The Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF), set up in 2009 under the guidelines of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, Government of India.  The fund is aimed at providing ‘on site’ welfare services on a means tested basis in the most deserving cases such as;
(a)       Boarding and lodging for distressed overseas Indian workers in Household/Domestic sectors and unskilled laborers;
(b)       Providing air passage to stranded overseas Indian in need;

(c)        Providing initial legal assistance to the overseas Indians in deserving cases;

(d)       Extending emergency medical care to the overseas Indians in need;

(e)       Ppayment for small fines and penalties in respect of Indian nationals for minor offences/crimes;
(f)        Legal/financial assistance to Indian women abandoned/cheated/abused by their NRI or foreign spouses up to seven years after their marriage;
(g)       Expenditure on incidentals and for airlifting the mortal remains to India or local cremation/burial of the deceased overseas Indian in such cases where a sponsor is unable or unwilling to do so as per the contract and the family is unable to meet the cost.
The Fund is utilized only where the concerned overseas Indian citizen is not able to meet the expenditure for any of the purposes specified above.  All necessary details have to be furnished to the Indian Mission.  For this purpose, Consular Wing of the Mission can be contacted at cons.bratislava@mea.gov.in

Record about ICWF beneficiary
An endorsement is mandatory in the Passport and relevant database of ICWF Beneficiary.