Published On: 25 June 2026

Buying a home in India from abroad is simpler than most Non-Resident Indians expect, but the rules around money movement, taxes and documentation reward planning. This guide walks through what an NRI legally can and cannot buy, how NRI home loans work, how to bring sale proceeds back overseas, and the paperwork that keeps a registration clean. Hyderabad — and the Kukatpally belt in particular — has become a favoured NRI market, and a metro-anchored launch like Godrej Brooklyn Avenue is a good worked example of the questions that come up. The rates and limits below are current as of 2026; verify live figures with your bank, the RBI/FEMA notifications and your chartered accountant before you transact.

What an NRI Can Legally Buy

Under FEMA (the Foreign Exchange Management Act) an NRI or a Person of Indian Origin may freely buy residential and commercial property in India. There is no cap on the number of homes you may own. The one clear restriction is on land use: an NRI cannot purchase agricultural land, plantation property or a farmhouse, and may only acquire such land by inheritance, not by direct purchase. An apartment in a RERA-registered residential project — like a 3 BHK or 4 BHK at Godrej Brooklyn Avenue — falls squarely inside the permitted category, so no special RBI approval is needed for the purchase itself.

How an NRI Pays — Banking Channels

All payments must route through normal banking channels in Indian rupees, never in cash carried into the country. NRIs typically fund a purchase from an NRE account (Non-Resident External, for income earned abroad and fully repatriable), an NRO account (Non-Resident Ordinary, for India-sourced income), or by inward remittance from overseas. Earnest money and the booking deposit — at Godrej Brooklyn Avenue the refundable EOI is ₹5–6 lakhs — should be paid from one of these accounts so the audit trail is clean from day one. Keep every foreign-inward-remittance certificate; it matters later for repatriation.

NRI Home Loans — Eligibility & LTV

Indian banks and housing-finance companies lend readily to NRIs against residential property. As of 2026 a typical floating rate is around 7.75% per annum, broadly in line with what resident borrowers pay; verify the live rate with your lender. Loan-to-value usually runs 75–90% of cost, with the balance funded as your own margin. Core eligibility is a valid passport and visa, age roughly 21–65 at loan maturity, and a stable income — salaried applicants are generally expected to have worked abroad for at least a year, and self-employed applicants for around three years. The loan is disbursed and repaid in rupees, with EMIs usually serviced from your NRE or NRO account. Tenure is commonly capped shorter than for residents (often up to 20–25 years). For the full repayment picture and a configuration-wise breakdown, see our payment plan page.

Indicative EMI (₹) — at ~7.75% p.a.

Loan amount	20-year EMI	30-year EMI
₹1.5 Cr	~₹1,23,140	~₹1,07,460
₹2.0 Cr	~₹1,64,190	~₹1,43,282
₹3.0 Cr	~₹2,46,290	~₹2,14,920

These are illustrative on a fully-disbursed loan; during construction many lenders charge only pre-EMI interest on the amount drawn so far. Rates reset periodically, so treat the table as a planning aid, not a quote — confirm the applicable rate and tenure with your bank as of 2026.

Repatriation — Bringing Money Back

Repatriation is where NRIs most often get caught out, so plan it before you buy, not after you sell. If you funded the purchase from an NRE account or by inward remittance, the principal can generally be repatriated, subject to the prevailing rule capping repatriation to the proceeds of up to two residential properties. Sale proceeds of property funded from an NRO account fall under the broader USD 1 million per financial year limit, supported by a chartered accountant's certificate (Form 15CA/15CB). Rental income, after tax, is also repatriable through the NRO route. The cleaner your original funding paper trail, the smoother the exit — which is exactly why the banking channel and remittance certificates matter from the first cheque.

TDS & Taxation Snapshot

When you eventually sell, the buyer must deduct TDS on the sale consideration paid to an NRI seller — at a higher rate than the 1% that applies to resident sellers — though you can apply to the income-tax department for a lower-deduction certificate where your actual gains are smaller. While you hold the property and let it out, rental income is taxable in India and TDS may apply. Long-term capital-gains exemptions (reinvesting in another house or in specified bonds) are available to NRIs on the same terms as residents. Tax rules change frequently, so confirm the current TDS rate and exemption limits with your CA as of 2026.

Power of Attorney & Documents

Most NRIs cannot fly in for every signing, so a Power of Attorney (PoA) in favour of a trusted relative or a professional is standard. Execute it before a notary or the Indian consulate in your country of residence, then have it adjudicated/stamped in India so it is valid for registration. Keep the PoA specific — naming the project, unit and acts authorised — rather than open-ended. The core document set you should assemble is below.

• Valid passport and visa / OCI or PIO card — proof of NRI status
• Overseas address proof and recent photographs
• PAN card — mandatory for registration and for filing returns on rental or capital gains
• NRE/NRO bank statements and remittance certificates — the funding trail
• Notarised/consularised Power of Attorney — if you will not sign in person
• Income and employment proof — for the home loan, attested where required

Why Hyderabad and Kukatpally Suit NRIs

Hyderabad offers a rare combination for an overseas buyer: a large IT and pharma employment base that keeps tenants in demand, relatively disciplined pricing versus other metros, and an expanding metro network that protects rental values. Kukatpally sits on the Red Line at JNTU College Metro Station and links straight into the HITEC City–Gachibowli IT belt, which keeps occupancy and resale liquid. For NRIs comparing localities, our note on the best areas to invest in Hyderabad in 2026 and the locality-level rental yield in Kukatpally are useful companions to this guide.

Who Should Buy — and Who Should Wait

A new-launch like Godrej Brooklyn Avenue, with possession in 2031, suits NRIs buying for appreciation and a future India base, who are comfortable with construction-linked payments and a longer horizon. It suits less well an NRI who needs immediate rental income or plans to occupy within a year — for them a ready-to-move unit is a better fit. If your funds are still abroad and your tax residency is unsettled, settle the FEMA and repatriation plan first, then buy.

Frequently Asked Questions — NRI Property Buying in Hyderabad