Guide
Power of attorney from the USA for property in India
How NRIs in the USA give power of attorney for property in India: signing route, stamping, registration, documents and cost.
Updated 30 October 2026
To give power of attorney (POA) from the USA for property in India: draft the POA in Indian format, sign it before a local notary and get it apostilled (or sign at the Indian mission), courier the original to India, pay stamp duty within three months of it arriving, and register it at the sub-registrar's office when it covers a property sale or purchase.
Which POA do you need?
A special power of attorney (SPA) covers one named task, such as selling one flat or registering one rent agreement. A general power of attorney (GPA) covers a wide range of acts.
For property, choose a special POA unless your representative genuinely needs broad authority. It protects you from acts you never intended.
Step by step from the USA
- Draft the POA in the Indian format, naming your representative and listing exactly what they can do, with property details such as survey or flat numbers.
- Sign the POA in front of a US notary public, then get an apostille from the Secretary of State of the state where it was notarised. You can also sign at the Embassy of India or one of its consulates instead.
- Courier the signed original to your representative in India and keep the tracking record.
- Pay stamp duty in the state where the property is, within three months of the POA arriving in India. Rates differ by state.
- Register the POA at the sub-registrar's office where the property is located, when it covers a sale, purchase or other registration. You do not need to be present.
- Your representative can now act for you, using the stamped and registered original.
Good to know for the USA
The USA and India are both members of the Hague Apostille Convention, so a notarised and apostilled POA is accepted in India without further embassy attestation.
Documents you usually need
- The drafted POA, printed for signing
- Your passport, and visa or OCI card
- Two witnesses with photo ID
- Your representative's photo ID and address proof
- Passport-size photographs of you and your representative
- Property documents, such as the sale deed or allotment letter
What it costs
Government charges are stamp duty and registration fees, which depend on the state and the type of POA. Notary, apostille or consular fees in the USA are separate.
SafeNRI drafts the POA, guides you through signing, and handles stamping and registration in India. See the price on our Power of attorney service page.