We are Gana Unnayan Parshad, a Social Welfare Organisation and have been working for the upliftment and comprehensive development of the underprivileged people in the state of West Bengal as well as in different parts of the country.
We have got the last Sanction Letter of FCRA Renewal on 04/08/2016 for the period of 5 yrs (from 01/11/2016 to 31/10/2021). During this period we have received foreign grants and we have submitted the yearly return within stipulated time.
We have submitted the Renewal Application of FCRA on 29/12/2021 alongwith the requisite Fees online. But unfortunately the fees got returned back and on 12/01/2022 we have to pay Rs. 10,000/- (Rupees Ten Thousand only) to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
In the meantime on 04/01/2022 a mail was received from MHA Dept. that our Registration had been “Deemed to be Ceased” and we cannot receive or utilize any Foreign Grant in favour of our Organization.
Kindly look into the matter from your end and assist us regarding the process of Renewal of FCRA Registration in favour of our Organisation.
Soliciting your kind cooperation in this regard and oblige.
Ms. Sutapa Sarkar
Assistant Secretary
Gana Unnayan Parshad
Based on the details provided, here is an explanation of what happened to your FCRA registration and the steps you can consider taking next.
Why Your Registration Was “Deemed to be Ceased”
The core issue stems from the timeline of your renewal application.
Your FCRA registration expired on: October 31, 2021.
You submitted the renewal application on: December 29, 2021.
According to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, an application for renewal must be submitted before the date of expiry. Because your application was filed nearly two months after your registration had already expired, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) system automatically classified your registration as “Deemed to be Ceased.”
Receiving the email from the MHA on January 4, 2022, was the formal communication of this status. Paying the fee on January 12, 2022, unfortunately, could not reverse this, as the deadline to apply had already passed.
What You Can Do Now
Once a registration is “Deemed to be Ceased,” it is considered invalid, and you cannot receive or use foreign funds. A renewal is no longer possible for the old registration number. Your primary option is to start fresh. While you can send a letter to the MHA explaining the situation, its success is not guaranteed, and the standard response is often to advise applying for a new registration.