2025 Personal Finance Updates: Key changes to know and plan ahead; visa, credit card, EPFO, fixed deposits, UPI, more

New Year 2025 is just around the corner, and it brings more than just resolutions: it is a chance to realign our financial goals for the year. Planning finances for the new year will require awareness of key changes in 2025, including fixed deposit rules, credit card benefits, visa regulations, etc. 

Being unaware of these personal financial changes may lead to missing key deadlines or deprive you of benefits of significant schemes. As we welcome 2025, start the new year on the right financial footing by knowing the upcoming economic changes related to EPF, visa, FD, etc.

Visa changes in 2025

Indians who are planning to apply for visas in countries like Thailand, the United States, and the United Kingdom must be aware of the new updates to visa guidelines that will come into effectnext year.

Thailand visa changes

Thailand will implement an upgraded e-visa system that will allow travellers across India to apply online through www.thaievisa.go.th. The system will be accessible to a larger section of regions worldwide.

US visa changes in 2025

The United States has announced several changes to its visa policy, including categories like the H-1B visa, which will take effect in 2025.

Indians who are looking to apply for visa in 2025 will be required to fill out a new version of the Form I-129 from 17 January 2025. Additionally, the American government has revised definitions for cap-exempt organisations, improved the transition for F-1 visa holders, improved the process for visa extensions, etc.

UK Visa Changes in 2025

The United Kingdom has increased the required percentage of financial reserves for visa applicants. From January 2025, Indians planning to apply for a UK visa must show at least 11% more in financial reserves than the current requirement.

Fixed Deposit Changes

The Reserve Bank of India has changed Fixed Deposit rules for non-banking financial companies and housing finance firms. The new FD rules will come into effect in January 2025. The RBI guidelines deal with terms such as accepting public deposits, maintaining a minimum percentage of liquid assets, and repaying public deposits. 

As per the new rule, FD holders in an NBFC can withdraw small deposits (less than ₹10,00) before maturity. Additionally, FD holders can withdraw the full amount in case they are suffering from a critical illness.

RuPay Credit card holders lounge access policy

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)’s updated guidelines for RuPay credit cardholders will take effect on January 1, 2025. The revised policy will introduce tier-based spending criteria for exclusive airport lounge access.

Sensex, Bankex, Sensex 50 monthly expiry 

The expiry days of Sensex, Bankex and Sensex 50 index derivatives contracts will be revised from January 1, 2025. As per Bombay Stock Exchange’s announcement on November 28, Sensex’s weekly contracts will expire on Tuesday of every week from Friday every week from January 1, 2025. 

All the monthly contracts of Sensex, Bankex, and Sensex 50 will expire on the last Tuesday of January 1, 2025. Currently, the existing expiration days for the same are last Friday, last Monday, and Thursday, respectively.

Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO)

The Central Pension Payment System (CPPS) is set to be implemented as part of the EPFO’s IT modernisation project, CITES 2.01, with a target operational date of January 1, 2025. This will enable 7.8 million members of the Employee Pension Scheme to take their pensions from any bank branch in India as of January 1, 2025.

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) will reportedly implement a host of changes, including a PF money withdrawal facility from ATMs and eliminating the EPF contribution limit, according to an Economic Times report.

UPI Payment

The Reserve Bank of India, starting on 1 January 2025, will enable  Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payments for full-KYC Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs) through third-party UPI applications. The move will ensure better flexibility for customers. The move will enable PPI wallet holders to use third party application to make transactions using a UPI.