I want to buy a property in India
Separate purchase eligibility from title checks, local approvals and the payment process.
Source snapshot: 5 September 2026. Check current requirements with the issuing authority.
Understand the issue
For NRIs and OCIs resident outside India, the general purchase route excludes agricultural land, plantation property and farmhouses. A residential description in a sales brochure is not enough to establish the legal land classification.
Prepare your next steps
Establish what is being sold
Collect the survey or property identifier, land classification, title deeds and the seller’s authority to sell.
Check eligibility and local restrictions
Ask which FEMA route applies to you and whether state, tribal-area, tenure or land-use restrictions affect this parcel.
Commission independent document checks
Ask a property lawyer you appoint for a written title and encumbrance review, including the limits of the search.
Verify the project and the payment trail
For a developer purchase, check the relevant RERA record where applicable. Confirm the named recipient and the permitted funding route with your bank.
Get the registration requirements in writing
Ask the local Sub-Registrar which documents, current duties, appointments and representation arrangements apply.
Documents to prepare
- Property identifier and land classification
- Title chain and encumbrance records
- Draft sale agreement and approval copies
- Your passport/status documents and funding trail
Questions for your adviser
- What written evidence establishes that I may acquire this specific parcel?
- What title risks remain after your search?
- Which charges are statutory, and which are your professional fees?
Watch for
A claim that a “farmhouse” is permitted because it is in a gated project needs evidence of the actual land classification and acquisition route.
Who can help
An independent local property lawyer before a binding commitment; your bank for the funding route.
Original sources
- Reserve Bank of India: Acquisition and transfer of property
National foreign-exchange rules for acquiring, transferring and repatriating proceeds from property.
- Department of Land Resources: Land records and registration services
Government-maintained list of state and UT land-record portals.
- Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs: State and UT real estate regulators
Find the relevant RERA authority and check projects, agents and complaint routes.
General information only. Verify your circumstances and current rules with the relevant authority and a qualified professional before acting.
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