IFSCA has clarified that regulated entities there may accept digitally notarised documents, as long as they're legally valid in the country they come from.

We're Zerodha's official NRI onboarding partner. Groww, Angel One, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank and HSBC also accept documents notarized through Rupeeflo. Check if your bank or broker accepts Rupeeflo.

Which documents will you need notarized?

It depends on what you're doing. Here are the most common reasons NRIs need notarized documents, and what institutions usually ask for:

Rupeeflo notarizes 14k+ types of NRI documents, including all of these:

• passport

• PAN card

• Aadhaar

• visa or residence permit

• OCI card

• overseas address proof, such as a driving licence or utility bill

Before you book, check exactly what your institution has asked for. Some want only your passport's photo page, others want the address page too. Most want proof of both your Indian and overseas addresses. Getting the list right first means one session covers everything. Bank-by-bank requirements are in NRE/NRO Account Notarization Requirements: SBI, HDFC, ICICI and More (2026).

Online or in person: what's the difference?

Both routes produce a certification Indian institutions accept. They differ in time, effort, and how likely you are to get the format right the first time.

The biggest risk with a local notary is a certification in the wrong format. Most US notaries mainly notarize signatures, some states restrict certifying copies, and a UK solicitor's certified copy isn't on RBI's list. Any of these can come back from an Indian bank weeks later, after the courier has already gone.

Rupeeflo Notarization: Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Download the Rupeeflo app from Playstore or Appstore.

Use your overseas mobile number. Indian mobile numbers are not supported. During sign up, your email address and mobile number will be verified via OTP

Step 2: Upload documents

Access the notarization option from the Rupeeflo homepage or via the “Services” section in the bottom navigation bar. Upload required files such as passport, address proof, bank forms, etc.

Step 3: Payment

The payment amount is based on your location and the number of documents. The exact fee is displayed after uploading your documents.

Step 4: Complete Video Notary Session

Schedule the notary session by selecting your preferred date and time for the appointment. At the scheduled time, join the call through the app. On the call, the notary confirms who you are, and you hold each original up to the camera. The notary compares each one with the copy you uploaded, then certifies it. The session usually takes 10 to 15 minutes.

Before the session:

• Keep all original documents ready (print digital ones such as utility bills or bank statements).

• Sit in a well-lit area with a stable internet connection.

• Ensure your camera and microphone are working properly.

Note: If you are in the USA, you can join the notary session immediately post making your payment, without scheduling appointment.

Step 5: Download Notarized Documents

The notarized documents will be available for download on the Rupeeflo App after the appointment is completed. You can download the documents withing ~15 minutes after finishing your notary call.

In case of any assistance with notarization, You can reach out to our Support team over WhatsApp or Email us at support@rupeeflo.com.

Why documents get sent back

Most rejections have nothing to do with how the document was notarized. They come from the document itself:

• Out-of-date address proof. Many institutions want a utility bill or bank statement from the last two or three months. Check the date before you upload.

• Names that don't match. If your passport, PAN and address proof spell your name differently, the institution may reject all of them. Fix the mismatch at the source before notarizing.

• Missing pages. Upload every page your institution asked for, including the passport's address page if requested.

• Expired documents. A visa or residence permit that expires soon may not be accepted for account opening.

On the call itself, sit somewhere with good light and have every original within reach. The notary needs to see each document clearly on camera.

What after notarization?

Some institutions accept notarized documents as uploads with your application. Others want physical copies posted to India. If yours needs courier, Rupeeflo's document courier collects your documents where you live and delivers them in India in about five days. These courier prices are discounted at 60-70% of your other international courier options.

If you're notarizing documents to open an NRI demat account, you can open the account with Zerodha through Rupeeflo (fully remote, fully digital) too, so the whole process stays in one app.

Which countries does Rupeeflo cover?

Rupeeflo currently works with notaries in:

• the United States

• the United Kingdom

• the UAE

• Singapore

• Saudi Arabia

• much of Europe

If you live somewhere else, you can still use a local notary, the Indian embassy or an overseas branch of an Indian bank. Where Can NRIs Get Documents Notarized Abroad? covers each option country by country.

To get started, download Rupeeflo, upload your documents, and see your price before you pay.