NRIs and OCI cardholders in Singapore can buy residential and commercial property in India, but not agricultural land, farmhouses or plantations. Payment must come through banking channels from an NRE, NRO or FCNR account or by inward remittance. On a sale, the buyer deducts tax on the sale value unless you hold a lower deduction certificate, and proceeds go to your NRO account before repatriation with Form 15CA and 15CB.
- Document route
- Notary + SAL apostille, or High Commission
- Time difference
- 2.5 hours ahead of IST
- Handled in India at
- Sub-registrar office and tax portal
- Travel to India
- None with a power of attorney
How it works from Singapore
For a purchase we check title for thirty years, read the builder agreement against the RERA registration, and confirm that the seller has clear authority to sell. You sign a special power of attorney in Singapore before a notary public, have it apostilled by the Singapore Academy of Law, and courier it to India, where it is stamped within three months. Your attorney holder then signs the agreement and sale deed at the sub-registrar's office while you stay at work in Singapore.
For a sale we start earlier than most people expect. An application for a lower deduction certificate is filed with the Indian tax office before the buyer pays any advance, so tax is deducted on your actual gain and not on the full price. Long-term gains for non-residents are taxed at 12.5 percent without indexation, plus surcharge and cess. After the sale deed is registered, a chartered accountant issues Form 15CB and your bank remits the money to Singapore within the USD 1 million a year limit.
What is different for NRIs in Singapore
- Singapore has no capital gains tax and no estate duty, so there is usually no second layer of tax to plan around; Indian tax is final.
- A Singapore apostille is accepted in India. Consular attestation at the High Commission of India is an alternative for Indian passport holders.
- Rent from Indian property remains taxable in India and the tenant must deduct tax before paying a non-resident landlord.
Step by step from Singapore
Free review call
Singapore is two and a half hours ahead, so calls are held from late morning onwards. We read your papers on a property purchase or sale in India first, so the call is about your options and not a repeat of the facts.
Authority from Singapore
Where a representative must act for you in India on a property purchase or sale in India, you sign before a Singapore notary public and obtain the Singapore Academy of Law apostille, or attend the High Commission of India. We draft the document and send signing instructions.
Work in India
In India, we verify title, settle the agreement and sale deed, handle the tax deduction paperwork and attend registration with your attorney holder. Updates for clients in Singapore go by email and WhatsApp with scans of whatever is filed.
Result and handover
At the end you receive the registered deed, tax certificates and, on a sale, the bank papers for repatriation. Originals are couriered to your address in Singapore if you need them.
The law in full
This page covers what changes when you handle a property purchase or sale in India from Singapore. For the Indian law, the complete document checklist, common mistakes and more questions, read our main page on Buying & Selling Property. For other matters, see all legal services for NRIs in Singapore or the Property & Real Estate practice area.
Questions from NRIs in Singapore
Can I buy a flat in India while living in Singapore without travelling?
Yes. A specific power of attorney signed and apostilled in Singapore lets a trusted person sign and register the documents for you. We prepare the draft and tell your attorney holder exactly what to sign.
How much tax will the buyer deduct when I sell from Singapore?
Without a certificate, the buyer deducts tax on the whole sale consideration at the rate for non-residents. With a lower deduction certificate, the deduction is limited to tax on your computed gain, which is often far less.
Can I take the sale money back to Singapore?
Yes. Sale proceeds credited to your NRO account can be repatriated up to USD 1 million per financial year after tax, with Form 15CA and a chartered accountant's Form 15CB.