Writing
Biodata for NRI marriage: visa status, location and plans written clearly
When one side lives abroad, the other family has more questions: which visa, how long there, will they come back, can the spouse work. A biodata that answers these plainly saves weeks of calls across time zones. Here is how to write a biodata for NRI marriage, with wording for each detail, a full sample, and checks for families receiving an NRI proposal.
- State your exact status — work visa, permanent resident or citizen — and since when.
- Write city and country, and one honest line on where you plan to settle.
- Give salary in the local currency as a range; do not convert it to rupees.
- Families receiving NRI proposals should verify work, status and marital history before any commitment.
What families want to know about someone abroad
An NRI biodata has the same sections as any other, plus one block — call it “Abroad details” — placed right after personal details. It should answer, without a phone call:
- Which city and country, and since when
- Residency status: work visa, permanent resident or citizen
- Plans: settle there, return to India, or undecided
- What a spouse could do there — work, study, or wait for a permit
- Where the family in India lives and who to contact
A note on the word: strictly, an NRI is an Indian citizen living abroad. If you have taken another citizenship and hold an OCI card, write that. Families care about the difference; OCI holders, for example, cannot vote in India or buy farmland.
Writing residency or visa status
| Country | Status | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| USA | Work visa | H-1B work visa (since 2021); Green Card in process |
| USA | Permanent resident | US Green Card holder (since 2023) |
| Canada | Permanent resident | Canadian PR (since 2022) |
| Canada | Work permit | Post-graduation work permit, valid till 2027; PR applied |
| UK | Work visa | Skilled Worker visa; eligible for ILR in 2027 |
| Germany | Work permit | EU Blue Card, Munich (since 2020) |
| UAE | Employment residence | UAE residence visa (employment), Dubai |
| Any | Citizen | Australian citizen · OCI card holder |
Be exact and give the year; “settled in the US” can mean anything from a student visa to citizenship. Do not promise what a spouse will be allowed to do unless you are sure — rules change. In the US, for example, spouses of H-1B holders usually come on an H-4 visa, which allows work only in certain cases. A line such as “Spouse would join on a dependent visa; happy to explain on a call” is safer than a guess.
Location, time abroad and plans to settle
Settled abroad
Lives in: Toronto, Canada (since 2018) · Plans: Settled in Canada; visits India every December
Planning to return
Lives in: Dubai, UAE (since 2020) · Plans: Four to five more years in Dubai, then return to Pune
Undecided
Lives in: Munich, Germany (since 2020) · Plans: Open to staying in Germany or moving back to India; would decide together
Write “open to moving back” only if it is true. The other family may plan a daughter’s or son’s career around that line. It also helps to say where you grew up in India — “Grew up in Indore” — so relatives can place you.
Salary, education and work abroad
Salary. Give it in the local currency, as a range, and say whether it is yearly or monthly.
Examples
USD 140,000 – 160,000 per year · CAD 115,000 – 130,000 per year · £55,000 – 65,000 per year · AED 22,000 – 25,000 per month
Leave out the rupee conversion. A converted figure looks very large to relatives in India but ignores tax, rent and childcare abroad, and it changes with the exchange rate. The cost of living can be discussed when families are talking seriously. The guide to salary in a biodata covers ranges in more detail.
Education. List the degree abroad with country and year, and the Indian degree below it, because families in India recognise Indian colleges more easily.
Example
MS Computer Science, Arizona State University, USA (2019) · B.Tech, VIT Vellore (2017)
Work. Job title, employer and city. Naming the employer lets the other family check a LinkedIn profile.
Contact details across time zones
Put a parent in India as the main contact, and add your own email or WhatsApp for later. Mention the best time to call in IST so the other family does not ring you at 3 AM.
| City | Difference from IST |
|---|---|
| New York, Toronto | 9 hr 30 min behind (summer), 10 hr 30 min behind (winter) |
| San Francisco, Seattle | 12 hr 30 min behind (summer), 13 hr 30 min behind (winter) |
| London | 4 hr 30 min behind (summer), 5 hr 30 min behind (winter) |
| Frankfurt, Munich | 3 hr 30 min behind (summer), 4 hr 30 min behind (winter) |
| Dubai | 1 hr 30 min behind, all year |
| Singapore | 2 hr 30 min ahead, all year |
| Sydney | 4 hr 30 min ahead (April–October), 5 hr 30 min ahead (October–April) |
Example
Contact: Father — Suresh Nair, 98XXXXXX40 (Kochi) · Rahul: rahul.nair@example.com · Best time for video calls: Saturday or Sunday, 7–10 PM IST
Partner preferences when relocation is involved
From someone settled abroad
Age 26–30, graduate or above, open to moving to Canada. Happy to support her job search or further studies there.
From a woman working abroad
Looking for someone settled in the UK or willing to relocate; I plan to continue my career in London.
From someone planning to return
Open to a partner in India or abroad; we plan to settle in Pune within five years.
Add a visa or citizenship condition only if it truly is one. “Green Card holders only” rules out many people who would otherwise suit you.
Sample NRI biodata
Biodata — Rahul Nair
Personal details
| Date of birth | 3 June 1994 |
| Height | 5′ 10″ (178 cm) |
| Religion | Hindu |
| Mother tongue | Malayalam |
| Marital status | Never married |
| Diet | Non-vegetarian |
| Grew up in | Kochi, Kerala |
Abroad details
| Lives in | Toronto, Canada (since 2018) |
| Status | Canadian permanent resident (since 2021) |
| Plans | Settled in Canada; visits Kochi every December |
Horoscope
| Time & place of birth | 7:15 AM, Kochi |
| Star | Pooyam |
| Raasi | Karkidakam |
Education & career
| Education | M.Eng, University of Toronto (2019) · B.Tech, CUSAT (2016) |
| Occupation | Senior Data Engineer, a bank, Toronto |
| Income | CAD 115,000 – 130,000 per year |
Family
| Father | Suresh Nair — retired Deputy Manager, Cochin Shipyard |
| Mother | Lekha Nair — teacher, Kochi |
| Siblings | One younger sister, married, doctor in Bengaluru |
| Family in India | Parents live in Kochi |
About me
| I moved to Toronto for my master’s in 2018 and now build data systems at a bank. I cook Kerala food most weekends, play cricket in a local league in summer and have learned to enjoy the snow. I call home every Sunday. I value honesty, humour and making decisions together. |
Partner preferences
| Age 26–30, graduate or above, open to moving to Canada. Happy to support her career or further studies there. Hindu; community no bar. |
Contact
| Father | Suresh Nair — 98XXXXXX40 (Kochi); best time 7–10 PM IST |
| Rahul | rahul.nair@example.com |
Sample only — all names, dates and numbers are invented.
For families receiving an NRI proposal
Most proposals from abroad are genuine. A few are not, and the checks below are ordinary diligence, not an insult, when done politely.
- Have more than one video call, including one at the person’s home. Repeated excuses to avoid video are a warning sign.
- Check that the employer, job title and city match a LinkedIn profile; at the serious stage, asking to see an offer letter or payslip is reasonable.
- Ask to see the visa, PR card or passport page before the engagement.
- Confirm marital history through relatives and through people who know the family in the city abroad.
- Be wary of pressure to marry within days, any request for money, or a plan for the bride to travel before the marriage is registered.
- Register the marriage in India, and keep copies of the spouse’s passport, visa and address abroad.
The Ministry of External Affairs publishes guidance on marriages to overseas Indians, and the National Commission for Women has an NRI cell. For what to share and withhold on your own biodata, see contact details and safety.
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Last updated 30 September 2026 · Biodata for Marriage team
Frequently asked questions
What should an NRI write in a marriage biodata?
Should salary be in rupees or foreign currency in an NRI biodata?
How do I write visa status in a biodata?
Is an OCI card holder an NRI?
How can we verify an NRI marriage proposal?
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