NRI guide · updated June 2026
Every national property platform either sells you the YEIDA plot and stops — or enters when you have a finished rental. Nobody covers the 10–16 month window between allotment letter and finished home. That is the window Vidastu owns. This guide walks the six stages from allotment to handover — what happens at each stage, who does what, what the NRI does remotely, and what protects your money along the way. This is general information and not legal, financial or tax advice. Consult your CA and FEMA advisor for your specific situation. UP-RERA Agent: UPRERAAGT000309/01/2026.
Every figure below is attributed to its source with date.
Each stage is described plainly: what happens, who handles it on the ground, and what the NRI does from abroad. No stage requires you to be physically present in India.
Your YEIDA allotment letter arrives — this is the starting gun. Before construction can begin, two parallel tracks must be completed. First: review the allotment document with a property lawyer to verify the plot number, sector, size, and conditions of allotment (including the construction obligation timeline). Second: execute a Special Power of Attorney (SPoA) — not a General PoA — in your country of residence before a notary, then get it apostilled (Hague Convention countries: UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Singapore) or consular-attested (Gulf countries: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Kenya). The SPoA should name specific authorised acts: YEIDA registration, building plan submission, YEIDA correspondence, and construction management. Payment channels (NRE / NRO / FCNR in INR) must be in place before the first payment is made.
Parallel with allotment receipt — 4–8 weeks to completeYou brief the Vidastu team remotely — over video call or email — on your requirements: plot size, number of floors, number of bedrooms, parking, spec tier (Essential / Premium / Luxe), and any specific preferences. The architect produces a design that respects YEIDA's building regulations: setback requirements, maximum ground coverage (typically 50–60% of plot area for residential plots), maximum Floor Area Ratio, and height restrictions applicable to your sector. Structural drawings are prepared by a licensed structural engineer. You review and approve the designs via shared PDFs or video walkthrough before submission. No physical presence is required at this stage.
3–5 weeks from brief finalisationThe building plan is submitted to the YEIDA estate office for sanction. Your PoA holder manages all physical submissions and follow-ups. The sanction process involves YEIDA's technical cell reviewing the plan for compliance with bye-laws — setbacks, FAR, ground coverage, structural drawings. Approval timelines vary by sector and current queue; the process typically takes 4–10 weeks from a complete submission. YEIDA may ask for corrections or clarifications — your PoA holder handles these. No construction work commences before plan sanction. Starting work before approval creates significant compliance risk, including potential demolition orders. This is non-negotiable.
4–10 weeks from submission (varies by sector)Construction begins with site clearing, excavation to the required depth, and laying the foundation — raft foundation or isolated footings depending on the soil condition and structural engineer's recommendation. This is the most critical structural phase: reinforcement placement, concrete mix, and curing standards here determine the building's long-term integrity. The RCC frame — columns, beams, and floor slabs for each level — is cast and cured. You receive video updates at each milestone (foundation complete, plinth beam, each floor slab) so you can see progress from abroad without relying on verbal assurances. For RERA-registered projects, milestone payments are drawn from the escrow account only after construction milestones are verified.
3–5 months depending on number of floors and plot sizeWith the structural frame standing, the fit-out phase covers all internal and external finishing work: brickwork and block-work for internal walls; plastering; flooring (tiles, marble, or as per spec tier); tiling in bathrooms and kitchen; electrical wiring, DB boxes, and switch gear; plumbing, sanitary fixtures, and drainage connections to the YEIDA sewer system; doors, windows, and glazing; internal paint and external rendering or cladding per the approved elevation. MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) is coordinated so services are concealed before finishes are applied — a common source of rework when not managed properly. Video updates continue at each major milestone. A pre-completion snag inspection identifies all deficiencies before handover.
3–5 months depending on spec tierThe final stage has three parts. First: a detailed snag walk through every room, surface, fixture, and system — deficiencies identified in writing, rectified, and re-inspected. Second: the completion certificate is applied for and obtained from YEIDA after inspection by YEIDA's technical team confirming the construction matches the sanctioned plan. Third: handover — keys, utility connections, and all construction documents (sanctioned plan, structural drawings, specifications, warranties on equipment) are handed to you or your PoA representative. You can join the final walkthrough via video call. You now own a finished home, built to plan, with your name on the allotment.
2–4 weeks for snag clearance + completion certificateYou do not need to travel to India at any point during the build. The combination of a properly executed Special Power of Attorney and Vidastu's video-update system means you maintain oversight without physical presence. The risks of remote construction are real — but they are the risks of inadequate systems, not of the concept. With the right structure, it works.
The four systems that make remote construction management work for NRIs:
A narrowly-scoped SPoA names specific permitted acts. Executed before a notary in your country, apostilled or consular-attested, and registered with the Sub-Registrar in India before use. Vidastu guides you through this process and connects you with Indian property lawyers who handle NRI attestation. See the full PoA guide →
Milestone-triggered video reports from the site — foundation, plinth, each slab, internal plastering, finishes, and final snag. You see the work, not a summary of the work. Updates are shared by email and WhatsApp. You are not dependent on a phone call assuring you that things are going well.
All payments from NRE, NRO or FCNR accounts in INR. No cash, no hawala, no foreign-currency transfers — which would be FEMA violations with serious penalties. Every payment is documented with a bank-issued receipt. Repatriation of sale proceeds later requires Form 15CA/15CB — structure this from the start. Consult your CA.
For RERA-registered projects, 70% of buyer funds sit in a statutory escrow account and are drawn only against verified milestones. This is not a voluntary arrangement — it is mandated by the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act 2016. Verify project RERA registration independently at up-rera.in before committing funds.
NRI property investment in India has a documented history of going wrong — stalled projects, diverted funds, unauthorised changes. The structures that protect you are real and statutory. Use them.
| Protection layer | What it does | Your action |
|---|---|---|
| RERA project registration | 70% of buyer funds in statutory escrow; milestone-linked drawdowns; builder legally required to deliver. | Verify at up-rera.in before signing. Never pay for an unregistered project. |
| YEIDA government allotment | The plot is allotted by a statutory development authority — no private developer owns the land intermediary. Title is government-backed. | Verify allotment letter authenticity with YEIDA office directly or through a property lawyer before making any payment. |
| Special Power of Attorney | Limits your representative's authority to named acts only. Reduces fraud risk vs a General PoA. | Use an SPoA, not a GPoA. Have it drafted by an Indian property lawyer. Authenticate before the Indian consulate in your country. |
| FEMA payment channels | NRE/NRO/FCNR payments create a documented paper trail. Enables repatriation at exit. | Never pay cash or via unofficial channels. Obtain a receipt for every payment from the builder's official bank account. |
| UP-RERA agent registration | Vidastu holds UP-RERA agent registration UPRERAAGT000309/01/2026 — a statutory accountability mechanism. | Verify agent RERA independently. Agent RERA is separate from project RERA — check both. |
| Video milestone updates | Not a legal protection — but provides independent visibility. You see progress, not just assurances. | Request video at each defined milestone. Keep a record of updates received. |
This is the single most important fact NRIs must understand before buying a YEIDA plot: you cannot hold it as vacant land indefinitely.
YEIDA residential plot allottees are required to begin and complete construction within timelines specified in the conditions of allotment. The obligation is written into the allotment agreement. NRIs who plan to "hold the plot for 5–10 years and maybe build later" face a compliance problem if they exceed the construction deadline without having commenced building. In practice this means:
Vidastu Developers Pvt. Ltd. is a Greater Noida-based developer and construction manager, operating since 2012. UP-RERA registered agent: UPRERAAGT000309/01/2026. Founder Vidit Kaushik (civil engineer, BITS Pilani) and co-founder Ravi Shankar Sharma (30+ years construction experience on the NCR corridor) lead the firm. Google rating: 4.8 across 54 reviews — predominantly NRI clients.
Vidastu's Vidastu Build service covers the full construction journey for NRI clients:
What Vidastu does not do:
See the Plot + Build overview → Model the all-in cost →
The Vidastu Build timeline from design finalisation through handover is 10–16 months. This covers architectural design, YEIDA plan sanction, foundation, structure, fit-out, and the completion certificate. It does not include the time to obtain the allotment (which depends on the YEIDA scheme draw and allotment process). Actual timelines depend on plot sector, YEIDA approval queues, and build spec. Consult Vidastu for a schedule specific to your plot and scheme.
No. The entire process can be managed remotely from your country of residence. The key requirements are: (1) a properly executed Special Power of Attorney — not a General PoA — authorising a named representative for specific purposes; and (2) payment through FEMA-compliant channels (NRE, NRO or FCNR accounts in INR). Vidastu shares video progress updates at construction milestones. Consult a CA and FEMA advisor for your specific situation before committing.
YEIDA residential plot allottees are required to begin and complete construction within timelines in the conditions of allotment. Holding a YEIDA plot as vacant land indefinitely is not permitted. For NRIs, the obligation is manageable with proper planning — engage a builder and PoA representative before or immediately after allotment and budget the full all-in cost. Vidastu's turnkey construction management is designed specifically for this. Consult your advisor for the specific deadlines applicable to your scheme and sector.
For RERA-registered projects, at least 70% of buyer funds must be held in a project-specific escrow account and drawn only against verified construction milestones, under RERA Section 4(2)(l)(D). Vidastu works only with RERA-registered projects. Verify any project's RERA registration independently at up-rera.in. This is process protection — not an absolute completion guarantee. General information only — verify all project details independently.
Vidastu offers three construction spec tiers. Essential — functional, durable, standard-grade materials and fittings. Premium — mid-grade finishes, branded sanitary ware, better flooring. Luxe — high-specification finishes, premium fittings, superior elevation treatment. Build costs differ materially between tiers. For indicative all-in estimates specific to your plot size, floors, and tier, use the NRI Value Projector calculator → or speak to the NRI desk. Final costs depend on your specific design, plot, and market conditions. Consult Vidastu for a project-specific estimate.
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