East Bengaluru buyer answers

How much of a flat's sale proceeds can an NRI repatriate?

Direct answer: Under the RBI's NRI repatriation property sale rules, you can send abroad, on the property route, up to what you originally paid in foreign exchange, for no more than two homes. The rest goes into your NRO account and can be remitted up to USD 1 million per financial year, after tax. Your purchase records decide the split.

Disclosure: acre&key’s advice is free to buyers.

Key takeaways

Property route: up to the amount you paid in foreign exchange (remittance, NRE or FCNR(B)), for at most two residential properties.
Loan repayments count if you repaid them from abroad or from NRE / FCNR(B).
Everything else: NRO account, then up to USD 1 million per financial year.
Tax comes first: the buyer deducts TDS, and your bank needs Form 145 (earlier 15CA) and often Form 146 (earlier 15CB).
Our TRAIL check: track, route, asset count, income-tax clearance, limit.

You've sold a flat in Bengaluru and want the money in your overseas account. How much can go, and how fast, mostly depends on how you paid for it years ago. This page explains the split with worked numbers. For the buying side, see our NRI buying guide.

What does the RBI actually allow?

The RBI's property FAQ (Q7) says NRIs can remit sale proceeds of property other than farmland if:

it was bought in line with the foreign exchange law at the time, and
it was paid for in foreign exchange through banking channels, or from FCNR(B) or NRE funds, and
for residential property, it's one of no more than two such properties.

The RBI's master circular on remittances (July 2015, the version we could check) adds the detail: repatriation is "to the extent of the amount paid" in foreign exchange. The balance can go to your NRO account and out under the USD 1 million facility. Loan repayments made from inward remittances or NRE / FCNR(B) also count. Ask your bank whether anything has changed since.

For property you bought while resident, or with rupee funds, the circular points you to the USD 1 million route. The RBI's NRI accounts FAQ confirms NRO balances can be remitted up to USD 1 million per financial year, along with other eligible assets.

Worked example 1: a mixed purchase

Illustrative figures. You bought a flat for ₹80 lakh: ₹60 lakh by remittance and NRE, ₹20 lakh from your NRO account. You sell for ₹1.4 crore, and after tax and costs (worked out by your CA) say ₹1.2 crore is left.

	Amount
Paid in foreign exchange	₹60 lakh
Paid from NRO	₹20 lakh
Net proceeds after tax (illustrative)	₹1.2 crore
Property route (up to foreign exchange paid)	₹60 lakh
Balance to NRO, then USD 1 million route	₹60 lakh

At an illustrative ₹88 to the dollar, USD 1 million is ₹8.8 crore, so the ₹60 lakh balance fits in one financial year. The gain doesn't go out on the property route; it rides the NRO route.

Worked example 2: a loan-funded flat

Illustrative. You bought for ₹1 crore: ₹30 lakh down payment from NRE and a ₹70 lakh home loan. Over the years you repaid ₹25 lakh of the loan from NRE and the rest from rent in your NRO account.

	Counts for property route?	Amount
Down payment from NRE	Yes	₹30 lakh
Loan repaid from NRE	Yes	₹25 lakh
Loan repaid from NRO rent	No	₹45 lakh
Property route total		₹55 lakh

Without statements showing which account paid each EMI, that ₹25 lakh is hard to prove. That's why our NRI guide suggests a payment ledger from day one.

What tax happens before the money moves?

TDS by the buyer. From 1 April 2026, a buyer paying an NRI seller deducts TDS at rates in force on the taxable amount, with no ₹50 lakh threshold (s.393, Income Tax Department). Ask your CA about applying for a lower-deduction certificate before the sale.
Capital gains. A flat held over 24 months is long-term. Our capital gains page has the rates; check with your CA which options apply to non-residents.
Forms. Under the Income-tax Rules 2026, Form 15CA is now Form 145 and Form 15CB is now Form 146, the accountant's certificate. Your bank asks for these before sending the money.

Tax points are general information. Confirm with your CA.

The TRAIL check (our framework)

Track. Gather proof of every payment: remittance advices, NRE / FCNR(B) statements, EMI debits.
Route. Split the proceeds: property route up to the foreign exchange paid, the rest via NRO.
Asset count. Is this one of your first two residential properties on the property route?
Income-tax clearance. TDS, capital gains, Forms 145 and 146.
Limit. Plan NRO remittances within USD 1 million per financial year.

Checklist before you sell

Original purchase deed and payment receipts
Bank proof of foreign exchange paid (remittance advices, NRE / FCNR(B) statements)
Loan statements showing which account paid each EMI
Count of residential properties already repatriated
CA's capital gains working and TDS plan
Forms 145 and 146 ready for the bank
NRO account in place for the balance

The sale itself follows the same steps as any Bengaluru property sale from the buyer's side, and your buyer will run the usual legal checks. If you're buying again, see our full-cost guide and home loan questions.

Frequently asked questions

Can an NRI repatriate the full sale price of a flat?

On the property route, only up to the amount originally paid in foreign exchange, for up to two homes. The rest, including the gain, can go via the NRO account within USD 1 million a financial year.

What if I bought the flat while I was resident in India?

The RBI's remittance rules point you to the USD 1 million per financial year route from your NRO account, after tax. Your bank will ask for the sale documents and tax forms.

Do home loan repayments count as foreign exchange paid?

Yes, to the extent you repaid the loan from inward remittances or your NRE or FCNR(B) account. Repayments from NRO funds such as rent don't count for the property route.

What is Form 145?

It's the new number for Form 15CA under the Income-tax Rules 2026, the remitter's statement for payments abroad. Form 146 replaced Form 15CB, the accountant's certificate.

How much TDS does the buyer deduct from an NRI seller?

From 1 April 2026, TDS under Section 393 is at rates in force on the taxable amount, with no ₹50 lakh threshold. Your CA can work out the figure and whether a lower-deduction certificate helps.

What is the TRAIL check?

It's our five-step plan for getting sale money abroad: track payment proof, split the route, count assets, clear income tax, and plan within the USD 1 million limit.

Talk it through with acre&key

If you're planning to sell and want to know how much can go abroad, we can help you gather the paper trail before you list. Book a consultation with acre&key.

CA note: Tax points are general information. Confirm with your CA.

References

Checked 19 Oct 2026.

RBI, FAQs on acquisition of immovable property by NRIs/OCIs, Q7: https://www.rbi.org.in/commonperson/English/scripts/FAQs.aspx?Id=1855
RBI, Master Circular on remittance facilities for NRIs/PIOs/foreign nationals, 1 Jul 2015, paras 5 and 7: https://www.rbi.org.in/commonman/Upload/English/Notification/PDFs/MC80250915FM.pdf
RBI, FAQs on NRI accounts (NRO up to USD 1 million per FY): https://www.rbi.org.in/commonPerson/english/Scripts/FAQs.aspx?Id=3
Income Tax Department, Section 393: https://www.incometaxindia.gov.in/w/section-393-6
Income Tax Department, Form 145 (earlier 15CA) FAQs: https://www.incometaxindia.gov.in/documents/d/guest/form-145-faqs
Income Tax Department, Form 146 (earlier 15CB) note: https://www.incometaxindia.gov.in/documents/d/guest/fn-146