Repatriation of Property Sale Proceeds by NRIs: Limits, Forms 145/146

Key points

NRIs can send up to USD 1 million per financial year from NRO balances, including property sale money.
Property bought with foreign or NRE funds has a separate route, up to the amount originally paid.
Forms 15CA/15CB are now Forms 145/146 for remittances from 1 April 2026.
Plan TDS before the sale so less money is stuck waiting for a refund.

Selling property in India is only half the job for most NRIs. The other half is moving the money abroad legally. Repatriation is governed by FEMA (via the Reserve Bank of India) and the Income-tax Act, so you'll deal with your bank, a chartered accountant and the e-filing portal.

How much can you send abroad?

USD 1 million per financial year (April–March) from your NRO account balances, which include property sale proceeds. Spreading a large remittance over two financial years is a common way to stay within the limit.
Property bought with foreign money (inward remittance, or NRE/FCNR funds): sale proceeds can be repatriated up to the amount originally paid in foreign exchange, for up to two residential properties, outside the USD 1 million limit.
Inherited property: proceeds can be repatriated within the USD 1 million limit with documents showing the inheritance.

Step by step

Plan TDS first. The buyer deducts TDS before paying you. A lower TDS certificate (Form 128) keeps more money with you. Estimate the TDS.
Receive the money into your NRO account. Buyers normally pay into NRO, not NRE.
Get Form 146 from a chartered accountant if the remittance is taxable and above ₹5 lakh. The CA certifies that tax has been paid or deducted and confirms any treaty position. Form 146 replaced Form 15CB from 1 April 2026.
File Form 145 online on the e-filing portal (replaced Form 15CA). Part A is for taxable remittances up to ₹5 lakh, Part C for amounts above ₹5 lakh with a CA certificate, and Part D for remittances not taxable in India.
Submit to your bank: Form 145 acknowledgement, Form 146, sale deed, TDS certificates and the bank's own remittance application (often with Form A2).

Documents to keep ready

Sale deed and purchase deed (or inheritance documents, e.g. will and succession certificate)
Proof the original purchase was paid from foreign or NRE funds, if claiming that route
TDS certificates from the buyer and your capital gains computation
PAN, passport, visa and your bank's KYC documents

Common mistakes

Leaving TDS planning until after the sale, so a large share is stuck until your refund.
Exceeding USD 1 million in one financial year without RBI approval.
Not filing the Indian return for the year of sale, which is needed to claim refunds and shows the tax trail if questioned.

Rules on repatriation come from RBI master directions under FEMA and change periodically. Confirm current limits with your bank's NRI desk before you sell.

Try the calculator

Property Sale TDS CalculatorTDS a buyer must deduct when you sell property in India Capital Gains Tax on PropertyTax on selling a flat, house or plot in India

Frequently asked questions

How much property sale money can an NRI repatriate?

Up to USD 1 million per financial year from NRO balances. Proceeds of property bought with foreign or NRE funds can be repatriated up to the amount paid in foreign exchange, for up to two residential properties.

Is Form 15CA still needed?

From 1 April 2026, Form 15CA is replaced by Form 145 and Form 15CB by Form 146. The purpose is the same.

When is a CA certificate (Form 146) needed?

Generally when the remittance is taxable in India and exceeds ₹5 lakh in the financial year.

Can I repatriate money from an inherited property?

Yes, within the USD 1 million per financial year limit, with documents proving the inheritance.

Selling property or owed a refund?

A chartered accountant who works with NRIs can get a lower-TDS certificate, file your return and handle repatriation paperwork.

Sources

This guide is general information based on the law as at 25 October 2026, not tax or legal advice.