Can NRIs and OCIs buy property in India?

Under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), NRIs and OCIs can freely purchase residential and commercial immovable property in India — no RBI approval is needed for this.

PIOs are generally treated the same as OCIs for property purchase purposes, though it's worth confirming current status with a professional if your PIO card predates the OCI merger.

NRIs and OCIs cannot purchase agricultural land, plantation property, or farmhouses without specific prior approval from the RBI. This restriction doesn't apply to residential apartments, villas, or commercial units.

Foreign nationals not of Indian origin generally cannot purchase property in India at all, except under specific RBI approval or if they've been a resident here for over 182 days in the preceding financial year.

We flag any project category that could fall under a restricted class directly on the project page for your account. Every project you see here is a RERA-registered residential, commercial, or plotted development — not raw agricultural land.