East Bengaluru buyer answers

What does an NRI need to buy a flat in East Bangalore without travelling?

By Gaurav Mongia, acre&key · Published 15 Oct 2026 · Updated 15 Oct 2026

Direct answer: You need four things: money routed through Indian banking channels (inward remittance or an NRE, FCNR(B) or NRO account), a trusted person in India holding your power of attorney, a Bangalore consultant who can run video visits and handle documents, and your own lawyer and CA. NRIs can buy flats, but not agricultural land or farmhouses.

Disclosure: acre&key’s advice is free to buyers; we are an authorised sales partner for some projects and may be paid by the developer.

Verify with your CA: This page is general information, not tax or FEMA advice. Before you route money or file TDS, confirm the current rules with your own chartered accountant.

acre&key works with NRI buyers, and Whitefield, Sarjapur and Varthur are among the areas we cover. The rules below apply whoever you work with.

Step 1: Confirm you're allowed to buy, and how to pay

The Reserve Bank of India's FAQs and Master Direction on immovable property set this out clearly.

• An NRI or OCI can buy any immovable property in India other than agricultural land, plantation property or a farm house.
• Payment has to come from funds received in India through normal banking channels by inward remittance, or from funds held in your NRE, FCNR(B) or NRO account.
• Payment can't be made by traveller's cheques or foreign currency notes.

For a flat in Whitefield or on Sarjapur Road, that's straightforward. It gets more complicated with plots on former farmland on the edges of East Bengaluru, so check land use carefully there. Whether you pay from NRE or NRO also matters later for repatriation, so decide that with your bank and CA before you transfer money.

Step 2: Decide what you'll do yourself and what needs someone in Bangalore

Most of the work can now happen remotely. A few steps usually can't.

Step 3: How do you get the power of attorney right?

A power of attorney (PoA) lets someone you trust, often a parent, sibling or close friend in Bangalore, sign and register documents for you. It's the piece NRIs most often get wrong.

What we'd suggest:

• Make it specific. Name the project, the unit and the exact acts the holder can do: sign the agreement for sale, register the sale deed, take possession. A broad "general" PoA gives away more than you need to.
• Execute it properly abroad. A PoA signed outside India usually has to be attested, either at the Indian embassy or consulate or by apostille depending on the country. Then, once it reaches Karnataka, it typically needs to be stamped under the state's rules before it can be used. The exact steps and time limits can change, so get your lawyer to confirm the current IGR Karnataka requirements before you sign anything.
• Choose the holder carefully. They'll be signing for a large sum. Pick someone you trust completely and who can actually get to the Sub-Registrar's office.
• Don't give the PoA to your consultant or the developer's staff. Keep it within your family or with your lawyer.

Step 4: Handle tax at the time of purchase

If you're buying a flat worth ₹50 lakh or more from a resident seller (most developers are resident companies), the Income-tax Act, 2025 requires you, as the buyer, to deduct TDS from the payment and file it using Form 141, Schedule B, within 30 days from the end of the month you deduct it. You'll need a PAN. The tax comes out of what you pay the developer, not on top of it, but it's your responsibility as the buyer.

Buying resale from another NRI is different and more involved.

Step 5: How do you run a remote site visit that tells you something?

A polished video of the show flat tells you very little. Ask your consultant for:

• a live video call walking the actual tower and floor, not just the show flat;
• the view from your unit's floor, or the nearest built floor;
• the approach road at your future commute time, filmed from a car;
• nearby occupied towers and what's still under construction;
• the project's RERA page shared on screen, with the registration number and completion date.

How do you choose a consultant when you can't visit?

You're relying on this person more than a local buyer would, so test them harder.

1. Have they handled NRI purchases before, start to finish, including registration through a PoA holder?
2. Will they share documents in a shared folder you control, not just WhatsApp forwards?
3. What hours can they take calls in your time zone?
4. What's their Karnataka RERA agent registration number? Check it yourself.
5. Who pays them on the projects they're showing you?
6. Will they insist that every payment goes to the promoter's account, never through them?

Your checklist before sending any money

1. Confirm the property type is allowed for NRIs under FEMA (a flat is).
2. Decide whether you'll pay from NRE, NRO or inward remittance, and why.
3. Verify the project on rera.karnataka.gov.in.
4. Hire your own property lawyer in Bengaluru for title and the agreement.
5. Have the lawyer draft a specific PoA and confirm current execution and stamping steps.
6. Get a CA to plan TDS and any loan structure.
7. Run at least one live video visit of the actual tower.
8. Pay only into the promoter's bank account, and keep every receipt.

Related answers on acre&key

• Hidden costs beyond the base price on a Bangalore flat
• Documents to verify before a token advance
• What a real estate consultant in Bangalore does
• Consultant vs broker vs advisory firm
• Find a reliable consultant in East Bangalore

Frequently asked questions

Can an NRI buy a flat in Bangalore without ever visiting?

Yes, it's commonly done with a power of attorney holder in India handling registration and possession, and a consultant and lawyer handling the rest. You'll still need to sign and execute the PoA properly where you live.

Can OCI card holders buy flats in Bangalore?

Yes. Under RBI's FEMA rules, OCIs can buy residential property in India other than agricultural land, plantation property or farm houses, on the same payment terms as NRIs.

Can I pay for the flat from my foreign bank account directly?

Payment has to reach India through banking channels as an inward remittance, or come from your NRE, FCNR(B) or NRO account. Talk to your bank about the cleanest route for your situation.

Do I need a PAN to buy property in India as an NRI?

For practical purposes, yes. You'll need it for TDS filing, registration and any home loan. Apply early, because it can take time.

Is it risky to give my parents power of attorney?

The risk is less about who and more about scope. A PoA limited to one unit and specific acts is much safer than a general one. Have your lawyer draft it.

References

1. Reserve Bank of India, FAQs on acquisition of immovable property in India by NRIs/OCIs (FEMA). https://rbi.org.in/scripts/FS_FAQs.aspx?Id=117&fn=5, accessed 15 Oct 2026.
2. Reserve Bank of India, Master Direction: Acquisition and Transfer of Immovable Property under FEMA. https://rbi.org.in/scripts/BS_ViewMasDirections.aspx?id=10196, accessed 15 Oct 2026.
3. RBI Notification FEMA 21(R)/2018-RB, Acquisition and Transfer of Immovable Property in India Regulations, 2018. https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=11248&Mode=0, accessed 15 Oct 2026.
4. Income Tax Department, Form No. 141 note (TDS on transfer of immovable property under section 393(1), Income-tax Act, 2025). https://www.incometaxindia.gov.in/documents/d/guest/fn-141, accessed 15 Oct 2026.
5. Department of Stamps and Registration, Karnataka (IGR). https://igr.karnataka.gov.in/, accessed 14 Oct 2026.
6. Kaveri Online Services (registration, Encumbrance Certificate, guidance value). https://kaveri.karnataka.gov.in/, accessed 14 Oct 2026.
7. Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority, official portal (project status, agent status, complaints). https://rera.karnataka.gov.in, accessed 14 Oct 2026.