Sell · Hyderabad · updated 2026-08-18
Selling property in Hyderabad as an NRI: the process, the tax, and getting the money home
An NRI can sell property in Hyderabad without travelling by giving a registered Special POA. The buyer deducts TDS under Section 195 — 12.5% plus surcharge and cess on long-term gains (sales after 23 July 2024), 30% on short-term — and pays into your NRO account, from which up to USD 1 million a year can be repatriated with Form 15CA/CB. Plan 2–6 months end to end.
Step 1 — Clean the paperwork before you list
Buyers' banks reject NRI sales for missing paperwork more than for price. Line up: registered title deed and link documents, 30-year EC, mutation in your name (Pahani/1B on Bhu Bharati for land, GHMC record for urban property), tax receipts up to date, and for inherited property the legal-heir certificate and any release deeds from siblings. We do this clean-up in Hyderabad in 2–6 weeks.
Step 2 — Power of Attorney if you cannot travel
Sign a Special POA naming the property and the acts (agreement, sale deed, receipt of consideration, registration) before the Indian consulate or a notary with apostille; courier the original; adjudicate at the District Registrar and register it in Telangana. Some Hyderabad SROs insist the POA holder for a sale be a close relative — confirm before you draft.
Step 3 — TDS and the lower deduction certificate
The buyer must deduct TDS under Section 195 on the sale value: 12.5% plus surcharge and cess for long-term capital gains (property held more than 24 months, sold after 23 July 2024) and 30% plus surcharge and cess for short-term. Because that is on the whole sale price, apply for a lower/nil deduction certificate under Section 197 before signing so TDS matches your actual gain. Reinvestment under Sections 54/54EC can reduce tax — talk to a CA before agreeing the timeline.
Step 4 — Registration and payment
The buyer pays only into your NRO account (net of TDS) and gives you Form 16A. Registration at the SRO of jurisdiction with your POA holder present; stamp duty is the buyer's cost. Hand over originals only against full payment.
Step 5 — Repatriation
Your CA issues Form 15CB, you file Form 15CA online, and your bank remits up to USD 1 million per financial year from NRO. Above that needs RBI approval. Keep the sale deed, purchase deed, TDS certificate, and CA computation for the bank and for foreign-tax-credit claims under DTAA at home.
Selling inherited or agricultural land
Inherited agricultural land can be sold only to a resident Indian, and only after mutation in your name. Ancestral property with several heirs needs either all heirs signing (or POAs) or a partition/release deed first. We keep siblings on one bilingual summary so nobody signs blind.
Sell questions we hear from NRIs
How much TDS will the buyer deduct if I sell my Hyderabad flat as an NRI?
12.5% plus surcharge and cess on the sale consideration if held over 24 months (long-term, sale after 23 July 2024), or 30% plus surcharge and cess if short-term — unless you obtain a Section 197 lower-deduction certificate first.
How long does it take to sell property in India as an NRI?
Typically 2–6 months: paperwork clean-up 2–6 weeks, buyer search 1–3 months, registration 1–2 weeks, and repatriation paperwork 2–4 weeks after funds land in NRO.
Can my brother in Hyderabad sell my flat with a POA?
Yes, with a registered Special POA that names the property and authorises the sale acts. Consideration must still be paid into your NRO account, not his.
General information as of 2026-08-18; tax rates, stamp duty, and portal rules change. Confirm with a CA or lawyer before acting.