Step 1: Open an NRE/NRO Bank Account
If you do not already have an NRE or NRO account with a major Indian bank, this is the first step. Most large Indian banks (SBI, HDFC, ICICI, Axis) allow NRE/NRO account opening remotely with video KYC. Required documents: Indian passport, overseas address proof, foreign income proof, and Indian PAN card.
Apply for a PAN card (mandatory for any Indian property transaction) if you do not have one. Form 49A for NRIs is available online at the NSDL portal — processing takes 3–4 weeks.
Step 2: Create a Power of Attorney (if Not Travelling to India)
A registered, properly drafted POA is the key to a fully remote purchase. The POA document must be: drafted by an Indian lawyer to Gujarat Sub-Registrar standards; signed in the presence of a Notary Public in your country of residence; apostilled by the competent authority in your country (under the Hague Convention — applicable to US, UK, UAE, Canada, Australia, Singapore); and then adjudicated (paid stamp duty) at a Gujarat Sub-Registrar office.
PIKORUA's legal partners draft all POA documents to Gujarat Sub-Registrar standards and co-ordinate the apostille process with clients internationally. The typical timeline is 3–4 weeks from POA signing to adjudication.
Step 3: Property Selection and Due Diligence
PIKORUA provides HD virtual walkthroughs, society tours, and building common area inspections via video call. Due diligence covers: RERA registration verification (gujrera.gujarat.gov.in), title search by a Gujarat-empanelled advocate, builder track record review, society financial health assessment (maintenance arrears, corpus fund), and building structural certificate.
For resale properties, the title search is the most critical step — tracing ownership history for minimum 30 years to ensure clean title. PIKORUA uses two independent advocates for all NRI transaction title searches.
Step 4: Payment and Registration
Payment flows from your NRE/NRO account to the seller's account via NEFT/RTGS. For purchase from a developer, stage-wise payments follow the construction-linked plan (for under-construction) or a single disbursement (for ready-to-move).
For home loan purchases, the Indian bank disburses the loan amount directly and the NRI contributes margin money from their NRE/NRO account. Registration is executed by your POA holder at the Gujarat Sub-Registrar office with biometric verification. The registered sale deed is issued immediately — the original is held by your POA holder until you collect it.
