Indian seafarers can earn completely tax-free under Section 10(6)(viii) if they spend 183+ days outside India in a financial year on a foreign-going vessel. Calculate your exact NRE status instantly.
1Select Financial Year & Basic Details
Financial Year *
The financial year for which you want to check NRE status (April to March)
Vessel Type *
Tax exemption under Sec 10(6)(viii) is ONLY for foreign-going vessels
2Add Your Contracts / Time at Sea This Year
Add each contract you signed out on. Days at sea = days you were outside India on the vessel (from sign-on to sign-off). Do not count days in Indian ports or when you were on Indian soil.
Add all contracts in this financial year. Each contract = one sign-on to sign-off period.
Total Days in India (leave, vacation, visits) this FY
Count every day you were physically present in India during this financial year, including transit days.
0
DAYS AT SEA
Calculating...
Days at Sea (Foreign)
0
Days outside India on foreign-going vessel
Threshold Required
183
Minimum days under Section 10(6)(viii) ITA
Days Remaining
0
📋 What Section 10(6)(viii) Actually Says
→Your salary income is fully exempt from Indian income tax if you are a crew member of a foreign-going ship and spend 183 days or more outside India in a financial year.
→The exemption applies only to salary earned from the foreign-going vessel. Income from other sources (FDs, rent, etc.) is still taxable.
→You need a Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC), Seafarer's Employment Agreement (SEA), and port entry/exit stamps as documentation.
→Even if exempt, you may still need to file an ITR if your gross income exceeds the basic exemption limit. File ITR-1 or ITR-2 and claim the exemption.
→Coastal vessels or Indian-flag ships on domestic voyages do NOT qualify. Only vessels on international voyages qualify.
→Many seafarers lose this exemption due to poor documentation. Keep copies of all Sign-On/Sign-Off pages from your CDC every year.
Don't pay tax you legally don't owe.
Most Indian seafarers either over-pay tax or get into trouble with ITR filings because they don't know the documentation requirements. SailorGPT can walk you through the exact documents you need, ITR filing procedure, and what to tell your CA.
Disclaimer: This calculator is a guidance tool only. Tax laws change and this tool is based on Section 10(6)(viii) of the Income Tax Act as currently understood. This is NOT tax advice. Always consult a qualified Chartered Accountant for your specific situation. Sailor Success Educational Services is not a registered tax advisor.