Country Guide · United Kingdom

Legal Help in India for NRIs Living in the UK

For Indian citizens, OCI cardholders and British Indian families who need to sort out property, inheritance, family or court matters in India while living in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

  • Signing Indian documents in the UK
  • Inherited and jointly owned property
  • Divorce and UK court orders
  • Calls fitted around UK working hours

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Get Help from the UK

Tell us where you live in the UK and where in India your matter is.

Common matters

Matters UK-Based NRIs Most Often Raise

Many British Indian families hold property in Punjab, Gujarat, Kerala and other states that is managed by relatives at home.

Inheritance

Transferring a parent’s house, bank deposits or shares to heirs who now live in the UK.
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Partition of family property

Dividing a family home or farmland with siblings in India.
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Occupied or disputed property

A caretaker or relative who has stopped handing over rent or refuses to leave.
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Power of Attorney

Authorising a family member in India to deal with registration, tax or banks.
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Selling or buying property

Selling a flat or plot in India and moving the money to the UK.
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Divorce

Divorce in India, or relying on a UK divorce for Indian purposes.
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Documents signed in the UK

Getting UK-Signed Documents Accepted in India

The usual route depends on the document. Confirm with the Indian authority, bank or court that will rely on it before you sign.

Route 1 — Indian High Commission or Consulate

  • Indian missions in the UK are the High Commission in London and the Consulates General in Birmingham and Edinburgh, each covering particular areas.
  • Powers of attorney and affidavits about property or money in India are generally signed in person before the consular officer, who attests them for use in India.
  • Witnesses to a power of attorney may need to attend and sign in front of the officer too.
  • Some other consular services, such as attestation of certain documents, are handled through the missions’ outsourced application centres. Check the mission website for the current process and fees.

Route 2 — UK notary plus apostille

  • Sign before a UK notary public.
  • Obtain an apostille from the UK’s Legalisation Office (part of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office).
  • India and the UK are both parties to the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostilled document does not need further legalisation in India.
  • Some Indian offices and banks still ask for consular attestation of a power of attorney — check before choosing this route.

Once the document reaches India

  • Have it stamped in India within three months of receipt, as the applicable stamp law requires — usually by adjudication at the stamp office.
  • A Power of Attorney used to register a sale or other deed must satisfy the authentication requirements of the Registration Act, 1908.
  • Register the deed where registration is compulsory, through your attorney holder at the sub-registrar’s office.
  • Keep scanned and certified copies — originals are sometimes retained by the registering office or a court.

Practical tips

  • Use a property-specific power of attorney rather than a very wide general one.
  • Make sure the names on your passport, OCI card and PAN match the property papers.
  • Send originals to India by tracked courier and keep scans.
  • Ask your lawyer in India to review the draft before you sign it in the UK.

Tax, banking & FEMA

Money Matters Between India and the UK

Two tax systems can touch the same transaction. Take advice in India and where you live before you sign.

On the Indian side

  • Capital gains on selling property in India are taxed in India. The buyer must deduct tax at source when buying from a non-resident — under section 393(2) of the Income-tax Act, 2025 from 1 April 2026 (earlier section 195 of the 1961 Act).
  • If the TDS would exceed the tax actually due, you can apply to the Income Tax Department for a lower or nil deduction certificate before the sale.
  • Sale proceeds and other NRO balances can be repatriated up to USD 1 million per financial year under RBI rules, usually with Forms 15CA/15CB.
  • Under FEMA, NRIs and OCIs may buy residential and commercial property but not agricultural land, plantations or farmhouses — though they can inherit them.

On the UK side

  • UK residents may have to report gains on Indian property to HMRC, depending on their residence and domicile position for the tax year.
  • The India–UK tax treaty and UK foreign tax credit rules may reduce double taxation.
  • These are UK tax questions — speak to a UK tax adviser. Information on this page covers Indian law only.

Courts & family matters

Indian Court Proceedings from the UK

Video appearance

Many Indian courts allow parties and witnesses abroad to join by video, subject to each High Court’s rules and the court’s permission.

Vakalatnama

Your lawyer appears for you on a vakalatnama, which can usually be signed in the UK and sent to India.

UK money judgments

The UK is a notified reciprocating territory under Section 44A of the Code of Civil Procedure, so certain money decrees of UK superior courts can be executed in India.

UK divorce decrees

Recognition of a UK divorce in India depends on Section 13 of the Code of Civil Procedure — including jurisdiction and the ground on which it was granted.

Children across borders

India is not a party to the Hague Child Abduction Convention; Indian courts decide custody on the child’s welfare.

Time difference

India is 4½ hours ahead of the UK during British Summer Time and 5½ hours ahead the rest of the year.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to go to the High Commission to sign a power of attorney?

For a property or money power of attorney attested by an Indian mission, you generally sign it in person before the consular officer. The alternative is a UK notary plus an apostille, if the Indian office accepts it.

Can a UK court order about money be enforced in India?

Money decrees of UK superior courts can generally be executed in India under Section 44A CPC because the UK is a reciprocating territory. Other orders may need a fresh suit in India.

Is my UK divorce valid in India?

Not automatically. It depends on whether it satisfies Section 13 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Get advice before remarrying or dealing with property on the strength of it.

Can I inherit agricultural land in India as a British citizen with an OCI card?

Yes, inheritance is allowed. Separate rules then govern holding, selling and repatriating the proceeds.

Can consultations happen outside UK office hours?

Yes. Calls in the UK morning overlap with the Indian afternoon, which suits most lawyers in India.

Related

Related NRI Services

NRI Power of Attorney

Authorising someone in India.
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NRI property disputes

Title, ownership and possession.
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NRI inheritance

Heirs living abroad.
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NRI divorce

Divorce in India from abroad.
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Other countries

NRI legal support worldwide.
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NRI legal FAQs

Common questions answered.
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Handle Your Matter in India from the UK

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The information provided is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Applicable laws and procedures may vary depending on the facts, jurisdiction, and circumstances of each matter. Consult a qualified legal professional before taking action. Last reviewed: November 2026.