Net Worth Certificate by CA
A net worth certificate is a statement by a practising chartered accountant of what you own, what you owe and the difference between the two on a given date. Embassies, banks and tender committees ask for it. Every certificate we issue carries an ICAI UDIN, so the reader can check it online in a minute.
What it is
Net worth is simple arithmetic: what you own minus what you owe. A net worth certificate puts that figure on a chartered accountant’s letterhead, with a schedule of assets and liabilities behind it, as on a stated date. Whoever reads it gets a figure a professional has checked against the papers.
For an individual, the certificate lists bank balances, fixed deposits, shares, mutual funds, provident fund balances, property, gold and vehicles, and then subtracts loans and dues. For a company, the term has a legal meaning. Section 2(57) of the Companies Act, 2013 defines net worth as paid-up share capital plus reserves created out of profits, securities premium and the profit and loss balance, less accumulated losses and deferred or miscellaneous expenditure not written off, as per the audited balance sheet. Revaluation reserves are left out.
The certificate is issued under the ICAI Guidance Note on Reports or Certificates for Special Purposes (Revised 2016). Since 1 February 2019, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India requires every certificate signed by a chartered accountant to carry a Unique Document Identification Number (UDIN).
Who it applies to
You are applying for a visa
Student, visitor, business and investor visa files often need proof that you or your sponsor (usually a parent) can carry the cost. A net worth certificate, read with bank statements and income tax returns, does that job.
You are borrowing or standing guarantee
Banks and NBFCs ask promoters, partners and guarantors for a statement of personal net worth before sanctioning or renewing a loan, often alongside a project report and CMA data. ICAI’s own UDIN list has a separate category for net worth certificates for bank finance.
You are bidding for work
Government and private tenders, dealership agreements and some licences set a minimum net worth. Picture a Faridabad fabrication company bidding for a public-sector supply contract: the bid asks for a minimum net worth, so the certificate must be drawn from its audited balance sheet, not a rough estimate.
Why it matters
Lets the reader verify it
A UDIN lets anyone check on the ICAI UDIN portal that a real, practising CA issued the certificate. Registration is not needed to verify. A certificate without one invites rejection.
Shows the whole picture
A bank statement shows one account. The certificate brings property, investments, deposits and loans into one figure, which is what a visa officer or credit team wants.
Avoids a second round
Delays usually come from a figure that doesn’t match the papers, or the wrong format. We work from your documents and the requester’s format from day one.
Documents required
Identity and purpose
- PAN and Aadhaar of the person whose net worth is certified
- The requester’s format or checklist, if they gave one
- Purpose and the date the certificate should speak to
- Income tax returns for recent years, where filed
Assets
- Bank statements and fixed deposit receipts
- Demat holding statement and mutual fund statements
- EPF and PPF passbooks, insurance policy statements
- Sale deed or title documents for property, with a valuation report from a registered valuer where the property is taken at market value
- Vehicle RC and jewellery valuation, if included
Liabilities
- Loan account statements for home, car, personal and business loans
- Credit card statements
- For companies and firms: audited balance sheet and trial balance on the certificate date (up-to-date books of account make this quick)
What the certificate looks like
There is no single government format. Most requesters accept a letter on the CA firm’s letterhead with a schedule attached. Some banks and embassies send their own format, and we use it word for word. A typical certificate covers these parts:
| Part | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Heading and addressee | “To whomsoever it may concern” or the named bank, embassy or tender authority |
| Person and date | Name, PAN and address of the person, and the date on which net worth is measured |
| Schedule of assets | Each asset with its basis: bank balance, market value of shares, valuer’s figure for property |
| Schedule of liabilities | Outstanding loans and dues on the same date |
| Net worth | Assets minus liabilities in rupees, and in the foreign currency with the exchange rate and its date where asked |
| Basis and limits | Which documents we examined and that the certificate is for the stated purpose only |
| Signature block | CA’s name, membership number, firm registration number, place, date and UDIN |
Here is the catch: a figure is only as good as the paper behind it. If a flat in Faridabad is shown at today’s market value, the certificate needs a registered valuer’s report or must say clearly that it uses purchase cost. We will not certify a value we cannot trace to a document.
How it works
Share the purpose and format
Tell us who will read the certificate and send their format if they have one. In practice, a student visa file and a bank’s guarantor form need quite different layouts.
Send the supporting papers
Upload statements, title documents and loan papers. We list anything missing in one message.
Review the draft schedule
We prepare the schedule of assets and liabilities. You check it. Nothing is signed until you confirm.
Receive the signed certificate with UDIN
A practising chartered accountant signs, generates the UDIN on the ICAI portal and sends you the signed copy, ready to upload or print.
Timelines
Date of the figures
Net worth is measured on one date. Visa and bank files usually want a recent date, so check the requester’s rule before you apply.
UDIN generation
ICAI allows a UDIN to be generated within 60 days of signing. We generate it at the time of signing, so the certificate leaves our office already verifiable.
Turnaround
Once all papers are in, a straightforward individual certificate is usually ready within a couple of working days. Property valuations or company accounts can add time.
What happens if the certificate is weak
Rejected for no UDIN
UDIN has been mandatory for CA certificates since 1 February 2019, so a certificate without one is not properly issued. Banks and embassies can verify the number online and may refuse a document that does not carry one.
Visa or loan delayed
Figures that don’t match the bank statements or property papers lead to queries. An application can sit for weeks while you collect fresh papers.
Questions about the signer
Only a chartered accountant holding a certificate of practice can sign. A certificate from anyone else, or one that inflates a figure, can be refused outright.
Frequently asked questions
Who can issue a net worth certificate in India?
A chartered accountant who holds a valid certificate of practice from ICAI issues it. The certificate carries the CA’s membership number, the firm registration number and a UDIN generated on the ICAI portal. Banks and embassies look for these details, and the UDIN lets them confirm online that the document is genuine. Our certificates are signed by a practising chartered accountant, so they meet this requirement.
What is UDIN and why does my certificate need it?
UDIN is an 18-character Unique Document Identification Number that ICAI made mandatory for all certificates signed by chartered accountants from 1 February 2019. It combines the year, the CA’s membership number and a random code. Anyone can enter it on the ICAI UDIN portal to check who issued the certificate and when, without registering. Every certificate we sign carries one.
Is there a fixed government format for a net worth certificate?
No, there is no single prescribed government format for individuals. Most banks and embassies accept a CA letter with a schedule of assets and liabilities, and some send their own template. We follow the requester’s format exactly when one is given, and otherwise use a clear format that lists each asset, each liability, the basis of value and the UDIN. Either way, the reader can follow every figure.
Can a net worth certificate be issued in US dollars or other currencies?
Yes. We show net worth in rupees and, where the embassy or bank asks, in the foreign currency as well. The certificate states the exchange rate used and the date of that rate, so the reader can follow the conversion. Tell us which currency the application needs when you share the format, and we will include both figures in the same certificate.
How is property valued in a net worth certificate?
Property is shown either at cost from the sale deed or at market value from a registered valuer’s report. A chartered accountant certifies figures from documents and does not value land or flats personally. If you want market value, we use the valuer’s figure and say so in the certificate. If no valuation report is available, we show cost and label it clearly, so nothing is overstated.
Can parents’ net worth be used for a student visa?
Yes, where the visa rules allow a sponsor, the certificate can be issued for the parent funding the studies. Say a family in Sector 15 is sending their daughter abroad for a master’s: the certificate is in the father’s or mother’s name, not hers. It then lists the parent’s own assets and liabilities, and is usually read with that parent’s bank statements and income tax returns. We can prepare separate certificates for both parents if the embassy wants them, and we keep the figures consistent across the file.
How is a company’s net worth worked out for a tender?
For a company, net worth follows Section 2(57) of the Companies Act, 2013. It is paid-up capital plus reserves from profits, securities premium and the profit and loss balance, less accumulated losses and unwritten-off expenditure, as per the audited balance sheet. Revaluation reserves are excluded. We certify the figure from your audited accounts and match it to the tender’s wording on the year required.
How long is a net worth certificate valid?
The law does not fix a validity period, because the certificate speaks to one date. The reader decides how recent it must be. Many banks and embassies want figures as on a date close to the application. If your application is delayed and the date becomes stale, we can issue a fresh certificate on updated papers, usually without starting from scratch.
Can the certificate be issued without an office visit?
Yes. You can share all documents online, review the draft schedule by email or WhatsApp and receive the signed certificate digitally, with the UDIN already generated. If the requester insists on a physical copy, we can send a signed original from our Faridabad office. Clients across India use this process, so distance is not a problem.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
There is no government fee for a net worth certificate. A registered valuer’s report for property, where you need one, is billed by the valuer separately.
Ready to begin?
Send us the requester’s format and your papers, and we will return a signed, UDIN-verified net worth certificate you can file with confidence.