How to write an NRI marriage biodata that covers what Indian families actually want to know. Visa status, income in foreign currency, settlement plans, and more.
SmartBiodata Team
10 min read
An NRI marriage biodata needs more information than a regular Indian biodata. Families in India evaluating an NRI match have specific questions, and NRIs looking for Indian matches need to address those questions upfront.
This guide covers the full NRI biodata format with samples and practical tips. If you plan to share your biodata over WhatsApp (which most NRI families do), also check out our WhatsApp biodata sharing guide.
When a match involves someone living abroad, families in India want to know things that a standard biodata doesn't cover:
Where exactly are they settled? Country, city, and residency status
Will they come back to India? Or does the partner need to relocate?
What's the actual income? In foreign currency, with an INR conversion for context
How often do they visit India? Regular connection with India matters to most families
What's their visa situation? Citizen, PR, work visa... these are very different things
Are they culturally connected? Do they maintain Indian values, speak their language, celebrate festivals?
Who will look after ageing parents? This comes up a lot, especially when there's only one child abroad
A good NRI biodata answers these upfront. It saves time and reduces hesitation from families in India.
Be specific:
"Currently settled in: London, United Kingdom"
"Based in: San Jose, California, USA"
"Resident in: Toronto, Ontario, Canada"
This is one of the first things families look at:
| Status | How to Write It |
|---|---|
| Citizen | "US Citizen" / "UK Citizen" / "Canadian Citizen" |
| Permanent Resident | "US Permanent Resident (Green Card holder)" / "Canada PR" / "Australia PR" |
| Work Visa | "H-1B Visa (USA)" / "Skilled Worker Visa (UK)" |
| Student | "F-1 Student Visa, completing PhD 2026" |
| OCI Card holder | "OCI card holder" (if based in India but has foreign citizenship) |
Why this matters: Citizenship and PR are permanent. Work visas can be cancelled or expire. Families assess these very differently.
State income clearly in the local currency:
"Annual Income: USD 120,000 (approx. ₹1.0 Cr)"
"Annual Salary: GBP 75,000 (approx. ₹80 LPA)"
"Annual Income: CAD 95,000 (approx. ₹58 LPA)"
"Annual Package: AED 250,000 (approx. ₹57 LPA), Dubai"
Always include the approximate INR equivalent. Most families in India can't contextualise what USD 120,000 actually means without the conversion.
How long you've been outside India:
"Living in the US since 2016 (9 years)"
"Relocated to Canada in 2020"
"Working in Dubai since 2018"
This tells families how settled you are abroad.
"Visits India: 2–3 times a year"
"Visits India annually for 3–4 weeks"
"Plans to return permanently to India within 3 years"
If you plan to come back:
"Planning to return to India in 2027 after completing 10-year work tenure"
"Considering return to India within 5 years for family responsibilities"
"No plans to return. Partner should be willing to relocate to UK"
Be honest about this. Misaligned expectations on where to live are one of the most common reasons NRI matches fall apart.
State this explicitly:
"Seeking a partner willing to relocate to USA"
"Looking for a match in India, planning to return within 2 years"
"Will relocate to India after marriage"
People creating a biodata for a second marriage who are also NRI should be especially clear about settlement plans, since there may be additional factors like children's schooling or custody arrangements.
Full Name
Date of Birth | Age
Height | Blood Group
Religion | Caste | Gotra
Rashi | Nakshatra | Manglik status
Marital Status
Country of Residence: USA / UK / Canada / Australia / UAE etc.
City/State of Residence
Visa / Immigration Status: Citizen / PR / H-1B etc.
Time in [Country]: X years
Same as standard format. Degree, institution, year. Foreign university names carry weight, so include them.
Profession / Job Title
Company / Organisation
Annual Income: In foreign currency + INR equivalent
City / Country of Work
Standard format (see our guide on how to write family details in biodata) with:
Whether parents are in India or abroad
Whether siblings are abroad or in India
India visit frequency for the NRI candidate
Create a dedicated section for NRI details:
NRI DETAILS
────────────────────────────────────
Country: United Kingdom (London)
Visa Status: British Citizen
In UK Since: 2014 (11 years)
India Visits: 2 times per year
Settlement Plans: Open to staying in UK or returning to India
Partner Relocation: Partner should be willing to settle in UK
For NRI biodatas, showing cultural connection makes a real difference:
"Despite living abroad for 10 years, maintain close ties with Indian culture. Celebrate all festivals, speak Telugu at home, and visit family in Hyderabad twice a year. Strongly value family and community."
NRI expectations tend to be more specific:
Location: Partner in India or already abroad?
Relocation willingness: This is a must-discuss if the NRI plans to stay abroad
Cultural alignment: How traditional vs modern?
Family responsibility: Care for ageing parents in India vs abroad?
Personal Details
Name: Vivek Subramaniam | DOB: 22/04/1990 | Age: 35
Height: 5'10" | Blood Group: B+
Religion: Hindu | Caste: Brahmin (Iyer)
Gotra: Bharadwaj | Rashi: Meena | Nakshatra: Uttara Bhadrapada
Manglik: No
Country: San Francisco, California, USA
Visa Status: US Permanent Resident (Green Card, since 2022)
In USA since: 2012 (13 years)
India Visits: Once a year, 3–4 weeks
Education
B.Tech (Computer Science), IIT Madras, 2012
M.S. (Computer Science), Carnegie Mellon University, USA, 2014
Occupation
Senior Engineering Manager, Google Inc., Mountain View, CA
Annual Income: USD 280,000 (approx. ₹2.35 Cr)
Family
Father: Sh. V. Subramaniam, Retired IAS Officer, Chennai
Mother: Smt. Meena Subramaniam, Homemaker, Chennai
Elder Sister: Priya, Married, Neurosurgeon, Boston, USA
Family Type: Nuclear | Native: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Cultural Connection Actively maintains Tamil Brahmin traditions. Observes Puthandu, Karthigai Deepam. Speaks Tamil at home. Regular contact with family in Chennai. Intends to retire in India.
Settlement Plans Settled in USA; open to returning to India in 10–12 years. Seeking partner willing to relocate to USA. If partner prefers India, open to discussing after marriage.
Expectations Seeking a Tamil Brahmin girl, well-educated (postgraduate preferred), ideally based in India or willing to relocate to USA. Should be family-oriented, culturally connected, and supportive of each other's careers. Age 28–33.
Contact India contact: Father, +91 94XXXXXXXX (Chennai) Email: vivek.subramaniam@example.com Location: San Francisco, USA
Personal Details
Name: Preethi Rajkumar | DOB: 18/09/1995 | Age: 30
Height: 5'5" | Blood Group: O+
Religion: Hindu | Caste: Nadar
Rashi: Karka (Cancer) | Nakshatra: Pushya
Manglik: No
Country: Birmingham, United Kingdom
Visa Status: British Citizen (by naturalisation, 2023)
In UK Since: 2019 (6 years)
India Visits: Twice a year
Education
B.Pharm, SRM University, Chennai, 2018
M.Sc. (Pharmacy), University of Birmingham, 2020
Occupation
Clinical Pharmacist, NHS, Birmingham
Annual Income: GBP 52,000 (approx. ₹55 LPA)
Family
Father: Sh. S. Rajkumar, Business (Hardware Trade), Madurai
Mother: Smt. Usha Rajkumar, Homemaker
Elder Brother: Karthick, Married, Software Engineer, Chennai
Family Type: Joint family | Native: Madurai, Tamil Nadu
Cultural Connection Deeply Tamil in culture despite living in the UK. Cooks traditional Tamil food weekly. Celebrates Pongal, Karthigai. Regular WhatsApp calls with family. Intends to maintain India connection permanently.
Settlement Plans Settled in UK. Looking for a partner willing to relocate to UK. Open to visiting India frequently.
Expectations Looking for a Tamil or South Indian Hindu man, employed or settled in UK/Europe/USA. Healthcare, engineering, or business background preferred. Should be willing to settle in the UK. Age 30–36. Family-oriented.
Contact India contact: Brother, +91 87XXXXXXXX (Chennai) Email: preethi.rajkumar@example.com Location: Birmingham, UK
This is the most common thing people leave out. Families want to know whether you're truly settled abroad (citizen/PR) or on a temporary visa.
Whether the partner needs to relocate is often left vague. State it explicitly so nobody's time is wasted.
Most families in India can't contextualise USD 120,000. Always include the INR equivalent.
Writing "maintain Indian values" without specifics sounds generic. Mention actual traditions, festival observances, or language practices.
NRI matches often involve long-distance exchanges before anyone meets in person. Use a recent, high-quality photo. See our guide on best photos for marriage biodata.
SmartBiodata supports NRI biodata creation with fields for:
Country of residence and visa status
Foreign currency income input
Cultural connection notes
Settlement and relocation preferences
All 8 templates are available. Share via WhatsApp link or download as a clean PDF, accessible anywhere in the world.
Create your NRI biodata for free. Preview instantly, download from ₹49.
Should I create one biodata for NRI matches and another for India-based matches? If your requirements differ a lot between the two audiences (e.g., one requires relocation and the other doesn't), two tailored biodatas can work. SmartBiodata lets you create and save multiple biodatas easily.
How do I mention income if I have stock options or bonuses on top of salary? State base salary + approximate total compensation: "Base: USD 150,000 + RSUs approx. USD 50,000 annually (total comp approx. USD 200,000 / ₹1.67 Cr)."
What if I'm on an H-1B and the visa could change? Be honest: "Currently on H-1B; Green Card application in process (PERM filed 2024)." Don't imply you're permanently settled if you're not.
Is an NRI match harder to arrange than a domestic match? It adds complexity, immigration considerations, long-distance, relocation decisions. But NRI matches are extremely common and well-supported by the matrimonial ecosystem. Many families specifically look for NRI matches.
What if I want to return to India within 2 years, should I say I'm NRI? Yes, you're currently NRI. Mention both facts: "Currently in London; planning to return to India in 2026." This is actually attractive to many families who want a child who will eventually come home.