When buying property in Batumi, people sometimes ask about a residence permit. Georgia remains one of the most straightforward countries for legalisation through investment, and the procedure itself is simple.
In 2026 the rules changed: from 1 March the minimum property value for a short-term residence permit rose from $100,000 to $150,000. Let us look at how this mechanism works in practice, how to value objects correctly and what path leads from a residence permit to permanent residence.
Who can get a residence permit through property
A short-term residence permit is available to a foreigner who owns property in Georgia with a market value above the set threshold. In practice, when selecting such objects I pay attention to four key conditions:
- Type of object: only non-agricultural property qualifies. It can be an apartment in a new build, a commercial space, an apart-hotel or a private house, provided the land under it has non-agricultural status.
- Appraisal, not the deal price: the Public Service Hall looks not at the sum in your purchase agreement, but at the market value in the report of a certified appraiser.
- Combining objects: the threshold is calculated on the total value of all property owned. If you have two apartments worth $80,000 each, you clear the threshold.
- Family: the main applicant may include a spouse and minor children in the same document package.
The 2026 value threshold and the purchase-date nuance
From 1 March 2026 the minimum appraised value of property for a short-term residence permit is $150,000.
There is an important transitional nuance here. The date your ownership is registered in the Public Registry determines which threshold applies to you. If you managed to buy and register an apartment before 1 March 2026, the old threshold of $100,000 continues to apply to you (and to subsequent annual renewals).
How the object is appraised
In practice we often see that the purchase price and the appraised value are different figures. The value for the residence permit is confirmed by an independent appraisal from an expert accredited by the Accreditation Centre of Georgia.
This is a separate document. The appraised market value may turn out to be either higher or lower than your deal amount. So if you are buying an apartment specifically for a residence permit, it is important to understand, before signing the contract, whether the object reaches the $150,000 threshold.
Step-by-step process and timelines
The whole process from choosing an apartment to receiving the resident card usually takes about a month and a half.
- Registering the deal: purchase and registration of ownership in the Public Registry (only a passport is needed).
- Appraisal: ordering an audit of the object from an accredited appraiser.
- Filing the application: collecting the document package (passport, registry extract, appraisal report, photo) and submitting it in person at the Public Service Hall. For family members you will also need marriage and birth certificates with a notarised translation and apostille.
- Awaiting the decision: choosing the tariff and processing term with payment of the corresponding state fee.
- Receiving the card: issuing the plastic resident ID card.
| Processing term at the Public Service Hall | State fee | When it suits |
|---|---|---|
| 30 calendar days | 300 GEL | Basic option with minimal cost |
| 20 calendar days | 450 GEL | Faster option if your legal stay is running out |
| 10 calendar days | 600 GEL | The fastest route to the result |
Permit term, renewal and family members
A short-term residence permit through property is initially issued for up to 1 year. It is then renewed as long as you keep ownership of the qualifying object. A spouse and minor children receive the permit on the same basis and for the same term. There is no need to make a separate investment for each family member.
From residence permit to permanent residence and citizenship
- Investment residence permit (permanent residence in 5 years): available when buying property from $300,000. It is issued straight away for 5 years and grants the right to indefinite permanent residence at the end of that term if the investment is retained.
- Permanent residence via the short-term permit (in 10 years): for a standard permit, the continuous-residence threshold for requesting permanent residence is 10 years.
- Citizenship or permanent residence (choice after 10 years): since the terms for standard permanent residence and citizenship have become equal, after 10 years of lawful residence and property ownership the expat makes a choice. You can request citizenship (which requires passing exams in language, history and law, and renouncing your first passport, as Georgia does not recognise dual citizenship in the standard order). The alternative, for those who want to keep their home passport, is to request indefinite permanent residence, which grants all civil rights except voting.
How we at DT Realty help with the residence permit
Searching for property for a residence permit differs from an ordinary purchase: here it is important to calculate the appraisal and the legal status of the object in advance. At DT Realty Batumi we support this process end to end:
- We select suitable objects: we pick options that are guaranteed to clear the required appraisal threshold.
- We arrange the appraisal: we engage trusted accredited appraisers whose reports are accepted by the Public Service Hall without issues.
- We support the deal: we help at every stage, from registering ownership in the Public Registry to preparing the document package for the application.
Write to us if you are planning to buy property in Batumi. We will select objects that solve the legalisation task and calculate the full economics of the deal, including the appraisal and fees.
