Can NRI or PIO Remit Sale Proceeds of Inherited Immovable Property

Sale proceeds of any immovable property inherited by NRI / PIO from a person resident in India can be remitted abroad subject to a ceiling of USD one million per financial year subject to production of documentary evidence in support of inheritance and Tax clearance certificate / no objection certificate from the Income Tax authority to the authorised dealer for remittances.

However, if the PIO is a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, China, or Iran, he should seek prior approval of Reserve Bank; This remittance facility is not available to a citizen of Nepal or Bhutan.

Q.26. If the immovable property was received as inheritance by the NRI/PIO can he repatriate the sale proceeds?

Ans. Yes, general permission is available to the NRIs/PIO to repatriate the sale proceeds of the immovable property inherited from a person resident in India subject to the following conditions:

(i) The amount should not exceed USD one million, per financial year (ii) This is subject to production of documentary evidence in support of acquisition / inheritance of assets and an undertaking by the remitter and certificate by a Chartered Accountant in the formats prescribed by the Central Board of Direct Taxes vide their Circular No.4/2009 dated June 29, 2009 (iii) In cases of deed of settlement made by either of his parents or a close relative (as defined in section 6 of the Companies Act, 1956) and the settlement taking effect on the death of the settler (iv) the original deed of settlement and  a tax clearance / No Objection Certificate from the Income-Tax Authority should be produced  for the remittance  (v) Where the remittance as above is made in more than one installment, the remittance of all such installments shall be made through the same Authorised Dealer (vi) In case of a foreign national, sale proceeds can be repatriated if the property is inherited from a person resident outside India with the prior approval of the Reserve Bank. The foreign national has to approach the Reserve Bank with documentary evidence in support of inheritance of the immovable property and the undertaking and the C.A. Certificate mentioned above.

The general permission for repatriation of sale proceeds of immovable property is not available to a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, China, Afghanistan and Iran and he has to seek specific approval of the Reserve Bank.

As FEMA, 1999 specifically permits transactions only in Indian Rupees with citizens of Nepal and Bhutan. Therefore, the question of repatriation of the sale proceeds in foreign exchange to Nepal and Bhutan would not arise.