How to Buy Property in Georgia as a Foreigner: Steps, Costs and Taxes

Georgia is one of the few countries where a foreigner buys property on the same terms as a citizen: no permits, no quotas, no special status. Below is how it works in practice, what it costs and which taxes follow the purchase. Everything is checked against official sources as of October 2026.

Who can buy

A citizen of any country can buy, own and sell an apartment, a house, commercial premises or non-agricultural land. The procedure is the same as for a local.

There is one exception — agricultural land. Under the Constitution and a 2019 law, foreigners cannot own it, apart from inheritance and certain government-approved investment projects. Apartments and villas are not affected.

How the purchase works

1. Choose the property and check the documents

Before paying anything, get an extract from the Public Registry: who the owner is and whether there is a mortgage, an arrest or any other encumbrance. For a new build, also the construction permit, and for a completed building the commissioning act. Look at what the developer has already built and delivered, not only at what it promises.

2. Sign a preliminary agreement

This is the usual step for new builds and instalment purchases. The agreement fixes the price, the payment schedule, the completion date and the liability for missing it. Each developer sets its own instalment terms — we have collected them in our list of apartments with a developer instalment plan.

3. Payment

The national currency is the lari, but property deals are almost always priced in US dollars. You pay by bank transfer. Major banks — TBC, Bank of Georgia — open an account for a foreigner with a passport, but a Georgian account is not required for the purchase.

4. The purchase contract

A notary is not mandatory for a simple purchase: the parties can sign the standard contract in front of a registrar at the Public Service Hall. You need a notary when the buyer acts by power of attorney or the deal is not standard. Notary fees follow a state scale — for an apartment of about $150,000 it is in the order of 1,000 GEL.

5. Registering ownership

Ownership is registered by the National Agency of Public Registry. The fee depends on the timeline:

Once registered, you are the owner; the registry extract is your title document.

Can I buy without travelling?

Yes. The purchase is completed by power of attorney, signed before a notary in your country and apostilled. We film the property, collect the documents and handle the registration without you having to come.

What the purchase costs

The "1% purchase tax" quoted in many articles is a mistake: Georgia has no property transfer tax.

Taxes after the purchase

• Property tax. Under amendments passed by parliament on 30 September 2026, only families with an annual income above 100,000 GEL pay it — 0.8–1% of market value a year. Everyone else pays nothing.
• Letting. If you let a home for residential use and register with the Revenue Service, the tax is 5% of the gross rent with no deductions. Without registration it is 20% of net income. Nightly letting may be taxed differently — discuss it with a tax adviser before you buy.
• Selling. A home you have owned for more than two years is sold free of capital gains tax. Within two years, the rate is 5% of the gain.

Residency

Since 1 March 2026, property with a market value above $150,000 entitles the owner to a residence permit; the threshold used to be $100,000. The value is confirmed by an accredited appraiser, and several properties can be combined. The permit is issued for a year and renewed while you keep the property. Those who bought before 1 March under the old threshold renew on the old terms.

An investment residence permit for five years starts at $300,000.

Entry and stay

Citizens of the EU, the US, Russia and many other countries can stay in Georgia for up to a year without a visa. Since 1 January 2026, visitors need health insurance covering at least 30,000 GEL for the whole stay.

Where to start

Browse all properties or our collections: seafront apartments, under $100,000, villas and townhouses. For the city itself, read our Batumi property guide. Get in touch — we will check the legal status of the property you choose before you sign anything.