An NRI, or Non-Resident Indian, is an individual who is an Indian citizen but resides abroad due to employment, business, or other reasons, indicating an uncertain duration of stay outside India. Non-resident foreign citizens of Indian origin are treated similarly to NRIs.

A PIO, or Person of Indian Origin, is an individual who is not a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, China, Iran, Nepal, Bhutan, and who, at any point, held an Indian passport or whose father or grandfather was an Indian citizen by virtue of the Constitution of India or the Citizenship Act, 1955 (57 of 1955).

An OCI, or Overseas Citizen of India, can be:

(a) A person of full age and capacity who is a citizen of another country but was a citizen of India at the time of, or after, the commencement of the constitution, or was eligible to become a citizen of India at the time of the constitution's commencement, or belongs to a territory that became part of India after August 15, 1947.

(b) A minor child of a person mentioned in clause (a).

Please note that individuals who are or have been citizens of Pakistan, Bangladesh, or other specified countries are not eligible for OCI registration.

Under the general permission granted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the following categories can freely purchase immovable property in India:

(a) Non-Resident Indian (NRI): Citizens of India residing outside India.

(b) Person of Indian Origin (PIO): Individuals who held an Indian passport at any time or whose father or grandfather was an Indian citizen by virtue of the Constitution of India or the Citizenship Act, 1955 (57 of 1955). This does not include citizens of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, China, Iran, Nepal, Bhutan, and other specified countries.

The general permission, however, covers only the purchase of residential and commercial property and does not apply to agricultural land, plantation property, or farmhouses in India. OCIs can purchase immovable property in India except for agricultural land, plantation property, or farmhouses.

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At ANP Corp, our goal is to assist you in addressing any questions, concerns, or uncertainties you may have about real estate investment in India.

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