To sell property in India an NRI needs a PAN, passport or OCI card, the original title deed and chain documents, an encumbrance certificate, mutation and tax receipts, society or authority no-objections, an NRO bank account, and a registered power of attorney if not attending. To buy, the NRI needs PAN, passport or OCI, overseas address proof, funds through an NRE, NRO or FCNR account, and the seller's complete title papers. Aadhaar is not mandatory for NRIs.
Identity and status (both buyer and seller)
- PAN card (mandatory for registration and tax)
- Passport, with visa or residence permit
- OCI card, for foreign passport holders
- Overseas address proof: utility bill, bank statement or driving licence
- Indian address, if any, for correspondence
- Recent passport-size photographs
- Name-change or one-and-the-same-person affidavit if names differ across documents
- Aadhaar, only if you have one; it cannot be insisted upon for NRIs
Names must match exactly across PAN, passport and title deed. A mismatch in spelling or order is the commonest reason a Sub-Registrar sends a party back.
If you are selling
Title and property documents
- Original sale, gift, partition or allotment deed in your name
- Prior chain deeds for thirty years, or certified copies
- Encumbrance certificate for the period of your ownership
- Mutation, record of rights, khata or property card
- Latest property tax and utility receipts
- Sanctioned plan and occupancy or completion certificate
- Society share certificate, no-objection and no-dues letter
- Loan closure letter and release of mortgage, if there was a loan
If the property was inherited: death certificate, will with probate where required, or legal heir or succession documents, and no-objection or release deeds from other heirs.
Tax: proof of purchase cost and improvements; a lower deduction certificate if obtained; the buyer's TAN and, after sale, the tax deduction certificate. See TDS on sale.
If you are buying
- Seller's title deed and thirty-year chain
- Encumbrance certificate and mortgage registry search
- Approved plan and occupancy certificate
- RERA registration details for projects
- Seller's PAN, and TAN arrangements if the seller is an NRI
- Society or builder no-objection
- Your bank statement showing source of funds
- Home loan sanction letter, if borrowing
Do not rely on copies supplied by the broker. Commission an independent title verification and insist on seeing originals before paying beyond a token amount. Payment must be made from an NRE, NRO or FCNR account or by inward remittance; keep the remittance advice, as it proves your right to repatriate later.
Power of attorney documents
- Draft specific to the property and transaction
- Attorney holder's PAN, identity and address proof and photographs
- Your signature on every page before the consular officer or notary
- Two witnesses with identity details
- Apostille or consular attestation
- Stamping in India within three months of arrival
- Registration with the Sub-Registrar where the state requires
- Courier receipt showing date of arrival in India
The sequence is in our guide to giving a power of attorney from abroad.
At registration
The Sub-Registrar will want the executed deed on proper stamp paper or with e-stamp, identity proofs of all parties and two witnesses, PAN of buyer and seller, photographs and biometrics of those present, the power of attorney in original, and proof of payment of stamp duty, registration fee and tax deducted at source. Some states require prior online appointment and data entry, and a market value certificate or valuation slip.
For repatriating sale proceeds
- Registered sale deed
- Original purchase deed and proof of how you paid
- Tax deduction certificate and tax payment challans
- Chartered accountant's certificate (Form 15CB)
- Online declaration (Form 15CA)
- Bank's remittance application and declaration
- NRO account statement showing the credit
- Inheritance documents, if the property was inherited
See repatriation of funds and the full guide to selling.
- PAN is mandatory; Aadhaar is not required of NRIs.
- Names must match across PAN, passport and title deed.
- Sellers: get mutation, no-dues letters and cost proof ready before finding a buyer.
- Buyers: verify title independently and pay only through banking channels.
Frequently asked questions
Does an NRI need an Aadhaar card to sell property in India?
No. Aadhaar is issued to residents and is not mandatory for NRIs. Passport, OCI card and PAN serve as identity. If you do hold an Aadhaar you may be asked to produce it.
Does an NRI need a PAN card to sell or buy property?
Yes. PAN is required for registration of transactions above the prescribed value, for tax deduction and for claiming credit or refund.
Are original documents required, or will copies do?
The Sub-Registrar, the buyer's lawyer and lenders will require originals of the title deed and power of attorney. Keep certified copies and scans, but plan for originals to be available in India.
What if I have lost the original title deed?
Obtain a certified copy from the Sub-Registrar, file a police report, publish a notice in newspapers and execute an indemnity. Buyers may still negotiate on price, and banks may be cautious.
Is an OCI card sufficient identity for registration?
Yes, together with the foreign passport and PAN. Carry the originals, or ensure your attorney holder has attested copies.
