Selling or Managing Property in India From Abroad? Protect Your Proceeds Before You Sign.
One misstep in TDS, capital gains or repatriation paperwork can lock up 20-30% of your sale value for months. We help NRIs and OCIs close property transactions cleanly — with a written tax and FEMA plan before the sale deed is signed.
Four traps that cost NRIs lakhs in locked-up cash and penalties.
TDS on sale
Buyers must deduct 20-30% TDS before paying you. Without a Section 197 certificate, your cash flow is locked until refund season.
Capital gains tax
Short-term gains are taxed at slab rates. Long-term gains attract 20% with indexation. Wrong holding-period classification costs lakhs.
Paperwork gaps
Missing sale deeds, encumbrance certificates, or PAN linkage can delay registration, attract penalties, or void repatriation approval.
Repatriation limits
FEMA caps remittance from NRO sale proceeds at USD 1 million per financial year. Excess requires RBI approval and a chartered accountant certificate.
What situation are you in? Pick the plan that matches.
Selling property
TDS, capital gains, repatriation and the Section 197 lower-deduction route.
Read the guide→Buying property
FEMA eligibility, POA rules, home-loan documentation and NRE/NRO funding sources.
Read the guide→Inherited property
Succession proof, cost-basis step-up, partition deeds and multi-heir TDS splits.
Read the guide→Repatriating proceeds
USD 1M limit, Form 15CB/15CA, RBI circulars and NRE-to-overseas wire routing.
Read the guide→Property Sale Tax Checklist 2026
A step-by-step guide for NRIs selling Indian property — TDS rates, Section 197 lower-deduction application, capital gains computation, repatriation forms 15CB/15CA, and FEMA compliance in one document.
- ◆TDS rates and exemption thresholds
- ◆Section 197 lower-deduction walkthrough
- ◆Long-term vs short-term gains worksheet
- ◆Repatriation forms and RBI limits
Why NRIs trust us with their India money.
Led by Regi Tom Antony, FCA — Regional CFO, Board Member and NRI Tax Specialist. Advisory is delivered through RTA & Associates, an ICAI-registered Chartered Accountant firm with 30+ years of cross-border practice.
Tell us about your property. We'll send back a tax and repatriation plan.
The questions NRI property sellers ask us most.
Buyers must deduct TDS at 20% for long-term capital gains and 30% for short-term gains before remitting the balance to you. This is withheld under Section 195 of the Income Tax Act. If the actual tax liability is lower, you can apply for a lower-deduction certificate under Section 197 to improve your cash flow.
Sale proceeds are credited to your NRO account. You may remit up to USD 1 million per financial year outside India after obtaining a Form 15CB from a CA and filing Form 15CA online. Amounts above the limit need RBI approval. The CA certificate must confirm tax has been paid or TDS deposited.
For property held over 24 months, long-term gains are taxed at 20% with indexation benefit on the purchase cost. For shorter holds, short-term gains are added to your total income and taxed at your slab rate. NRIs cannot claim the Section 54/54F exemption against gains unless the reinvestment is completed before the return filing due date.
Yes. File Form 13 under Section 197 with the Assessing Officer before the sale completes. If approved, the buyer deducts TDS at the reduced rate stated in the certificate — often close to your actual estimated tax. This prevents a large refund lock-up and improves your working capital. We file these routinely for NRI sellers.
Don't let TDS eat your sale proceeds.
One 20-minute call. A written plan covering TDS, capital gains, repatriation and FEMA — before you sign the sale deed.