NRI's - FAQ's

A Non Resident Indian (NRI) is an individual who is an Indian Citizen but has migrated to another country permanently or temporarily for the purpose of Employment, Education etc. Other terms, commonly used for an NRI are Overseas Indian, Expatriate or Indian Expatriate.

Any person who was born an Indian Citizen, but over time has chosen the citizenship of another country is considered a Person of Indian Origin (PIO).

Yes! The Reserve Bank of India has clearly granted permission to all Non Resident Indian's (NRIs) & Foreign Citizens of Indian origin (PIOs) to acquire & dispose immovable property in India, be it Residential or Commercial Property. However the RBI has a restriction on the purchase of Agricultural Land/Plantation Property or Farmhouses in India.

Any NRI or PIO interested in the purchase of Agricultural Land/Plantation Property or Farmhouses in India would have to send a formal request for the same to The Chief General Manager, Reserve Bank of India, Central Office Exchange Control Department, Foreign Investment Division (III), Mumbai 400 001.

An NRI or PIO can purchase a property either through an inward remittance in foreign exchange through normal banking channels or through the funds available in the NRE/NRO/FCNR accounts maintained in India by the Investor.

No! NRIs and PIOs do not require the permission of the RBI in order to transfer immovable property to any Indian Citizen, NRI or PIO.

Yes! There is no clause by the RBI, which restricts an NRI or PIO to rent the properties acquired by them. The amount received from rentals can also be repatriated back to the country they are residing in, without any restriction.

Yes! The sale proceeds of immovable property can be remitted out of India to the home country of the NRI or PIO, up to the maximum limit of the consideration amount originally remitted from abroad to purchase the property. However, the property has to be sold after a period of three years, from the date of the final purchase deed or from the date of payment of final instalment of consideration amount, whichever is later.

Additionally, the following points also need to be adhered to in this respect:

 i.  The immovable property was acquired by the seller in accordance with the provisions of the    Exchange Control Rules/Regulations/Laws in force at the time of acquisition, or the      provisionsof the Regulations framed under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999;

ii.  The amount to be repatriated does not exceed:

• the amount paid for acquisition of the immovable property in foreign exchange received through normal banking channels or out of funds held in foreign currency non-resident account(s) or
• the foreign currency equivalent, as on the date of payment, of the amount paid where such payment was made from the funds held in non-resident external account(s) for acquisition of the property; and
• in case of residential property, the repatriation of sale proceeds is restricted to not more than two such properties.

iii. Finally, application for the purpose of repatriation is required to be made to the Central      Office of Reserve Bank within 90 days of the sales of property in Form IPI 8.

Yes! NRIs can definitely appoint a Power of Attorney to complete all loan formalities towards the purchase of a property in India, considering the fact that an NRI wouldn't be in India for long periods. The stringent formalities followed by Indian banks, only means that the appointment of a Power of Attorney would be ideal.

It is advised that the Power of Attorney is preferably a Resident of India. Having said that, there would be certain procedures which have to be followed in order to execute the same:

 i.  The execution of the power of attorney must be done on a stamp paper or plain paper, as      the case may be in the country where the power of attorney is being executed.

ii.  The signatures of the executants have to be attested by an official of the Indian Embassy,      Indian Consulate or Trade Commissioner, in the country where the executants reside.

iii. The signature of the attorney should be verified in India by a Notary, his employer or his      banker on a separate piece of paper which should be submitted to SHFL together with the      Power of Attorney.