NRI Corner
Investing from afar.
Why Invest
Why Kerala. Why Thrissur. Why now.
We will not pretend Kerala is the highest-yield property market in India — it is not. What it is, is one of the most resilient. Here is the honest case.
- 01
Kerala holds value differently.
Land in Kerala — and Thrissur in particular — has historically resisted the boom-and-bust cycles of larger metros. Limited urban land, a strong remittance economy and conservative ownership patterns mean prices move quietly, but they tend to stay put.
- 02
Thrissur is the cultural and trade capital of central Kerala.
Three international airports within reach (Cochin, Calicut, Kannur), the new GIFT-style financial corridor, established medical and education infrastructure, and a deep diaspora that returns. Thrissur is not a frontier — it is a settled market that is still maturing.
- 03
Irinjalakuda — quieter, closer than you think.
Our flagship community sits in Irinjalakuda, a 35-minute drive from Cochin International Airport. Close enough for a long weekend home; far enough to be itself.
- 04
RERA, GST and digital records.
Kerala Real Estate Regulatory Authority (K-RERA) registration, GST-compliant sales, and Aadhaar-linked land records make remote due diligence meaningfully easier than it was a decade ago.
- 05
The rupee, the runway, and family ties.
For NRIs in the UAE, US, UK and Singapore, an Indian property is often as much about belonging as it is about yield. A home that the family can use, that generates rent in the meantime, and that you can move into when the time comes.
How we help
We build for the way you actually buy from abroad.
Distance is the real friction. We do not pretend to remove it — we organise around it. Here is what working with us looks like when you are not in the same country as the building.
Timezone-aware communication.
We schedule calls in your hours — Gulf, UK, US East, US West, APAC. WhatsApp for the small things; a real human on a video call for the big ones.
Video walkthroughs and live site visits.
Weekly construction updates, on-demand site walks via video call, and verified photographs from independent visits — not glossy renders.
Documentation and registration support.
We coordinate with your appointed Power of Attorney holder, your CA and your bank in India. End-to-end paperwork support so you do not need to be on the ground unless you want to be.
Repatriation and exit planning.
Whether you intend to hold, rent or eventually sell — we walk through the repatriation framework with you up front, so the exit is as clean as the entry.
FAQs
The questions we hear most.
Written for the first conversation, not the fifth. If something you need is not here, write to us and we will add it.
- 01
Can NRIs buy property in Kerala?
Yes. Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) are permitted by the Reserve Bank of India to acquire residential and commercial immovable property in India under the general permission route, without needing prior RBI approval. The principal restriction is on agricultural land, plantation property and farmhouses — those cannot be purchased by NRIs and may only come into NRI hands via inheritance.
- 02
What documents do I need to buy property as an NRI?
At minimum: a valid passport (and OCI/PIO card if you hold one), PAN card, Indian address proof (or overseas address proof with notarisation), recent passport-size photographs, and — if you are not flying down for the registration — a notarised and apostilled Power of Attorney in favour of someone you trust in India. For payment from abroad, you will also need an NRE, NRO or FCNR(B) bank account with an Indian bank.
- 03
How do I pay for the property from abroad?
Funds for an NRI property purchase must come through normal banking channels: inward remittance from your country of residence, or debit from your NRE / NRO / FCNR(B) account in India. Cash, traveller's cheques and informal transfers are not permitted. Payments are made directly to the developer's escrow account; receipts and a TDS certificate are issued for each tranche.
- 04
Are home loans available to NRIs?
Yes. Most major Indian banks and NBFCs offer home loans to NRIs and OCIs, typically funding 70–80% of the property value subject to income, age and tenure conditions. The loan is sanctioned in Indian Rupees, repayable from your NRE / NRO account or via inward remittance. EMIs cannot be paid from a foreign account directly.
- 05
Do I need to fly to India to register the property?
Not necessarily. If a trip is impractical, you can execute a Power of Attorney (PoA) in your country of residence — notarised by a notary public, attested by the Indian Embassy or Consulate, and adjudicated for stamp duty in India once received. Your appointed PoA holder can then complete the sale deed registration on your behalf at the Sub-Registrar's office.
- 06
What is K-RERA, and why does it matter?
The Kerala Real Estate Regulatory Authority (K-RERA) registers all qualifying real estate projects in the state and publishes their approvals, plans, completion dates and complaint history online. Before you commit to any project — ours or anyone else's — verify the K-RERA registration number on the official portal. It is the single most useful piece of due diligence you can do remotely.
- 07
What taxes apply when I buy?
At purchase you will encounter: GST on under-construction property (currently 5% on non-affordable residential, without input tax credit, at the time of writing), stamp duty and registration charges levied by the Government of Kerala, and TDS — the buyer is required to deduct 1% TDS on the sale consideration if the property value exceeds ₹50 lakh and remit it to the Income Tax Department. Specific rates and slabs change; confirm current figures with your CA before transacting.
- 08
What about rental income and tax while I hold the property?
Rental income from Indian property is taxable in India regardless of where you reside. Tenants paying rent to an NRI landlord are required to deduct TDS at the prescribed rate before remitting the balance. You can claim the standard deduction, municipal taxes paid and home-loan interest against this income. India's Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements with most NRI-hub countries (UAE, US, UK, Singapore, etc.) generally allow you to offset Indian tax against your home-country liability.
- 09
How do I sell, and can I send the proceeds back home?
Yes. Sale proceeds of a residential or commercial property held by an NRI may be repatriated subject to the limits and conditions in the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). Broadly: you may repatriate the proceeds of up to two residential properties in your lifetime, the amount repatriated cannot exceed the amount originally remitted in foreign exchange to acquire the property, and any balance falls under the general repatriation cap (currently USD 1 million per financial year from your NRO account). A CA-issued Form 15CA/15CB is required at the bank for the outward remittance.
- 10
How long does the buying process take?
From a signed booking form to a registered sale deed, a clean transaction typically runs four to eight weeks — most of it spent on documentation, bank approvals (if loan-funded) and the registration appointment itself. Construction-linked payments then continue per the milestone schedule. We provide a written timeline with every booking.
Repatriation
Bringing the proceeds home.
A high-level walkthrough of the FEMA framework that governs sending sale proceeds out of India. Written to set expectations, not to substitute for your CA.
The route in and the route out should match.
Funds remitted in foreign exchange to acquire a property can, broadly, be repatriated in foreign exchange when that property is sold. Funds paid from an NRO account follow the standard NRO repatriation framework instead. Keeping the source of funds documented and traceable from day one is the single most important step.
Two-property lifetime cap on full repatriation.
Under current FEMA rules, an NRI may repatriate the sale proceeds of up to two residential properties in a lifetime, subject to the amount originally remitted in foreign exchange.
USD 1 million per financial year from NRO.
Beyond the property-specific framework, balances in an NRO account — including sale proceeds, rental income and inheritance — may be repatriated up to USD 1 million per financial year, subject to tax clearance via Forms 15CA and 15CB.
TDS, then 15CA/15CB, then remit.
Sale of property by an NRI attracts TDS at the prescribed rate on the sale consideration (the buyer deducts and remits this). After tax clearance, your CA issues Form 15CB; you file Form 15CA online; the bank then processes the outward remittance to your overseas account.
Important
The figures and processes above reflect the broad position under the Foreign Exchange Management Act and Reserve Bank of India circulars at the time of writing. Specific limits, forms and rates change. Before transacting, please confirm the current position with a chartered accountant or banker authorised to handle FEMA filings.
Disclaimer
This page is informational and does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice. Rules and rates referenced (RBI, FEMA, GST, TDS, stamp duty, K-RERA) reflect the broad position at the time of writing and are subject to change. Please consult a qualified chartered accountant, banker or legal advisor before transacting.