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Brazil NRIs · Dividend Tax

Dividend tax on Indian shares for NRIs in Brazil

Dividends from Indian companies are withheld at the non-resident rate before they reach you in Brazil — here's the treaty position and how to reclaim any excess.

When an Indian company pays you a dividend while you live in Brazil, the company withholds tax at source before the money reaches you. India's default withholding on non-resident dividends is 20% under Section 195. The India-Brazil treaty position on dividends is more favourable — it caps the rate at 15% for individual residents, a real saving over the 20% default (Article 10: 15% general treaty cap (10% only for a company holding at least 20% for 365 days)). To claim it you need Form 10F and a Tax Residency Certificate on file with the company or your broker.

India-Brazil key facts: dividend tax

Default Section 195 rate20%
India-Brazil DTAA treaty rate15%
Your saving via the treaty5%
Treaty article / basisArticle 10: 15% general treaty cap (10% only for a company holding at least 20% for 365 days)
Your TRC issuing authorityReceita Federal do Brasil (RFB)

Rates reflect India's domestic Section 195 withholding and the India-Brazil treaty. Surcharge and cess apply on top where relevant.

How it works on the India side

Since the 2020 shift back to classical dividend taxation, dividends from Indian companies are taxable in the shareholder's hands and the company deducts TDS before paying. For a non-resident the default is Section 195 at 20% (plus surcharge and cess). Whether a treaty rate is available depends on the specific treaty — for many countries the lower dividend rate is written only for companies holding a large stake in the Indian payer, which means individual portfolio investors stay at the domestic rate.

Where a lower individual rate does apply, you claim it with Form 10F and a Tax Residency Certificate lodged with the company or broker, and any quarter withheld at the higher rate before your paperwork was on file is reclaimed through your Indian return. Where no lower rate applies, the dividend still goes on your return, and the real relief sits on your home-country side as a foreign tax credit for the Indian tax already paid.

What changes because you live in Brazil

Brazilian residents are taxed on worldwide income at rates up to 27.5%, with a foreign tax credit for the Indian tax paid. The India-Brazil treaty was refreshed by a 2022 protocol now in force and effective in India from FY 2026-27; for a typical portfolio investor the 15% caps are unchanged, but a professional-services earner should note the new 10% Fees-for-Technical-Services rule. The Atestado de Residencia Fiscal is now issued digitally through the Receita Federal e-CAC portal and certifies a stated period rather than expiring.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions from Brazil NRIs

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