Can an NRI Take Personal Loan in India?

Yes, NRI’s can take personal loans in India. The NRI personal loans are accessible from various banks in India. No matter what purpose is the loan offer, there are many prominent banks that offer personal loans to NRIs against fixed deposits while private part banks give NRI personal loans that might be unbound. In fact, the personal loans for NRIs are a decent alternative to get speedy financing for diverse prerequisites.

The NRI personal loans are intended to help Indians who are living abroad to profit from the advantages of a personal loan in India. Some of the most famous banks which provide loans for NRI are State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Canara Bank, Axis Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Citibank, etc.


1. Eligibility: 

• There are some requirements an NRI is supposed to meet in order to qualify the process of getting a loan. They are:
• The applicant applying for the loan should be a citizen of India.
• The applicant must also be at least 21 years of age.
• It is important for the applicant to be a professional with a consistent salary or to run a business and be self employed.
• The salary or the income of the applicant should be enough to qualify for the loan.
• A number of documents which are required to be submitted as a formality.

In addition to all these things, it is possible that there may be some additional criteria dependent on the bank rules. The best to gain a better understanding of all the prerequisites is to go through the website of the bank you’ve chosen and be clear about everything that is required to get a personal loan.


2. Documentation: 

• Coming to the documents required for NRI loans, the process is pretty simple to get any other personal loan. Salary details and KYC details need to be shown while applying for a loan. If a person is an NRI then reports which affirm the residential status are also important. Other important things are a passport and a VISA of the country the candidate is living in currently. In addition to all these documents, some other important documents are:
• A photocopy of passport and VISA of the candidate. 
• A certificate of salary determining the name, date of joining, designation and compensation details in English. 
• Bank statements of both domestic and International banks throughout the previous half year. 
• In the event that the candidate isn't accessible in India when the application of loan is submitted, at that point a General Power of Attorney should properly bore witness from the Indian office of the NRI's occupant nation. In the event that the candidate is available in India, the Power of Attorney can be privately legally approved. 
• A duplicate copy of the appointment letter of NRI just as the contract.

You might be required to present some extra documents, so the best approach is to recheck the formalities of the bank that you have chosen for a personal loan.

3. Personal loans for NRIs: 

There are many banks in India that offer both rupee and foreign currency personal loans to NRIs who have FCNR or NRE term accounts. These personal loans are accessible against the sum in the FCNR or NRE accounts at highly competitive international rates. The loans are usually accessible up to 90% of the sum in the account with each bank having its own maximum limit on personal loan amounts.

4. Some highlights of personal loans are: 

• The NRI loans have a wide scope of highlights as talked about below:
• The NRI loans are actually accessible for a higher amount of money. 
• The rates of interest involved in these loans are pretty competitive.
• Time frame involved in the reimbursement of these loans ranges between one year to as long as five years.
• An NRI can get a loan to fulfill almost any purpose.

5. Advantages of NRI loans:

• The NRI personal loans offer many advantages of quick financing and many other things, for example,
• Simple financing for individual credit prerequisites. 
• The loans can be obtained from many other banks of your choice. Each bank has its own rules and advantages.
• Extremely simple documentation and the application process. 
• Bother free and quick preparing of all the important applications. 
• The loans are accessible for both the salaried employees and people who are self employed.

This is a guest post by Shipra Aggarwal

How can Indian Real Estate Developers reach out to NRIs and target Overseas Indians?

Author: Sachin Gupta | Find me on Twitter Follow @sach_gupta

Real estate is an extremely important industry in the growth of Indian economy. The sector contributes about 6% to the nations’ GDP. The sector is also the second largest employer of labor (formal and informal) behind agriculture.

Real estate developers buy land from the city authorities or directly from the farmers/landowners. Once the land acquisition process is complete and titles are transferred in the name of the developer, the construction work starts. What kind of development will take place on a given plot of land depends on the market conditions. A developer can develop commercial or residential buildings based on the market elements of demand and supply.

The next step for the developer is to sell or lease the project to investors who are willing to use it for their end-use or for investment purposes. When market conditions are not favorable; it becomes extremely difficult for the developer to clear the unsold stock of inventory and that seems to be the case today in India. About 7.6 Lacs of housing units were unsold at the end of June 2014. And new project launches have been greatly reduced.

In this scenario, what can a developer do? Wait for the economic conditions to improve? Wait for the interest rate cuts? Wait for the improvement in job market? No doubt, all of these factors will certainly help the developer in clearing off the existing inventory; however, real estate developers can still tap into the highly lucrative Overseas Indians market.

This is a massive market with a population in excess of 21 million. The market constitutes of Non Resident Indians (NRIs), Person of Indian Origin (PIO), and OCI.

In 2013 alone, Private remittances from overseas Indians into India stood at whopping 71 Billion US $, the largest for any single country in the world.

Where are they investing? A closer look at the RBI data reveals preference for NRE/NRO accounts.

What can Real estate developers do to tap into this segment of the market?

A well thought out strategy is based on 4 principals

1. Customers
2. Product or services
3. Region
4. Channels

Having identified the customers (overseas Indians), the next step for real estate developers is to pay attention to the behavioral patterns of Overseas Indians. What kind of home sizes they prefer? What are the amenities that they demand? Who will take care of their apartments in their absence? Are there professional Property Management Companies in Delhi NCR and other parts of the country to provide NRI audience with apartment management services? What kind of on-site infrastructure they desire, etc. etc. A well prepared survey can help real estate developers in decoding the behavioral patterns of NRI audience.

After studying the behavioral patterns, the product (homes) can be conceptualized and sold in chosen regions. The next challenge is the choice of channels to reach out to NRI audience?

• Web:

Use of web to reach out to NRIs is an inexpensive approach, but it is too generic and crowded in nature. However, it helps in creating awareness about the developer and the projects. If combined with other channels such as local brokerages and property shows, significant results can be achieved.

• Partnership with local brokerages:

NRIs still transact through Indian Channel Partners and some international channel partners (Brokers of Indian origin settled abroad). A real estate developer can tie up with a few local channel partners (brokers) in the respective countries and had them invite their customers. However, not all real estate developers can successfully do it because of limited brand exposure and competition from other reputed developers.

• Own office:

Having an office in a country can certainly help a real estate developer in reaching out to NRIs in that particular country. However, it is an expensive approach and developers with big pockets can manage to afford it. There are some developers who have set up their own offices in Singapore, Dubai, California, London, Malaysia, etc.

• Property Shows:

Property shows or exhibitions are country specific in nature, wherein 40-50 real estate developers participate and showcase their properties to overseas Indians in that particular country. Past Indian Property Show in Singapore, Dubai, London indicates a footfall of 2500-3000 visitors a day. Even though, a developer may or may not make on the spot bookings, the exhibition certainly helps in brand building and that helps in future sales.

Having identified the NRI audience, a real estate developer must make the optimum use of different channels to reach out to this segment. One cannot simply afford to ignore this massive and profitable market segment. And the developer must continuously invest in reaching out to Overseas Indians.

NirrtiGo works with Indian Real Estate developers in order to reach out to overseas Indian community. NirrtiGo organizes Indian Property shows in overseas markets, utilize web based platforms, and create awareness on the vast property investment opportunities in India. Real Estate developers looking to target NRI markets can contact NirrtiGo for upcoming Indian Property shows in overseas markets at nirrtigo@nirrtigo.com

Follow @sach_gupta

Have any Questions? Tweet to @sach_gupta

How can NRIs-PIOs-OCBs open and maintain the NRE-NRO-FCNR-bank accounts in India to buy, sell, rent out immovable property?

Author: Sachin Gupta | Find me on Twitter Follow @sach_gupta

Foreign exchange management act (FEMA) of 1999 allows Non Resident Indians (NRIs), Person of Indian Origins (PIO) to buy, sell, rent immovable property other than agricultural land or plantation property or farm house in India. One can invest in a piece of land and construct it or buy an under construction property directly from the real estate developer. Overseas Indians can invest in commercial or residential property of their choice. The acquisition of immovable property by person resident outside India is governed by terms of Section 6(3) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999, as well as by the regulations contained in Notification issued by RBI vides Notification No FEMA. 21/2000-RB dated May 3, 2000, as amended from time to time.

Persons resident outside India are categorized as Non- Resident Indians (NRIs) or a foreign national of Indian Origin (PIO) or a foreign national of non-Indian origin. A person resident in India who is not a citizen of India is also covered by the relevant Notifications.

To carry out this entire process of buying, selling, renting out the immovable property, NRIs/PIOs are allowed to repatriate an amount up to USD 1 million per financial year (April-March) out of the balances held in NRI account subject to tax compliance. This amount includes sale proceeds of assets acquired by way of inheritance or settlement. Thus, NRIs can purchase property and transfer money earned in India to their country of residence through authorized banking channels.

How can NRIs/PIOs/OCBs open and maintain the bank accounts in India? Find below the detailed document:

NRI-PIO-OCB opening and maintaining NRE-NRO-FCNR-bank accounts in india from Green Realtech Projects Pvt. Ltd

Follow @sach_gupta

Have any Questions? Tweet to @sach_gupta

Taxation aspects for an NRI, PIO, or a Foreigner for buying an immovable Property in India

Author: Sachin Gupta | Find me on Twitter Follow @sach_gupta

Buying a property has tax implications. If a property is meant for income generation, then one has to pay income tax in addition to property tax, service tax, Capital Gains Tax, and wealth tax. Tax guidelines vary from state to state in India. A typical resident of India who has invested in property has resources and time to adhere to taxation aspects.

However, an NRI or PIO or a foreigner can find it cumbersome to adhere to taxation aspects of buying an immovable property in India. What are the various kinds of taxes, what is the definition of NRI or PIO as per income tax act, and what are the various tax exemptions? These are some of the questions a Non Resident Indian (NRI), Person of Indian Origin (PIO), or a foreigner will be confronted with. Here we present the detailed paper for taxation aspects for an NRI, PIO, and Foreigner for buying an immovable property in India:

Why 2017 is Likely to Be a Good Year for NRI Property Buyers

Non-resident Indians from all over the world have been fascinated with Indian real estate market. However, they are bothered by the lack of transparency and ways in which business dealings are conducted in India; especially when information is withheld deliberately from the buyers, and there is a lack of scientific process of due diligence. With several key policy changes in 2016 such as demonetization, Real Estate Regulation Act (RERA), the Goods and Services Tax (GST), and the Benami Transaction Act, the debate now is if the NRIs will be interested in investing in the nation.

Here’s why NRI property buyers should invest in Indian real estate in 2017:

Firstly, there are many ready possession properties built at prime locations such as Bangalore, NCR region, Chennai, etc. There are many luxury villas in Bangalore and 2 to 4 BHK apartments in NCR that are ready to be sold. Secondly, India is expected to keep its place among the fastest-growing economies in the world, with the real estate sector steering the wheel. Furthermore, policies like Goods & Services Tax, Real Estate Regulatory Act, Real Estate Investment Trusts, Benami Act, and demonetization are expected to bring about transparency in the sector. Lastly, the amended rules and regulations will ease up the purchasing process. Relaxation of laws by the Reserve Bank of India for NRI buyers is also a major benefit.

Naushad Panjwani, the managing partner at Mandarus Partners LLP, believes that the Indian realty has major credibility issues largely due to the absence of effective regulator, which is present in other sectors (TRAI, IRDAI, SEBI, etc.). He also believes that some other reasons that hold back NRIs to invest in India could be the shortage of funds for projects, the delay in the disposal of court cases, the lack of title insurance and nexus among politicians, developers, and bureaucrats. Panjwani says, “All of these factors kept good business houses away from the realty sector, and the industry as a whole was characterized by many unscrupulous elements. However, things have started to change slowly. The Real Estate Regulatory Act (RERA) and easing of inflow of funds in the form of Real Estate Investment Trusts, External Commercial Borrowings, and Foreign Direct Investment, have attracted the attention of reputed business houses and customers alike.”

The Chairman Emeritus of Sobha Ltd, Mr. PNC Menon believes that Indian realty sector has reached a stage where it offers NRIs a range of options to invest in, from affordable to mid-range to luxury properties. Menon said, "With greater transparency, tighter regulations, more affordability and enhanced price stability, Non Resident Indians will find interesting property investment opportunities, as long as they have a long-term view and are discerning about which realty project to invest in. India is a huge market with over 1.2 billion people and an emerging economy on a global front,”

Rustomjee Group’s brand custodian and chief customer delight officer, Mr. Kaizad Hateria has expressed his opinion that moves like demonetization will bring about transparency in the real estate sector and minimize unaccounted cash dealings. He said, “Greater transparency, will improve the element of trust in the Indian property market and this will make Non Resident Indians more confident about investing in properties in India.”

The marketing director of Sheth Creators, Hiral Sheth mentioned that realty sector has come a long way by becoming the second largest employer in India. Number of rules and regulations have been amended to ease the process of home buying as well as commercial property. Sheth said, “Factors like Foreign Direct Investment in the realty sector, relaxation of laws by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regarding property buying by Non Resident Indians and lenient policies via-à-vis the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), have accelerated real estate investments. Also, the availability of affordable properties, attracts a large number of urban Non Resident Indian buyers from across the globe.”

Industry experts believe that 2017 will be a good year for NRI buyers to invest in properties. New policies that will boost transparency and rules that will simplify the property purchasing process are the main reasons for attracting NRI buyers.

This is a guest post by Dinesh Dawde

Tax Exemptions for NRIs, PIOs, and the process of availing these benefits

Author: Sachin Gupta | Find me on Twitter Follow @sach_gupta

India is among the top beneficiary of remittances from Indian Diaspora across the world. In 2013, India topped the list in inward remittances from Indians across the world. The total money sent by Overseas Indians in 2013 alone stood at 71 billion US $.



This investment from Non Resident Indians, Person of Indian origins is an important cog in the growth and development of the country. Not just India, economies and administration around the world appreciate investments from overseas as an invaluable and sustainable feature of their economies. India is no exception and successive governments at the center have reached out to this huge audience by offering slew of measures ranging from tax benefits to relaxed visa facilities.

The Indian central government is continuously reaching out to Non Resident Indians (NRI), Person of Indian Origin (PIO), and Overseas Corporate Bodies (OCB) by offering several incentives and exemptions such as relaxations on income tax, wealth tax, gift tax, etc. At the same time, sops are also offered to NRI, PIO to invest in real estate sector and housing. Furthermore, recognizing that NRIs and PIOs pay taxes in two countries, the Government signed the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with several countries to lessen the tax burden. Incorporation of the Authority for Advance Ruling has also eased the process for tax payers by avoiding disputes with regards to assessment of Income Tax liability in case of Non-Residents and also specified categories of residents.

At the same time, one must also note that different state governments in India levy additional taxes but also offer exemptions offered by central government. How can an NRI, PIO avail these tax benefits?

Find below the detailed document.

Follow @sach_gupta

Have any Questions? Tweet to @sach_gupta

The process of an ‘NRI buying a piece of real estate in India’. Do's and Don’ts

Author: Sachin Gupta | Find me on Twitter Follow @sach_gupta

In our earlier articles about Non Resident Indians (NRI) and Person of Indian Origins (PIO) with regards to their investment in India, we covered, range of topics such as:

1. Guidelines that an NRI or PIO must adhere to for selling, purchasing, and financing a property in India
2. Taxation aspects for an NRI, PIO, or a Foreigner for buying an immovable Property in India
3. Opening of NRE-NRO-FCNR-bank accounts in India to buy, sell, rent out immovable property?
4. Reasons why NRIs prefer investment in Indian Real Estate
5. Impact of falling Rupee on investment in real estate sector in India by Non Resident Indians

Having covered the above topics in details, we now move on to the process of an ‘NRI buying a piece of real estate in India’. If the process described below is followed diligently by an NRI investor, then investing in Indian real estate can prove to be rather rewarding.

• Research

First thing first, before you embark on your journey to real estate investment in India, carry out comprehensive online research. How is the builders’ reputation in the market? Locality price indices, city master plan, infrastructure project announcements are some of the things that one should note down. Compare builders’ pros and cons, compare locality pros and cons, and assess the city master plan by visiting the urban development authorities websites. A number of online forums to discuss real estate projects are also available. Visit these independent forums and gauge what others are saying, ask questions if possible. 

• Depute someone or visit the site yourself

“Pictures tell the story” is a proverb which maybe applicable to other sectors but not to real estate sector in India.  Many newly launched websites focus on ‘Real Photos’, but ask yourself, can they tell you the actual story? Can they show you the approach road towards the project? Can they highlight slums in the nearby areas? Can they highlight the construction quality? The answer is big NO. Therefore, when it comes to buying or renting real estate in India, visit the site yourself. With NRIs living in far away countries, it becomes difficult for them to visit the project site location. Instead, ask one of your friends or relatives to do this on your behalf. The bottom-line is ‘One should never rely on pictures shown in glossy brochures or websites’.

• Check the bank approvals

Now, that you have zeroed on 2-3 projects after having done the online research and visiting the project site, the next step is to check the bank approvals. Which are the banks that have approved the project for home loan sanctioning? Kindly note, a bank or housing finance company invests about 70-80% of money in the project in form of home loans sanctioned to buyers. Therefore, they will definitely carry out proper due-diligence including the project approvals, clearances, title certificates, etc. Ask the builder about banks which have approved the project for home loan. Talk to these banks. Go ahead with project that has a minimum of 3 banks approving it for home loan.

• Project approvals

Even though, you have got assurances from banks about project approvals, it doesn't mean that you turn a blind eye to check the approvals yourself. Ask the builder to show you the necessary approvals such as license number issued by Town Planning Department, approved drawings, NOC from various departments. This is to double check that everything is fine with the project and you won’t end up in a soup.

• Ask questions

Be an extrovert buyer; ask questions to builders, banks, brokers. There is never a silly question. You would be investing a size-able amount of your money, therefore, be proactive.

• Builder buyer agreement

In recent times, some of the major developers have landed in trouble with authorities and CCI for sticking to one-sided builder buyer agreement. Read the document carefully, and clarify things before you sign the agreement.

• Hire a lawyer

Despite all the research, one can never be 100% sure. For this, the NRI investor can as well hire a lawyer to do the title verification. The lawyer will ensure that the builder has the ownership title to the land on which he is developing the project.

• Never pay in cash

Whether one books property online or directly at the builder’s office, never pay in cash. Pay by cheque or via the formal routes such as online transfer. Keep receipt of every payment you make to the developer.

Happy investing :)

Do share if you liked the article!

Follow @sach_gupta

Have any Questions? Tweet to @sach_gupta