I Took Possession of a New Flat for NRI Owners in the US. Here's the Letter of Authority That Made It Possible

How an NRI owner can authorise someone in Mumbai to take possession of a new flat: the authority letter, ID proofs and what the developer asked for.

New residential towers under construction in Mumbai seen from the street

I'm Urvesh Gohil, an Operations Manager at TND Listings. In June 2026 I stood in for a pair of NRI owners at the possession of their new flat in Thane West. They live in the US, and the possession date had been fixed weeks earlier with the developer's team.

I was not the person originally named. The day before, our founder couldn't attend for medical reasons, so the owners issued a fresh letter of authority in my name and I went the next day. Because the paperwork was clear, the switch took one email.

Can an NRI take possession of a new flat without coming to India?

Yes. The owner can authorise someone in India to attend the possession, sign the handover papers and receive the keys. For a simple handover, the developer may accept a letter of authority. For anything involving sale, registration or legal rights, you'll usually need a properly executed power of attorney. Ask the developer which they accept.

What did the developer ask for?

The owners asked the developer's possession team two practical questions, and the answers are useful for anyone in the same spot:

Which address goes on the authority letter, Indian or foreign? The developer said an Indian address would do.
Whose ID is needed? The authorised person must carry their original PAN and Aadhaar, and copies of the main applicants' Aadhaar and PAN must be attached to the authority letter.

Because the paperwork was clear, changing the person who attended possession took one email.

What does the authorised person actually do at possession?

On the day, my job was to be the owners' eyes and hands: complete the handover formalities with the developer's team, check the flat, note anything that needed fixing and collect the keys and documents. Straight after possession, our founder wrote to the developer's possession and society teams introducing TND as the appointed property manager and asking them to copy our operations team on everything about the flat.

From there, the flat was readied and rented by the end of September. You can read that case on our Owners' Wall.

A checklist for NRI owners

Confirm the possession date with the developer and ask what authorisation they accept.
Prepare the authority letter naming the person attending, with your Aadhaar and PAN copies attached.
Make sure that person carries their own original PAN and Aadhaar.
Name a backup person, or be ready to reissue the letter quickly.
Ask for a snag list and photos on the day.

Frequently asked questions

Is a letter of authority enough to take possession?

It was in this case. Some developers ask for a power of attorney instead, so check before the date.

Can the authority letter show my foreign address?

In this case the developer said an Indian address would do.

What ID does the authorised person need?

Their original PAN and Aadhaar, with the owners' Aadhaar and PAN copies attached to the letter.

Related reading

Have a possession date coming up and you can't be in India? Write to operations@tndlistings.com and we'll plan it with you.

Warmly,
Urvesh

General information, not legal advice. Each developer sets its own possession requirements.

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