Under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS), resident Indians may invest up to $250,000 per year abroad. Routes: direct US brokers (Interactive Brokers, Schwab International), Indian apps with US access (INDmoney, Dhan, Vested and more — see all verified routes), or US-focused feeder mutual funds/ETFs. INDmoney also lists LSE-traded Global UCITS ETFs (MSCI World / ACWI) for one-ticket worldwide equity exposure — LRS/TCS/forex still apply. (Groww discontinued US investing in Sep 2024.)
The three routes, and the window they share
Direct US broker, Indian app with US access, or a US-focused feeder fund — the fork is the map of this guide. The window is shared: whichever door you pick, the same LRS limit, TCS, forex spread and Schedule FA follow you through it.
Scroll the chart sideways to see every year →
Product names stay in the guide's text and the verified directory, where they can be kept current — this drawing only fixes the structure.
Costs that surprise beginners
- TCS: 20% collected at source above ₹10 lakh/year remittance (adjustable against income tax, but a cash-flow hit).
- Forex spread: 0.5–1.5% each way on most apps.
- US dividend withholding: 25% flat for Indians.
- Indian tax: US-stock gains are taxed as capital gains in India (short/long-term rules apply).
Our US investing hub compares routes once broker reviews go live.
Educational content, not financial advice. Tax rules change — confirm with a CA.
Where ₹12 lakh of remittance actually goes
One financial year, ₹12,00,000 remitted for investing, at a 1% forex markup, one $1 order a month, no account fee, and a 2% dividend yield.
- Reaches the broker₹11,88,000≈ $13,500
- Permanent cost (forex, brokerage, account fee)₹13,0561.1%
- TCS collected at source (refundable / adjustable)₹40,000
- Permanent first-year cost
- ₹13,056
- As a share of the remittance
- 1.1%
- TCS held at source
- ₹40,000
Computed with the same function as the site's US investing cost calculator. The FX rate of ₹88 to the dollar is an input, not a live quote — the calculator asks for the rate you are actually offered. TCS is collected at source above ₹10 lakh and is adjustable against your income tax, so it is shown apart from the permanent costs.
Go deeper
- US stock taxation for Indians: capital gains, dividends, TCS, Schedule FA and estate tax.
- 10 things to know before you buy: the retail pre-flight checklist.