Quick answer
Yes — NRIs and OCI cardholders can buy villas and other residential property in Chennai without RBI approval. Pay through Indian banking channels (an inward remittance or your NRE, NRO or FCNR account), keep your PAN ready, verify the project on TN RERA, and use a registered Power of Attorney if you cannot be in Chennai for registration.
This guide is general information to help you plan, not legal or tax advice. Rules change — confirm the details with your bank, a chartered accountant and a property lawyer before you pay.
Who can buy property in India
- Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) — Indian citizens living abroad.
- Overseas Citizens of India (OCI cardholders) — with the same rights as NRIs for residential and commercial property.
Both can buy any number of residential properties, such as villas and apartments. Agricultural land, plantation property and farmhouses are not allowed, except by inheritance.
How to pay
All payments — the booking advance, construction-linked instalments and registration costs — must come through normal banking channels:
- an inward remittance from your overseas bank account, or
- a transfer from your NRE, NRO or FCNR(B) account in India.
Cash in foreign currency and traveller's cheques are not accepted for property purchases. Keep the remittance advice or bank certificate for every payment — you will need it if you later sell the villa and want to repatriate the proceeds.
Home loans for NRIs
Most Indian banks and housing finance companies offer NRI home loans for villas, usually repaid through an NRE or NRO account. Lenders typically ask for your passport and visa, overseas employment and income proof, overseas bank statements and the project documents. Loan amounts, rates and tenures depend on the lender and your profile.
Documents you will need
- Passport and visa / OCI card
- PAN card
- Overseas address proof
- Passport-size photographs
- NRE / NRO account details
- Power of Attorney, if someone acts for you
Buying without flying in for every step
Many NRI buyers handle the search and paperwork remotely and fly in only once — or not at all:
- Shortlist remotely. Review the walkthrough video, floor plans, specifications and the RERA registration online.
- Send family for the site visit. A parent or sibling in Chennai can see the site and the neighbourhood for you.
- Book and pay from abroad through your NRE / NRO account.
- Give a Power of Attorney to a trusted person in Chennai for signing and registration. A PoA signed abroad is usually attested at the Indian embassy or consulate and must be stamped in India after it arrives — your lawyer will confirm the current process.
- Register the property at the Sub-Registrar office. For under-construction villas in Tamil Nadu this is commonly a sale deed for the undivided share of land (UDS) plus a construction agreement.
Checks before you pay a booking advance
- RERA registration — search the project on rera.tn.gov.in. ATH Feathers is registered as TNRERA/1/LO/2633/2026.
- Title and encumbrance certificate — have a lawyer review the land documents.
- Cost sheet — base price, GST on the construction component, registration and any extra charges.
- Payment schedule — prefer construction-linked plans, so payments follow progress.
- Developer track record — completed projects, delivery history and CREDAI membership.
Tax and repatriation, in brief
Rental income from a property in India is taxable in India, and the tenant may need to deduct TDS. If you sell later, the buyer deducts TDS on the sale price, and repatriation of sale proceeds is allowed within RBI limits if you can show the purchase was funded through banking channels. Speak to a chartered accountant about your situation and the tax treaty with your country of residence.
Why NRI families shortlist ATH Feathers
ATH Feathers offers 3 & 4 BHK independent villas in a TN RERA-registered gated community at Kundrathur, about 20 minutes from Chennai International Airport. Prices start at ₹1.50 Cr for a 3 BHK villa and ₹1.68 Cr for a 4 BHK villa. The developer, Asset Tree Homes, has 21+ years of experience and is a CREDAI member. Read the Kundrathur location guide to see how the area connects to Porur, the ORR and the airport.
