Home / Dholera SMART CITY PROJECTS NRI Guide: How to Buy Plots in Dholera Smart City from Abroad — 2026 In the last 18 months, a noticeable shift has happened in the Dholera investor profile. The buyers visiting our platform from Canada, the UK, Australia, the UAE, and the United States have increased significantly. Some are returning to their roots — Gujarat-origin NRIs who want to invest in the state their families are from. Others are purely financial investors who have identified Dholera as one of the few remaining early-stage smart city plays in Asia with genuine government backing and an infrastructure calendar they can track in real time. What many of them share is the same initial hesitation: the process of buying property in India from abroad feels complicated. It involves FEMA, NRE accounts, Power of Attorney, and a lot of paperwork in a country where they are not physically present. This guide demystifies the entire process. By the end of it, you will know exactly what you are eligible to buy, how to pay, which documents to prepare, how the registration works remotely, and what tax obligations to expect when you eventually sell. Are NRIs Eligible to Buy Plots in Dholera? The Legal Answer Yes — clearly and unambiguously. Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) are fully eligible to purchase residential and commercial plots in Dholera SIR. This is governed by: Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999 — specifically the FEMA (Acquisition and Transfer of Immovable Property in India) Regulations Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Regulations — which allow NRIs to acquire immovable property in India without any prior permission from the RBI, as long as the payment is made through specified channels What NRIs Can and Cannot Buy Can buy: Residential plots and apartments Commercial plots and office units SCO (Shop-cum-Office) units Industrial plots (in designated zones) Cannot buy: Agricultural land Plantation property Farmhouses All RERA-registered plots in Dholera SIR’s Activation Area and TP zones are classified as residential or commercial — fully eligible for NRI purchase. Why Dholera Is Attracting NRI Investors in 2026 Before getting into the process, it is worth understanding what is driving this interest — because the fundamentals have materially changed in the last 24 months. The Semiconductor Play Tata Electronics’ confirmed semiconductor fabrication plant in Dholera is not just a factory. It is the anchor around which an entire electronics manufacturing ecosystem will develop. When TSMC announced its Arizona plant, land prices in that corridor moved dramatically. Dholera’s semiconductor story is at an earlier stage — meaning the price movement is still ahead. Airport Connectivity Changes Everything for NRIs For NRIs specifically, the Dholera International Airport changes the investment calculus. Once operational, it means you can fly directly into Dholera’s corridor from international connections through Ahmedabad — rather than making the 100 km drive from Ahmedabad airport every time you want to visit your plot. Accessibility to an asset matters for how you manage and eventually sell it. Price Versus Other Indian Metros An NRI who has watched Mumbai, Bangalore, or Gurugram property prices become unaffordable finds in Dholera an entry point that still makes sense. Activation Area residential plots starting at ₹6–8 Lakhs, with a credible 3–5x appreciation argument over 8–10 years, is a risk-reward profile that is genuinely rare in Indian real estate today. 👉 See current prices: Dholera Plot Price Per Sq Yard — Zone-Wise Guide 2026 Step-by-Step: How NRIs Buy Dholera Plots from Abroad Step 1 — Shortlist Your Project Begin with the RERA portal. Every project you consider must have a valid RERA registration on gujrera.gujarat.gov.in. Our platform lists only RERA-verified projects, so you can use our directory as a starting point. Consider three variables at the shortlisting stage: Zone: Activation Area is highest value and most liquid. TP-2 and TP-3 are cheaper but require longer holding. Developer track record: Look at how many projects the developer has delivered, not just registered. RERA portal shows their history. Plot size vs. your budget: A smaller plot in the Activation Area will typically outperform a larger plot in an outer zone over a 5–7 year horizon. 👉 Browse: All RERA-Approved Projects in Dholera Step 2 — Request a Virtual Site Tour and Documentation Package A reputable Dholera developer or channel partner will provide: A recorded or live virtual site tour (Google Maps, drone footage, or video walkthrough) The complete RERA registration certificate Approved layout plan showing your specific plot Title document summary Draft Sale Agreement Do not shortcut this step. Review all four documents before committing to a booking amount. Step 3 — Open or Designate an NRE/NRO Account All property payments in India by NRIs must be made through one of the following: NRE Account (Non-Resident External): Funds held in INR, freely repatriable. Tax-free interest in India. Most suitable for NRIs who want easy repatriation later. NRO Account (Non-Resident Ordinary): Rupee account for income earned in India. Repatriation allowed up to USD 1 million per year with CA certification. FCNR Account (Foreign Currency Non-Resident): Held in foreign currency (USD, GBP, EUR, etc.). Fully repatriable. You cannot pay for Indian property from a foreign bank account directly to a developer’s Indian account — this violates FEMA. Payments must flow through your Indian NRE/NRO/FCNR account. If you do not already have an NRI account with an Indian bank, open one with SBI, HDFC, ICICI, or Axis Bank — all offer online NRI account opening with video KYC from abroad. Step 4 — Pay the Booking Amount Once you have decided on your project and verified RERA, pay the booking amount — typically 10–20% of the total plot value. Confirm the following before transferring: Payment must go into the developer’s RERA-designated escrow account — not a general company account Get a payment receipt with the plot number and RERA registration number mentioned on it Booking should be confirmed with a written allotment letter on developer letterhead Step 5 — Execute the Sale Agreement The Sale Agreement