Rules pertaining to purchase and ownership of immovable property in India are governed by the Reserve Bank of India. A summary of the current prevailing laws are enumerated below. Click hereto view full details on Reserve Bank of India's official website.

Rules for Foreign Nationals of Non-Indian Origin:

·     Foreign Nationals are permitted to lease property in India for a period of up to 5 years without the need for any special permission from the Reserve Bank of India.

·     Foreign companies who have been permitted to open an office in India are also allowed to acquire any immovable property in India, which is necessary for or incidental to carrying on such activity. This stipulation is not available to entities which are permitted to open liaison offices in India.

·     Though RBI rules allow a foreign national who is a Resident of India (i.e. one who has completed more than 182 days stay in India in the previous financial year) to buy property, the rule also states that "... the person concerned would have to obtain the approvals, and fulfill the requirements if any, prescribed by other authorities, such as the concerned State Government".

(Please Note: We DO NOT advise foreign nationals to attempt to purchase property in Goa via this route at the moment.)

(Please refer the RBI Website for full details)