Selling Indian property from abroad is a 60-120 day process with multiple parallel workstreams — title verification, buyer search, Lower TDS Certificate application, POA execution, registration, tax compliance, and repatriation.
Done well, it closes cleanly with maximum proceeds in foreign account.
Done poorly, it drags 6-12 months with TDS lockups, document gaps, and FEMA issues. This guide walks through every step in order.
What is the complete process to sell Indian property as an NRI?
The end-to-end process has 9 key steps:
(1) Document compilation and title review (Week 1-2).
(2) Property valuation and pricing strategy (Week 1-2).
(3) Apply for Lower TDS Certificate from Income Tax Department (Week 2-6, parallel).
(4) Marketing and buyer search (Week 2-8).
(5) Negotiate and sign Agreement to Sell (Week 6-10).
(6) Buyer's due diligence and loan approval (Week 8-12).
(7) Power of Attorney execution (if not coming to India) (Week 10-12).
(8) Sale Deed registration at sub-registrar (Week 12-14).
(9) Form 15CA/15CB filing and repatriation (Week 13-16).
Total: 14-16 weeks for clean transactions; can extend to 20-24 weeks for complex cases. Lower TDS Certificate is the single longest-lead-time item — start it first.
What documents does an NRI seller need to gather before listing the property?
Document checklist for NRI seller:
(1) Original Sale Deed / Title Deed in NRI's name.
(2) Parent documents — chain of title for past 30 years.
(3) Encumbrance Certificate (EC) for past 13-30 years.
(4) Latest property tax receipts (3-5 years).
(5) Electricity, water, gas bills (latest 3 months).
(6) Khata / Patta / Property Card (city-specific land record).
(7) Approved building plan and Occupancy Certificate (for built property).
(8) Society NOC and share certificate (for apartments).
(9) For inherited property — original will, probate or succession certificate, death certificate of original owner, mutation in NRI's name.
(10) PAN card and passport.
(11) For under-construction property purchase being resold — original Builder-Buyer Agreement, all payment receipts.
Get all originals scanned and stored digitally; keep originals safely (with a trusted family member or in a bank locker).
How should an NRI price the property for sale?
Pricing strategy from abroad:
(1) Get 3 independent valuations — from local real estate agents, from a registered government valuer (especially needed for Lower TDS Certificate computation), and through online portals (99acres, Magicbricks, Housing.com) which show comparable sales.
(2) Check government circle rate (minimum stamp duty value) — sale price below circle rate triggers tax issues for both buyer and seller.
(3) Account for sale costs — broker commission (typically 1-2%), legal fees (Rs 25,000-1 lakh), CA fees for 15CB (Rs 5,000-25,000), Lower TDS Certificate professional fee (Rs 25,000-75,000).
(4) Account for tax — capital gains will reduce net proceeds significantly; do an indicative computation upfront.
(5) Set asking price 5-10% above target net price to allow negotiation.
(6) Avoid pricing in foreign currency in the listing — Indian buyers think in INR; quote in INR.
How does an NRI find a buyer for property in India from abroad?
Buyer-finding channels:
(1) Local real estate brokers — engage 1-2 reputable local brokers (avoid exclusive agreements). Brokerage in India: typically 1% from each side, negotiable.
(2) Online property portals — list on 99acres, Magicbricks, Housing.com, Square Yards. NRI listings get good response. Consider paid premium listings for faster response.
(3) Local newspapers — for older neighbourhoods and senior buyer demographics, classifieds in local papers (Times of India, Hindu, Hindustan Times) still work.
(4) Society/community network — in apartment buildings, internal listings often surface buyers (existing residents looking to move within the same complex).
(5) NRI buyer networks — some properties especially attract NRI buyers from same diaspora; consider listing in country-specific NRI forums.
Most NRIs use a combination of broker + 1-2 online portals.
How does an NRI handle buyer due diligence and negotiations from abroad?
Run the buyer engagement remotely with structure:
(1) Use a single point of contact in India — POA holder, sibling, or appointed lawyer — to receive serious enquiries, conduct site visits, and forward offers.
(2) Pre-qualify buyers — ask for proof of funds or loan approval letter before serious discussion.
(3) For each serious offer, get it in writing (email or WhatsApp); don't negotiate over phone.
(4) Use video calls for direct buyer-seller discussion at offer stage; builds rapport, reduces back-and-forth.
(5) Use a property lawyer to vet the proposed Agreement to Sell — never use the buyer's draft as-is.
(6) Once Agreement to Sell is signed, the buyer typically gets 30-60 days to complete due diligence and arrange funds — keep regular check-ins with your POA holder.
When and how should an NRI execute Power of Attorney for the sale?
POA execution timing:
(1) Best if executed BEFORE the Agreement to Sell stage — ideally as soon as you decide to sell. This gives your POA holder authority to negotiate and sign documents on your behalf.
(2) Latest by 3-4 weeks before planned registration date — to allow for shipping, adjudication in India, and registration (if required).
(3) POA must be SPECIAL Power of Attorney for this specific property and specific transaction — not a General POA.
(4) Execute before Indian Embassy or Consulate (preferred — no further apostille needed) OR before a notary in country of residence with apostille.
(5) Send originals to India via DHL/FedEx — keep tracking number and copy.
(6) In India, the POA must be presented at the sub-registrar for adjudication of stamp duty within 3 months of arrival; typical stamp duty for sale POA is Rs 500-2,000 (state-specific).
(7) For sale, POA registration (not just adjudication) is mandatory in many states — check local rule.
What happens at the actual property registration day?
Registration day workflow:
(1) POA holder (or NRI in person) and buyer (or buyer's representative) attend the sub-registrar office.
(2) Bring originals: Sale Deed (drafted and printed on full-value stamp paper), POA original (with adjudication stamp), all chain documents, identity proofs of seller and buyer, two witnesses.
(3) Sub-registrar verifies identities (biometrics taken in most states), signatures, photographs taken.
(4) Sale Deed is signed by all parties in front of the registrar; witnesses sign.
(5) Original Sale Deed is registered (uploaded to government records); a registered copy is provided immediately or within 1-7 days (state-specific).
(6) Registration fee (typically 1% of consideration) is paid online before or at registration.
(7) Keys, possession, and original property documents are handed over to the buyer at registration in exchange for the final consideration tranche.
Total time at sub-registrar: 1-3 hours.
What does the post-registration repatriation process look like?
Post-registration steps to get money to foreign account:
(1) Buyer deposits TDS to government account within 30 days (Form 26QB for resident-to-resident, Form 27Q for resident-to-NRI).
(2) Buyer issues TDS certificate (Form 16A or 16B) — typically within 15-30 days.
(3) Net sale proceeds are paid to NRI's NRO account by buyer (via NEFT/RTGS/cheque).
(4) NRI files Indian ITR (or interim if FY end is approaching) declaring capital gain and TDS credit.
(5) CA prepares Form 15CB confirming tax compliance (a few days).
(6) NRI or POA holder files Form 15CA online.
(7) Bank submits outward remittance request — funds typically credited to foreign account in 2-7 business days.
Total timeline: 4-8 weeks from registration to foreign account credit (faster if Lower TDS Certificate was obtained, since less TDS needs to be locked up).
For complete details on selling property in India as an NRI and understanding the complete legal, tax, and repatriation process, visit our Selling Property in India page.