Converting a foreign CPL to a DGCA licence
A foreign CPL, whether FAA, CASA, EASA or another ICAO authority, does not let you fly for an Indian airline as it is. You convert it to a DGCA licence. The process is well defined, but it is a real phase with its own exams, medical and flight test, so give it a place in your plan and budget rather than treating it as a formality tacked onto the end.
To convert a foreign CPL, DGCA requires you to pass a Composite paper (covering Air Navigation and Aviation Meteorology) plus Air Regulation, hold an Indian Class 1 medical, hold an Indian RTR(A), meet DGCA's 200-hour experience rules, pass a skill test in India, and have your foreign licence verified with the issuing authority. You apply on eGCA.
The exams are different from the Indian route
This is the part people get wrong. You do not sit the full five-paper CPL set. Under CAR Section 7, Series B, Part I, a candidate converting a CPL issued by a foreign authority (an ICAO Contracting State) takes a theoretical knowledge examination in:
| Paper | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Composite paper | Air Navigation and Aviation Meteorology, combined |
| Air Regulation | Indian air law, rules of the air, airspace, licensing and the ICAO framework |
Two papers, not five. Both are booked on the Pariksha portal like any other DGCA paper, so plan them against the published sessions using the exam calendar. Many pilots study for these while still abroad so they are ready to sit soon after landing.
DGCA requires the theoretical papers for a CPL to be completed within the five years immediately preceding your licence application. Confirm on the portal whether any additional recency applies to conversion candidates specifically before you plan your sittings.
The conversion steps
- 1
Clear the DGCA Composite and Air Regulation papers. Book them on Pariksha with your Computer Number.
- 2
Get an Indian DGCA Class 1 medical. A foreign medical does not carry over; you need a current DGCA medical from an approved examiner. DGCA has a dedicated circular on the Indian medical examination of foreign pilots.
- 3
Sort your RTR(A). You need an Indian radio telephony licence. DGCA has a circular covering the conversion or direct issue of RTR(A) for holders of a foreign Flight Radio Telephone Operator's Licence, so check whether you qualify rather than sitting the whole exam blind. See the RTR lesson for the current format.
- 4
Get your foreign licence verified. DGCA authenticates foreign licences and certificates directly with the issuing authority. This takes time and is outside your control, so start it early.
- 5
Pass a skill test in India. You fly a practical test to be endorsed on your Indian licence. DGCA's circular Demonstration of competency for conversion of foreign Commercial Pilot Licence (Aeroplanes) to Indian Commercial Pilot Licence (Aeroplanes) governs this.
- 6
Submit the conversion application on eGCA with your full document set and fees.
The governing circulars all sit on DGCA's Flight Crew Licensing circulars page. Read the current version rather than a summary, because they are revised.
Your hours count, but on DGCA's terms
DGCA applies its own Schedule II experience rules: 200 hours total, 100 PIC, 20 cross-country PIC including a 300 nautical mile flight, 10 instrument (at most 5 on a simulator) and 5 night with 10 take-offs and landings. If your licence was issued on a 150-hour integrated course or a 190-hour approved course, you will make up the difference. And hours logged in a capacity DGCA does not credit, such as shared or "buddy" flying, may be disallowed. Reconcile your logbook against DGCA's categories before you book anything.
Do not confuse conversion with FATA
DGCA also issues a Foreign Aircrew Temporary Authorisation (FATA), which lets a foreign licence holder fly for an Indian operator on a temporary authorisation. That is a different instrument with a different purpose. If your goal is an Indian CPL in your own name, you want conversion, not FATA.
Documents to gather
DGCA will confirm your foreign licence is genuine and valid. Expect to provide:
- Your foreign licence and its ratings
- Your logbook and training records from abroad
- Verification of your licence from the issuing authority
- Identity, education and medical documents
The documents checklist tracks the set, and the cost calculator lets you add the conversion phase to your budget rather than discovering it late.
Timeline
Conversion is a real phase, not a rubber stamp. How long it takes depends on when the exam sessions fall, how quickly the issuing authority responds to DGCA's verification request, how ready your documents are, and how soon you can schedule a skill test. Plan for it in months, not weeks, and budget for living costs during that period.
Frequently asked questions
Which DGCA exams do I need to convert a foreign CPL?+
Two: a Composite paper covering Air Navigation and Aviation Meteorology, and Air Regulation, per CAR Section 7, Series B, Part I. You do not re-sit the full five-paper Indian CPL set.
Does my foreign medical certificate count in India?+
No. You need a current Indian DGCA Class 1 medical from an approved examiner. DGCA publishes a specific circular on the medical examination of foreign pilots.
Do I have to redo RTR(A) after training abroad?+
Not necessarily. DGCA has a circular covering conversion or direct issue of RTR(A) for holders of a foreign Flight Radio Telephone Operator's Licence. Check whether you qualify before assuming you must sit the full exam.
Will I need extra flying hours to convert?+
Possibly. DGCA requires 200 hours with specific category minimums. A licence issued on a 150-hour or 190-hour approved course leaves you short, and some foreign-logged time may not be credited. Check your logbook against DGCA's categories early.
Is FATA the same as licence conversion?+
No. A Foreign Aircrew Temporary Authorisation lets a foreign licence holder fly for an Indian operator temporarily. Conversion gives you your own Indian CPL. They are different processes.
Key takeaways
- Conversion needs just two papers: the Composite (Navigation + Meteorology) and Air Regulation.
- You also need an Indian Class 1 medical, an Indian RTR(A), and a skill test in India.
- DGCA verifies your foreign licence with the issuing authority, which takes time. Start early.
- Your foreign hours count, but against DGCA's 200-hour categories, so you may need to top up.
- FATA is not conversion. Do not confuse the two.
Before you move on
Whichever route brought you here, you are now nearly a licensed commercial pilot. Before the final stage, one last money question: how to build the remaining hours without wasting money, in hour building.