I thank-you all so very much on the advice given. Perhaps we will now give up on that idea and just continue to have our 3/4 hols a year out there as normal . It's such a pity because as we all know it is an idealic place to be ans esp the people who are so kind , honest and welcoming to us each time we visit .

Today the HCI London has issued a press release on their website confirming it is not possible for Foreign Nationals to buy property in India.
Even if you could get residency status (bearing in mind the difficulty getting a visa for over 180 days), the registry remains closed to FNs to actually obtain their deeds.
regards
Michelle

Please don't get carried away on your holiday in Goa, and think of "Living the Dream" and go down the lines of looking to buy property.

Whatever you are told Foreign Nationals cannot buy property in India at the moment, and those who have cannot register the deeds in their names. There are a lot of very worried and unhappy people in the UK who have parted with their hard earned money.

The Hindu 4.6.2006 Read:-

Goa to confiscate property bought by Foreigners on tourist visa.

You will not get a visa now to purchase property in Goa if you are a foreign national. Please be warned.

Hi,
Even those who have bought property in Goa, with the right visa's done everything according to "Goan" law had their Sale Deeds Registered, are now being investigated by the Directorate of Enforcement.
It is very distressing when your dream becomes a nightmare.
Please be careful and listen to Fiona - DO NOT BUY

Any suggestions as to what we do when we are already part way through the buying process? I think many of us have been mislead by UK companies, who now wash their hands of us, having taken the money and run. In our case, it was XXXXXXXX. Do we have a legal case against these companies? Perhaps we need to get together.
Or maybe, having got this far, we need to find a way of selling on to someone who does qualify? Indian legal advice needed!

EDIT: Company name removed for legal reasons
David HT Mod

There are a lot of people in your position. It is discussed fully on
the BritishExpat site under Goa. There seem to be some very knowledgeable people there. But unfortunately it does not look good, for any of us.

EDIT: Please do not name individual companies, or refer specifically to usernames and details of discussions taking place on other websites, as this could present problems for Holidaytruths which may result in the topic having to be closed.
Many thanks
David HT Mod

Sorry - I was just trying to be helpful.

I understand that Katie. It's just that some forms of help have the inadvertant potential to cause us legal problems.

David

A friend of mine who has been a long time resident in Goa (approx 10 years) has recently returned to the UK.

He had been interviewed by a team of lawers from Delhi about a previous house sale that took place some years ago. It appears that the national government in Delhi, are unhappy about the way that the government in Goa allows foreigners to buy property, and they are going through the records of all house purchases which have taken place in Goa. He was told, that the attitude of the national government is - only foreigners employed by a "bona fide" Indian Company can buy property, and you certainly can't buy property on a 6 month visa!

Otherwise - effectively all you have bought, is the right to live in the property.

When my friend asked the lawyers how he stood regards his present house - he was told to "sell up and get out while you can."

Hi Max13biker

That is quite shocking, but I am not surprised.

There are many people in 'fear' at the moment regarding their properties in Goa. You just have to read these threads to see what people are going through http://britishexpats.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=94

regards
Michelle

This is very sad. You cannot blame all the FN for buying and BEFORE the Developers for selling. If we were not allowed to buy and have our deeds registered, why did the Registra register them and the Solicitors say it was OK.

Why are we allowed to open bank accounts, when it is said you can't?

The Indian Government should take the blame for 90% of this mess, but I expect that is too much to ask.

I spent some time looking into buying property and I'm glad now I didn't invest all my savings. It's pretty obvious the thing to do if you are a FN and want to stay in Goa 6 months is simply spend a bit of time and get a good rental price. I have met many people who have bought property after 2 short trips, are they mad or is it the sun and beer?

Regardless of how much property you buy in Goa you are still a 'Foreigner'. One needs to think more Indian and less British in order to appreciate and understand the FN situation in Goa. The Government officials in India are less caring in principal, that's in their nature. The UK government and British Consulate aren't going to step in and help anyone in a situation regarding property deals either.

If I had property in Goa just now, I would cut and run before you lose it all.

If you are thinking of buying from Acron, please read britishexpat.co.uk. Acron site. I think it would be helpful

I,m afraid that the laws that the Indian Gov . now wish to impose are nothing new, the position regasrding buying property has not recently changed. Friends of mine have a flat there, they bought it cheaply a few years ago, it involved visits to all sorts of people, judges etc and money changing hand and hey presto all the paperwork was stamped etc. They knew however the situation could change, as indeed it has, and take a philosophical view of it all, as indeed I think you have to, as you should surely have checked the laws of India before embarking on any purchase Alan

Why all the worry, does anyone know of persons who have lost property in Goa, or have been expelled from the Country, I know not one person who has lost anything, maybe under investigation (but what does this mean) surely if Foreign nationals get thrown out of India and Visa's become very hard to near impossible to obtain, would not tourism also suffer to an extent of Salou, Spain a few years back and tourists stopped going and Spain begged British tourists back with clean up promises and cheap packages, so too must happen in India, how long can they survive on Rupees alone, think about it Dollars and Sterling rule the world economy and every country wants some, and if India doesnt want it there is always another up and coming country that will.

Utopia only exists in your minds.
be happy and dont worry.
Love to all.
xxx

A number of Brits have been given notice to quit India in the past few months.

"would not tourism also suffer"

I don't think it would, the Indian Govn' would rather have the two week package holidaymakers because they will spend more money.

"Why all the worry"

I'm not, but you obviously haven't looked at the number of people on the 'expats' group who certainly are.