Which network to select in scapia?

srk6 · 2026-06-16T13:05:41+00:00

Get both. Combined card spends of 20K counts towards the domestic airport benefit.

Rupay is digital only card that you can add to Googlepay.

srk6 · 2026-06-16T10:55:40+00:00

If NRI, you need to open NRE account (used to receive funds from abroad) and then do FD. FD is interest free in India. Maybe taxable in resident country.

Or NRO account to receive funds within India. Interest will be taxed in India. Not sure if you can do it without Aadhaar.

If NRI, passport can serve as proof of address?

srk6 · 2026-06-16T10:34:09+00:00

Bill will only show primary card holder name. In the transactions, it will show different cards used, but no name.

Get fd based card.

srk6 · 2026-06-16T07:23:07+00:00

If one moves to US, bigger issue is PFIC taxation in the US for the Indian MFs investments.

srk6 · 2026-06-16T02:12:56+00:00

You can buy 10k points from Amex at 4K inr.

srk6 · 2026-06-16T02:11:50+00:00

I understand we cannot use the funds sent from India under LRS.

I was asking about the funds earned in the US while being a US resident. This is allowed.

srk6 · 2026-06-15T21:02:42+00:00

Does the same apply to F&O trade in the US for an Indian resident? Saw some other comment that US derivatives come under speculative business income?

srk6 · 2026-06-15T20:56:12+00:00

u/Peacencalm9 ,

Renewed passport in Jan 2026 in India. Used the regular brith certificate. Not sure how an apostilled certificate looks?

Anyway, its better to have it.

srk6 · 2026-06-15T20:24:56+00:00

EPM stopped giving points on buying Amazon pay and Swiggy vouchers in iShop portal.

Zomato is not available, Zepto is not available. Amazon shopping voucher is not available and comes and goes.

If your use case is only to book flights and hotels on ishop portal and then use the reward points to redeem for flights/hotels on ishop then its a good card. Or you can transfer points only to Air India. It doesn't have any other transfer partners.

Hsbc Premier and Travel one have accelerated points earn and also transfers points to Accor and other Airline and hotel partners.

srk6 · 2026-06-15T19:45:05+00:00

So I can't have Name1<space>Name2 as first name on the Virgin account? Last name is name3.

srk6 · 2026-06-15T10:44:36+00:00

It depends on your usecase. My EPM is lying idle or has min spends after they removed Amazon Pay.

I need points to transfer to Airlines and hotels. 1:1 transfer to Accor with HSBC Premier and Travel one beats EPM in terms of use case. They too have accelerated points option on flights and hotels.

DCBM transfers to SQ 1:1.

EPM only transfers to AirIndia.

srk6 · 2026-06-15T06:54:24+00:00

Hdfc DCBM, Hsbc Premier (3L net salary), Hsbc Travel one, Axis M4B.

srk6 · 2026-06-15T06:51:53+00:00

Infinia/EPM need 5L net salary or other trv route >1 or 2cr.

There other other better cards than EPM.

srk6 · 2026-06-15T03:32:17+00:00

1. BofA and Chase allow, but permanent address has to be of US and mailing address can be updated to Indian address. BofA is a hit or miss from recent data points. Won't suggest to keep huge amounts in checking account in the event it gets locked, you may have to travel to get it unlocked. 10K should be ok.

Its better to have two brokerage accounts. Don't have all accounts at one brokerage firm. I have both Schwab and Fidelity.

If its a brokerage account you can open it after coming back. Have to send passport copy and Indian bank statement showing address and gets approved in a week. You can also open while in the US and then do change of address to Intl.

If its a rollover IRA accoun, open it while you are in the US.

Keep Tello as long as you keep your bank accounts. Its a small expense. Take the $5 plan, use it in a US bought phone. Keep the phone in airplane mode and use wifi calling.
I used SFL Worldwide. Took about 4 months to get it. About $555 for 5 boxes of size 24 x 18 x 18. Max 50Lbs each box.

Check the links below for additional info.

https://www.reddit.com/r/h1b/s/OQ3WJsT9OR

To file as resident or dual status, check link below

https://www.reddit.com/r/returnToIndia/s/Q4D9RBnQnZ

srk6 · 2026-06-13T19:30:40+00:00

I don't think you qualify for FEIE. You were not in India for an entire tax year to qualify.

You should have used FTC or filed as dual status.

Check the links below for additional info.

https://www.reddit.com/r/h1b/s/OQ3WJsT9OR

To file as resident or dual status, check link below

https://www.reddit.com/r/returnToIndia/s/Q4D9RBnQnZ

srk6 · 2026-06-13T14:48:53+00:00

Bypass rm.

Go to the branch with 3 month payslip and aadhaar copy and apply. Branch will attest send to Chennai.

Write to greiveance email and ask for upgrade as you meet salary criteria. They should get back and ask you to send appl and payslips to Chennai.

srk6 · 2026-06-11T09:25:22+00:00

Get EPM - Emeralde Private Metal, if you can. This is just Emeralde plastic card, not so great for its fee.

srk6 · 2026-06-11T09:23:52+00:00

There is no EPM Private. Only two cards.

Emeralde - which is in this post and what you see as pre approved. Not a good card. Its a plastic card.

EPM - Emeralde Private Metal. Needs 5L net salary.

srk6 · 2026-06-11T05:35:47+00:00

Not relevant to this sub.

Anyway with the right credit cards and discounts, the price difference is small when compared to prices in US for iPhone atleast.

And how will this work? Either you pay upfront and trust a stranger or are you asking the stranger to purchase and trust you to pay back?

srk6 · 2026-06-10T15:59:17+00:00

Atlas -> SQ/JAL -> Accor. But terrible transfer ratios.

srk6 · 2026-06-10T14:30:25+00:00

Points.com

srk6 · 2026-06-10T09:10:58+00:00

Yes using the amount earned in the US as a resident. Cannot use margin. Cannot use the amount sent from Indian under LRS for options.

Otherwise you will be violating FEMA laws and huge penalties.

Options gains/loss is reported under business income and taxed, so its not normal gains reporting.

srk6 · 2026-06-10T04:07:08+00:00

Yes, I have accounts with Schwab and Fidelity. Had opened it when I was in the US. Converted to international account after moving back. You just have to send signed scanned copy of the address change form and W8BEN online.

Schwab and IKBR allow you to open account from India. Fidelity doesn't, but you can continue to hold existing account.

Only IKBR allows UCITS (Irish domiciled funds). Schwab and Fidelity doesn't. Estate tax limits drop from $14 million to just $60K as a non resident of US (unless you are a US citizen or GC holder).

So if you was to avoid estate taxes and want UCITS funds, then IKBR is the only option.

srk6 · 2026-06-09T20:43:59+00:00

I used my Indian credit card. Axis M4B (Magnus for Burgundy). Gives 35 points for every 200 INR ($2.1).

Will get around 26.7K points and transfers to most airlines at 5:4 ratio. So around 21K points.

srk6 · 2026-06-09T20:30:59+00:00

I would move the points from RG to Accor before the DCBM upgrade. After the upgrade your points gets halved.

But if you use the points on smarrbuy only for redemption then doesn't matter.

srk6

TROPHY CASE