Frequently Asked Questions
Clear, honest answers to help you understand regulations, documents, costs, and timelines without legal clutter.
Company Formation & Registration
Yes. An NRI or foreign citizen can hold shares and be appointed as a director in an Indian company. However, the Companies Act mandates that at least one director on the board must be a resident of India (having stayed in India for at least 182 days in the preceding financial year). Foreign documents must also be notarized and apostilled or consularized in their country of origin.
A Class-3 DSC is a secure cryptographic token containing your verified electronic signature. Because all submissions to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) are electronic, directors and authorized partners must digitally sign incorporation forms, annual balance sheets, and statutory returns using their DSC.
If an examiner flags a name as identical or too similar to an existing registered company or active trademark, MCA grants a re-submission window (Form SPICe+ Part A or RUN) without paying extra government fees. We conduct thorough pre-filing checks to minimize the chance of name rejection.
GST, Invoicing & Taxation
Yes. Export of services is classified as an "interstate supply" under the IGST Act. Even though exports qualify as zero-rated supplies (meaning 0% effective tax if you file a Letter of Undertaking - LUT), holding an active GSTIN is mandatory to legally claim export benefits and obtain Foreign Inward Remittance Advice (FIRA) reconciliation.
GSTR-1 is a sales return where you report item-wise invoice details of goods and services supplied to customers. GSTR-3B is a self-declared monthly summary return where you report aggregate sales, claim verified Input Tax Credit (ITC) from your purchases, and pay any net tax due to the government.
Trademark & Intellectual Property
While you can file a multi-class application, official government filing fees are charged per class (e.g. ₹4,500 per class for MSMEs). Most startups file specifically in the 1 or 2 core classes most relevant to their product (e.g., Class 9 for software/apps, Class 42 for SaaS technology services, Class 25 for apparel).
A registered trademark in India is valid for 10 years from the original application date. It can be renewed indefinitely every 10 years upon paying the prescribed government renewal fee.
Transparency & Working with Us
No. Guide to Grow is an independent private consultancy and tech platform. We have no affiliation with the MCA, GST Council, or any statutory authority. We assist founders by preparing paperwork, reviewing document accuracy, and coordinating filings through certified professionals.
We believe in total transparency. Our quotes clearly separate our professional service fee from official statutory government fees. When government portal payments are made (such as MCA Bharatkosh, FoSCoS, or IP India), you receive the authentic government receipts and treasury challans directly.
Have a specific scenario not listed here?
Every business has unique shareholding or operational requirements. Request a callback and our team will walk you through the details.