NPS Vatsalya Eligibility — Who Can Open?

NPS Vatsalya is designed to be accessible to most families in India. The eligibility criteria are simple: the subscriber must be an Indian citizen under 18 years of age, and the account is opened by a parent or legal guardian.

Eligibility criteria

Age

• The subscriber (minor) must be under 18 years of age
• There is no minimum age — you can open an account for a newborn

Citizenship

• Indian citizens: eligible
• Non-Resident Indians (NRIs): eligible
• Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs): eligible

Guardian

• The account is opened and operated by a parent or legal guardian
• If both parents are alive, either can be the guardian
• If one parent has died, the surviving parent is the guardian
• If both parents have died, a legally appointed guardian can operate the account

Income

• No income limit — families of any income level can open an account
• The minimum contribution is just Rs 250, making it accessible to all

Special cases

Adopted children

• Adopted children are eligible if they are Indian citizens under 18
• The adoptive parent is the guardian

Single parents

• Single parents can open and operate the account
• The single parent is the guardian

NRI/OCI children

• NRI and OCI children under 18 are eligible
• The minor's NRE or NRO bank account is mandatory for NRI/OCI subscribers
• Contributions can be made from NRE or NRO accounts

Twins/triplets

• Each child can have their own NPS Vatsalya account
• There is no limit on the number of accounts per family (unlike SSY which allows max 2)

Who can open the account?

Parents

• Either parent can open the account
• Both parents can contribute to the same account

Legal guardians

• Court-appointed legal guardians can open accounts
• Required: legal guardianship documents

Friends and relatives (contributions only)

• Friends and relatives can gift contributions to an existing NPS Vatsalya account
• They cannot open a new account (only parents/guardians can)

Documents required for eligibility verification

For the minor (date of birth proof — any one):

• Birth certificate
• School leaving certificate
• Matriculation certificate
• PAN card
• Passport

For the guardian (KYC — any one):

• Aadhaar card
• Driving license
• Passport
• Voter ID card
• NREGA job card
• National Population Register documents

For the guardian (additional):

• PAN card or Form 60 declaration

How many accounts can I open?

• One NPS Vatsalya account per minor
• If you have multiple children, each can have their own account
• There is no family limit (unlike SSY which allows max 2 girl children)

Disclaimer

Eligibility information is based on PFRDA NPS Vatsalya Scheme Guidelines 2025. Verify with PFRDA before opening an account.

Age: Under 18 years
Citizenship: Indian, NRI, OCI
Income: No limit
Operator: Parent or legal guardian
Min contribution: Rs 250