Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal (FIFP)

What is FIFP & its Responsibilities?

Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal (FIFP) is an inter-ministerial body that holds the responsibility to process and makes recommendations to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policies, FEMA regulations and to 11 notified sectors for Government approval. FIFP approval is required for companies that do not qualify for automatic approval. The FIFP shall regulate and recommend FDI policies, provides significant inputs, press notes and guidelines drafted by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). Though FIFP regulates the FDI policies, its primary focus shall be to increase the FDI investments. These investments shall have to be cleared by the FIFP to initiate operation in

India. Any investments made above Rs.5000 crore shall be considered and approved by the Cabinet Committee on Foreign Investment (CCFI). However, investments made less than Rs.5000 crore shall be considered and approved by the Ministry of Commerce.

Why FIFB got replaced by FIFP?

FIFP was initially termed as

Foreign Investment Promotion Board and later changed to FIFP to increase transparency and to introduce a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to administer the application process.

What is the Goal of FIFP?

The goal of FIFP is to negotiate with international firms, create a platform for investments and create a simpler approval process for FDI investments in selected areas.

Objectives of FIFP

To increase the FDI investments
To create transparency between the departments for the approval process
Increase the investment process through investment promotion activities for national and international companies and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)
To digitalise the communication and approval process
Inform all the FDI policy changes to the investors

Notified Sectors that Require FIFP Approval

The following are the 11 sectors that require approval for investments from international companies:

S. No.	Sector	Ministry/Department
1	Mining	Ministry of Mines
2	Defence	Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence
3	Broadcasting	Ministry of Home Affairs
4	Print Media	Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
5	Civil Aviation	Ministry of Civil Aviation
6	Satellites	Department of Space
7	Telecommunication	Department of Telecommunications
8	Private Security Agencies	Ministry of Home Affairs
9	Trading (Single, Multi brand and Food Product Retail Trading)	Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Department of Economic Affairs
10	Banking (Public and Private)	Department of Financial Services
11	Pharmaceuticals	Department of Pharmaceuticals

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

The key objective of SOP is to enable smooth functioning of FIFP. SOP enables FIFP to reduces paperwork as filing and transfer of applications are enabled online. Standard Operating Procedure act as guidelines for the above said 11 notified sectors for FDI approval process. For enterprises that not require or does not fall under the category of specific sectors, the

FDI approval process shall be administered by the DIPP and the Ministry of Home Affairs. The following are the enterprises that shall be administered by the DIPP and the Ministry of Home Affairs:

Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)
Export Oriented Units (EOU
Applications related to the issue of equity shares related to import of capital goods, machinery or second-hand equipment
Applications related to the issue of equity shares related to pre-incorporation expenses
Investments from Pakistan and Bangladesh should be cleared by FEMA, FDI policy and security guidelines as stipulated by the Ministry of Home Affairs

Step by Step Process of Registering with FIFP

To submit the application online with FIFP, the enterprise must register with FIFP. The process for registering are as follows:

Step 1: Open the Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal web portal FIFP web portal

Step 2: Click on 'Registration' Step 3: Fill with valid credentials FIFP registration page

Step 4: Enter the OTP Step 5: Create a User Name and Password Step 6: Log in to Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal web portal using the User Name and Password FIFP registered login page

Step 7: After successful login, click on Comprehensive Corner>Forms FIFP- Forms

Step 8: Click on 'Licence (IL-FC). (The applicant can save the draft of the application form after each section is completed. To re-open the application form, the applicant shall use the application number to continue) FIFB - Forms Download Page

Step 9: Attach all the relevant documents as required by Annexure-I Step 10: After submitting the application, the User shall receive an intimation to submit the physical copy of the application to the concerned authority. (The applicant must submit the hard copy to the relevant authorities within 10 days of the application submitted online). Step 11: For Security clearance, fill the self-declaration form and attach Annexure-II. Download the form by FIFP web portal> Comprehensive Corner>Forms>Download the security clearance form Scroll Down for IL-FC Form IL-form (FIFP) Scroll Down for Security Clearance Form

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Documents Required

Detailed Report on the Proposal
Copy of Board Resolution, Certificate of Incorporation, Article of Association and Memorandum of Association
Audited Financial Statements and Income Tax returns, approved by CA
Agreement and draft of LLP
Copy of agreement of shareholder, joint venture, transfer of technology, trademark and brand assignment
Copy of past FIFP or RBI approvals, if any

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal (FIFP).

The Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal (FIFP) is an inter-ministerial body responsible for processing and making recommendations on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policies, FEMA regulations, and investments in 11 notified sectors for government approval. It regulates and provides inputs on FDI policies, press notes, and guidelines drafted by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).

FIFP approval is required for companies that do not qualify for automatic approval under the FDI policies and regulations. This includes investments in the 11 notified sectors, such as mining, defense, broadcasting, and telecommunications, which require specific clearances from the respective ministries.

While FIFP regulates FDI policies, its primary focus is to increase FDI investments in India. All investments above Rs. 5,000 crore must be approved by the Cabinet Committee on Foreign Investment (CCFI), while those below this threshold are approved by the Ministry of Commerce.

FIPB was replaced by FIFP to increase transparency and introduce a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to streamline the application process for FDI approvals. The change aimed to simplify and digitalize the communication and approval process for foreign investments.

The main objectives of FIFP are to increase FDI investments, create transparency in the approval process, promote investments through activities for national and international companies and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), digitalize the communication and approval process, and inform investors of FDI policy changes.

The SOP is a set of guidelines that enable the smooth functioning of FIFP. It reduces paperwork by enabling online filing and transfer of applications, and provides guidelines for the approval process in the 11 notified sectors. For enterprises not requiring specific sector approvals, the SOP is administered by the DIPP and the Ministry of Home Affairs.

An enterprise can register with FIFP by visiting the Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal website, creating a user account, and submitting the required application form (IL-FC) and supporting documents online. Physical copies of the application and self-declaration form for security clearance must also be submitted to the relevant authorities.

Some of the key documents required for FIFP registration include a detailed report on the proposal, board resolution, certificate of incorporation, audited financial statements, agreements related to shareholding, joint ventures, technology transfer, and previous FIFP or RBI approvals, if any.

The DIPP and the Ministry of Home Affairs administer the FDI approval process for enterprises that do not require specific sector approvals, such as Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Export Oriented Units (EOUs), and applications related to equity shares, capital goods imports, and pre-incorporation expenses.

Annexure-II is the self-declaration form for security clearance, which must be filled and attached to the FIFP application. This form is required for the security clearance process, especially for investments from Pakistan and Bangladesh, which are subject to additional scrutiny under FEMA, FDI policy, and security guidelines set by the Ministry of Home Affairs.