NRIs and OCI cardholders in Lebanon can buy and sell residential and commercial property in India, other than agricultural land and farmhouses, without RBI permission. On a sale, the buyer withholds tax at non-resident rates unless a lower deduction certificate is obtained. Given Lebanese banking restrictions, many sellers keep proceeds in NRE or NRO accounts in India or remit them to a third country.
- Document route
- Lebanese notary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs legalisation, then Indian Embassy attestation
- Time difference
- IST is 2h30 ahead of Lebanon in summer and 3h30 in winter
- Rules
- FEMA (Non-Debt Instruments) Rules 2019
- Not allowed to buy
- Agricultural land, plantation, farmhouse
Buying & Selling Property from Lebanon: how it works
For a purchase, we search title for at least 30 years, check approvals and encumbrances, and complete registration through your attorney holder. For a sale, we verify title, draft the deed, apply for lower TDS where appropriate and plan where the proceeds will go.
We also advise OCI cardholders on the limits that apply to them, such as the bar on buying agricultural land.
For Lebanese citizens without OCI who inherit Indian property, we explain the options for holding, letting or selling it.
If you hold savings trapped in a Lebanese bank, do not use them as the basis of a property deal in India; make sure the purchase price is available in India before signing an agreement, to avoid default penalties.
What clients in Lebanon should know
- Do not route proceeds into frozen Lebanese accounts.
- Do not wait until after the sale to apply for lower TDS.
- Keep purchase records for tax.
Step by step from Lebanon
Video consultation
A call at a time that suits Lebanon, after we have read your documents.
Documents signed in Lebanon
Lebanese notary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs legalisation, then Indian Embassy attestation
Work in India
Our team files, appears and follows up in India, and shares scans of everything filed.
Result and handover
Certified copies and originals are couriered to you in Lebanon where needed.
The full guide
This page covers what changes when you are in Lebanon. For the law, the documents and the step-by-step procedure, read our main page on Buying & Selling Property, or see all services for clients in Lebanon and the NRI Property Law practice area.
Questions from clients in Lebanon
Can I buy property in India from Beirut?
Yes, as an NRI or OCI cardholder, other than farmland.
Where should the sale money go?
Usually an NRE or NRO account in India, or a third country.
Can a Lebanese citizen without OCI buy?
Generally no, but leasing and inheritance are possible.
Can I use my frozen Lebanese deposits to buy in India?
Not reliably; ensure the funds are available in India before you commit.