How NRIs in the UAE Buy Property in India

Last reviewed 27 October 2026 by the Westcliff Realty NRI desk.

Who can buy

Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI cardholders) can buy residential and commercial property in India without approval from the Reserve Bank of India. Agricultural land, plantation property and farmhouses are excluded, except by inheritance.

If you live and work in the UAE, you are usually a non-resident for Indian foreign exchange purposes. Confirm your status with your Indian bank before you open or use NRI accounts.

Sending money from the UAE

Payments must come through normal banking channels in India. Most UAE-based buyers transfer dirhams from a UAE bank or a licensed exchange house to their NRE account in India, then pay the developer from that account.

• Pay the booking amount and instalments from your NRE account, so the amount you paid can be repatriated later
• Keep the remittance advice or foreign inward remittance certificate for every transfer
• Cash in foreign currency is not accepted

The UAE dirham is pegged to the US dollar at AED 3.6725 per US$1, so the US-dollar prices on this site convert to dirhams at a steady rate. The rupee rate still moves, so check it on the day you transfer.

Home loans

Indian banks and housing finance companies lend to NRIs in the UAE under the same Reserve Bank of India limits as other NRIs. Lenders usually ask for your passport and residence visa, Emirates ID, a salary certificate and recent pay slips, and bank statements. See our guide to NRI home loans and payments for the loan-to-value limits.

Signing without travelling: power of attorney

You can give a trusted person in India a specific power of attorney to sign and register documents for one property. Signed in the UAE, it is usually attested by the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General of India in Dubai, then stamped in India, generally within three months of arrival. Check the format with the developer's legal team before you sign.

Tax in India and the UAE

India taxes income that arises in India wherever you live. Rent from an Indian property and gains when you sell it are taxable in India, tenants paying an NRI must deduct TDS, and a buyer of your property must deduct TDS when you sell. When you buy a property of ₹50 lakh or more, you deduct 1% TDS from each payment, as any buyer does.

The UAE generally does not tax individuals on salary or personal investment income, so there is usually no UAE tax on your Indian rent or gains. India's tax still applies, so file an Indian tax return for any year in which you earn rent or sell.

UAE tax residency certificate

To claim benefits under the India–UAE tax treaty, Indian tax authorities and banks may ask for a UAE tax residency certificate. The UAE Federal Tax Authority issues it through its EmaraTax portal, for a 12-month period, so renew it each year you need it.

If you move back to India

If you return to India for good, tell your bank: NRE and NRO accounts must be redesignated as resident accounts, and your tax residency in India changes. Plan large sales or transfers with a chartered accountant before you move.

FAQs

Official sources

• Reserve Bank of India: Master Directions (FEMA, including immovable property and NRI accounts)
• Income Tax Department e-filing portal (returns, TDS)
• Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi (consular and attestation services)
• UAE Federal Tax Authority (tax residency certificates)

This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm the details with a chartered accountant or lawyer before you act.