'Why all the worry' - well that's simple it appears that a lot of FNs have been led to believe that they can buy property in India/Goa when in fact they cannot legally do so. Developers/Agents are leading them to believe that there are loopholes that they can use in order to do so, but the officials are now looking into this and the hard truth is that a lot of people stand to lose a lot of their hard earned cash.

If you are considering buying then it seems you are best advised not to, whatever the advice the sellers give you (let's face it they have a vested interested in selling). Most people buying do so in order to spend the better part of the year in Goa/India - why not rent for 5/6 months at a time - probably cheaper in the long-term and you dont stand to lose anything just benefit from living in the the warm for that time.

I have been resident in Goa for 7 years. I know people who have been here for longer. As residents, all of us are (or were?) "entitled" to buy, but none of us has ever considered it. It is simply so easy to rent. Plenty of places avauilable, very good rates if staying long term. option to move if an area changes. I cannot understand the compulsion people feel to buy property in Goa, particularly in the current circumstances.

I think youve been very wise Phil and made the right decision. As you say why do people find it so necessary? Probably cos of the cheap prices, but you might end up with nothing, its not worth it IMO.

"I cannot understand the compulsion people feel to buy property in Goa"

Greed?

Hoping to make a a fast buck?

I know all the boats on lake Dal were built as non Indians were not allowed to buy houses, and this was in the 1800's. So the laws haven't changed.

I wonder if someone will start building boats to live on?

Now where was my credit card?

Where in the FEMA regulations does it tell anybody you cannot buy property on a tourist Visa? can anyone answer that? if you have a tourist visa and you don't have stamped on it ( you must leave the country before 180 days ) then you can do 183 days in the tax year, even if you have to leave the country for a night ( sri lanka ) then you can still do 183 days even though it has a break in it, the law states 183 in any financial year it does not say that it has to be done in one swoop, you can even do three trips out of the counrty. Take the FEMA regulations to a lawyer and get them to confirm the law.

Mike - the way the Indian government seem to decipher the fema regulations re the 182 days rule is that anyone who has a "tourist visa" is in India for that reason only "tourism" and so could not fullfill the requirement that is "to show that they intend to stay in India for a indefinate period" perhaps that`s why the xvisa has been removed for the moment. At least this is the way I see things at present. Also does anyone know for sure that the British Government is not keeping an eye on the situation in Goa as they might well be working behind the scenes towards a solution!

I think these sites are fantastic for chatting and voicing our opinions but is it not time the british goverment step in and and help us.

Does anybody know who in the british goverment may help?.

The Indian goverment say they don't want long term people because we don't spend the money that tourist do, but do they not think all the long term people have friends and relatives visting us in Goa and spending lots of money, if a tourist comes and spend two or three hundred pound in their two week stay fine but the long term people spend their money five to ten thousand pounds a year. Do the goverment not realise what they are doing? stopping visas, stopping postal of visas, stopping X visas this is all having a knock on effect on their tourism, i have talked to many people who have been coming to Goa for years and they don't and won't go and stand outside the embassy for three and four hour not just out of principle but some people have bad health problem and can't do it.

The only way this will be sorted out is if the british goverment get their act together and approach the indian goverment and we all stick together as a group. Mr Blair seems quick enough to help British- India trading, then why is there no help from the goverment, do they not know about this problem or are they just burying their heads because they are afraid of what may happen to the trade between the two countries?.

I still think the site is good for keeping in touch with people and letting off steam but it is coming to more than that now, people have been conned and if that happened in Britain people would be fined and locked up.

By the way i have not seen any posts from Tony ( Mr Blair ) have you not invited him Fiona!!!.

Hi guys
Newbie here.
We are currently in the final process of buying an apartment in Calangute - we are continually being told by our developer that there is not a problem and we can start up a shell company/complete residency, despite we all know now.
Is anyone out there buying in Keiran Park - if so, have you heard anything at all from Saldanha.
We are going across shortly supposedly to complete the transaction and start getting the furniture in. Will keep you posted to what we find

Hi Sua,

When you say final process have you parted with your money?.

You should go to http://www.expatsabroad.com and read about Douglas M he has done everything by the FEMA laws even to the law where you cannot own property outside of India and they have still taken his property and deported him! and he is a very educated guy. I think( or hope ) if we all stick together and the British goverment do get involved we should get through all this.

We wish you all the luck in the world, keep us informed by pm if you like.

Hi Mike
Have read their forums and IndiaMike, but feel there is nothing we can do right now. We have already handed 75% of our money over to the developers, and yes, we had investigated thoroughly before going into it, had checked both FEMA and RBI and were going down the route of residency, but that is now impossible with the visa situation.
To be honest we don't know what to do for the best, try and use it for as long as we can on a tourist visa (at the moment though it will be short terms only as we have two school age kids), or walk away knowing we've lost a substantial chunk of our retirement fund and also the dream of living in India for 6-8 months and the UK the rest of the time.

Just finding it very stressful and has been making me feel quite ill tbh, but sure things will pan out in the end.

Hi SuA,

Mike here, Where is Kieran Park? hang on in there don't get too stressed, i know it is easy to say. We are going to see a solicitor today and i will let you know how we get on.

Mike and Carol

Hi Mike
Just saw your post.
Keiran Park is in Calangute just behind the post office/Don Bosco school, or put another way out by the Royal Village resort.

Good luck when you see your solicitor.

just to "kick start" this topic again and to see if there is any light through the doom and gloom of late - has anyone any updates on the current situation in Goa - especialy regarding any continuing problems (as well as happy outcomes) ex pats are facing re the current home ownership rules in Goa.

BAM - I know of some retired folks here who cannot have their visa renewed at the FRO in Panjim, they have received letters telling them to leave the country within 15 days to renew their visa and telling them to "retire in their own country". Some people have spent their life savings moving to Goa, purchasing property and spending their own money and they have to fly to either Sri Lanka (where you have to beg for a 6 month visa), or you get a three month visa, fly to Thailand or fly back to UK to renew visas. Flights are expensive when you have to do it every year...!

So that's the doom and gloom. Is there ANYBODY out there who has some positive news? Anyone successfully completed? What about the avenue I've heard of whereby you take a 5 year renewable lease. Anyone gone down that route. Because, to be honest, if we can't find anyone with anything positive, then to quote Dad's Army, "We're all doomed!"

Currently the only way for NRF to own property in India is " leasehold" for a period not exceeding five years - depending on your aggreement - your lease can be rolled over indefinately. NOT ALL IS LOST YET!! We have another four years left on our lease and then it "should" be rolled over, but, we hope that things in India might well be sorted by that time to enable us to apply for the freehold!

Even more doom & gloom from India Seems there going more protectionist. Its planning to tighten the rules for purchase of shares and bonds in local companies through offshore derivative instruments.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=aIo7Ze6HOhrs&refer=india