What Is Roshan Digital Account & How To Open an RDA?

What is a Roshan Digital Account?

With over 9 million Pakistanis living abroad across 115 countries, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in collaboration with the commercial banks of Pakistan, has introduced a digital account named as Roshan Digital Account. It facilitates Non-Resident Pakistanis (NRPs) to make different types of financial transactions through this account online.

Such financial facilities include any conventional account services, Roshan Apni Car, Roshan Samaaji Khidmat, investment in Pakistan’s stock market, investment in commercial and residential real estate and Naya Pakistan Certificates.  The number of accounts opened have increased considerably over the time period bringing in a lot of revenue.

BENEFITS OF ROSHAN DIGITAL ACCOUNT

1. FULLY DIGITAL AND EASY TO OPEN
   • NRPs can open an account in Pakistan, through the affiliated commercial bank, through the digital and online process without the need to visit the bank branch. It requires only a basic set of information and the account can be opened within 48 hours.
2. AVAILABLE IN DIFFERENT CURRENCY
   • Funds can be transferred in a foreign currency, rupee or both. These accounts provide an online facility to convert from foreign currency to another, and vice versa.
3. CHOICE OF ACCOUNTS
   • Single, joint, current, and savings accounts are available.
4. ISLAMIC OPTION
   • Both conventional and Shariah-compliant accounts can be opened.
5. FULLY REPATRIABLE
   • Funds available in the Roshan Digital account can be remitted back from Pakistan without any approval from bank or SBP.
6. ELIGIBILITY
   • Non-resident Pakistanis with Pakistani passport, NICOP, POC or NIC. Individuals who are employed, self-employed, unemployed, housewives/homemakers, students, children, and pensioners. Companies or entities cannot open Roshan Digital Account.

TYPES OF ROSHAN DIGITAL ACCOUNT

Conventional account services

• Through this account, digital access is provided to NRPs to pay bills and fees, transfer funds, and make any e-commerce transaction online back in Pakistan with minimal charges.

Investment in the financial institutions and real estate

• Through Roshan digital account, NRPs can invest in the stock market or unit of mutual funds (Open-Ended Scheme). They can also invest in the Pakistani property market including both commercial and residential real property.

Roshan Apni Car

• This provides an opportunity for NRPs to get car financing at very attractive rates, as low as 7%, to provide cars to their family members in Pakistan.

Benefits include:

1. The loan can be obtained by completing an online form through the portal of bank in which the client has an account.
2. Approval time of the loan :
   • Loan is approved within 4 working dates from the date of submission of application.
3. This facility is being offered at relatively lower rates. There are two types of rates being offered:
   • Floating Rate
     • These rates vary over the period of tenor the financing is being obtained.
     • There are two types:
       • Lein based Floating rate:  Car financing is available at the SBP Floor rate plus 1 percent.
       • Non-Lein based Floating rate: Car financing is available at KIBOR of 6 months maturity plus 1 percent.
   • Fixed Rate
     • This rate is offered by the banks on the basis of their cost of deposits or PKRV (Pakistan Revaluation) rates at the time the loan has been applied for. The rate remains unchanged until the final payment of the loan.
4. Lower Insurance rates
5. Conventional/ Sharia Financing modes
6. Fast-track delivery – 50% reduction in the delivery time than the normal delivery time of the cars
7. Multiple cars – can avail up to 3 cars

Roshan Samaaji Khidmat

The purpose is to provide NRPs with the facility to fulfill any zakat or charitable obligations. For example, the non-resident Pakistanis can donate to the landmark Ehsaas program, Aga Khan Hospital, Akhuwat foundation, CHHIPA, The Citizens Foundation, Edhi, Indus Hospital, LRBT, Saylani and Shaukat Khanum Hospital.

Roshan Apna Ghar

The purpose of this product in the Roshan Digital Account (RDA) is to provide NRPs the facility to purchase land, build and renovate a house in Pakistan through their own investment and bank financing.

• Loans are available at attractive rates ranging from two to twenty five years.
• The financing facility involves both conventional and shariah compliant variants.
• Insurance of the property is free, up to the financing amount.
• The loan approval process is also faster.

Naya Pakistan Certificates (NPCs)

• Naya Pakistan Certificates (NPCs) are USD, PKR, Euro and British Pound-denominated sovereign instruments issued by the Government of Pakistan, following both conventional and shariah compliance. NPCs offer attractive risk-adjusted returns over different maturities
• Non-resident Pakistanis and Resident Pakistanis, who have assets declared abroad can avail the facility of NPCs.
• They are available at different tenors and at different rates; 3-month, 6-month, 12-month, 3-year and 5-year.
• It follows simple tax procedure as only 10% withholding tax is charged on profits.
• Funds can be remitted abroad without the approval of SBP or the affiliated bank.

How to open a Roshan Digital Account?

1. Select a Bank
   • Select any of the participating banks for opening an account.
2. Fill Account Opening Form
   • Go to the selected bank’s website for filling account opening form digitally. For example, Bank Alfalah, Bank Al-Habib etc.
3. Choose Digital Account Type
   • Choose the type of Digital Account – a Foreign Currency Account or a Pak Rupee Account.
4. Upload DocumentsAdd Picture
   1. You will need to upload scanned copies of the following documents to open an account.
      1. CNIC/ NICOP/ POC.
      2. Passport (Pakistani and/or foreign country).
      3. Proof of non-resident status.
      4. Applicable IRS FATCA forms (only for customers in the US)
      5. Proof of profession and source of income/ funds. For example, any one of the following documents:
         • For salaried individuals any one of the following: employment letter, salary slip or bank account statement.
         • For business persons any one of the following: business registration document, business letter head or bank account statement.
           • Add Picture
             • You will be asked for a digital photo that would be taken at the time of filling the form and uploaded live.
5. Receive Confirmation
   • You will get confirmation of account opening within 48 hours.
6. Transfer Funds
   • After account opening, you can transfer funds in the account through banking channels from the country of your residence.

How to invest in the Pakistan Stock market via Roshan Digital Account?

First, you have to select “Investment in Stock Market” on your bank’s portal/website / app. With the following three further steps, you can start investing in Pakistan Stock Market through Roshan Digital Account:

• Click on the ‘Consent’ tab to share Roshan Digital Account details with Central Depository Company (CDC) and other capital market entities
• Click ‘I Agree’ to Terms and Conditions for Investing in Pakistan Capital Market
• Selection of Broker e.g. Ktrade Securities Ltd.
• One can purchase shares through the broker’s online trading app/portal within the amount transferred by you to CDC.