Quick facts
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Threshold from 1 March 2026 | From USD 150,000 |
| Threshold before 1 March 2026 | USD 100,000 |
| Who sets the value | A certified assessor from an accredited body |
| What does NOT count | The price in the purchase agreement |
| Permit term | 1 year, renewable annually |
| Minimum stay | None required |
| Property type | Residential or commercial |
| Where to apply | Public service agency or the House of Justice |
| Right to work | Included |
What changed on 1 March 2026
The property investment threshold for a residence permit rose from USD 100,000 to USD 150,000. The earlier figure had applied since July 2019, when it was raised from 35,000.
The higher requirement applies to transactions concluded on or after 1 March 2026. The law is not retroactive.
What this means if you already hold a permit. Where the permit was obtained while the USD 100,000 threshold applied, the property's value is not reassessed at renewal, provided you retain ownership of the same property. No revaluation is required.
So the practical conclusion splits by group. If the permit is already in place, nothing needs to change. If the purchase is still ahead of you, plan against 150,000.
Who values the property
This is the second point that is commonly misread.
What counts for the permit is the market value established by a certified assessor from a body accredited by the Georgian national accreditation authority. Not the transaction price, and not a cadastral certificate on its own.
The price you actually paid carries no legal weight for the application. A case where an apartment is bought for USD 160,000 but valued at 140,000 is possible, and no grounds for the permit arise, regardless of what was spent. The reverse also happens.
Hence the correct sequence: valuation first, purchase decision second, if the residence permit is part of the goal.
Conditions people discover late
The grounds hold only while you own the property. The permit is tied to the asset. Sell it, and the right to renew disappears.
A value below the threshold removes the grounds at renewal. The carve-over for earlier terms works only for those who obtained the permit before the change and keep the same property.
An issued permit is not cancelled retroactively. If you sell, the current permit stays valid to the end of its term and simply is not renewed, unless another lawful basis exists by then.
What the filing requires
- a valid passport
- documents evidencing ownership of the property
- a valuation report from a certified assessor
- the application form
- photographs
The application goes to the public service agency or through the House of Justice.
Once approved, a separate obligation follows: registering your residential address within one month. That is its own procedure, covered in the article on address registration.
Living in Georgia is not required
There is no minimum presence requirement for this basis. The permit holds even if you rarely visit, which sets it apart from several other routes and makes it practical for people treating Georgia as a fallback jurisdiction.
Any valid residence permit carries the right to work as an employee or run a business without an additional permit.
Several properties instead of one
A frequent question: can the threshold be reached with two properties. Under the new rules some sources point to combined value being allowed, but the wording varies between them. If that is your scenario, confirm the agency's position before the deal and get it in writing, rather than relying on general practice.
The order of operations that saves money
- Pick the property and obtain a valuation from a certified assessor before the deal.
- Run a legal check: owner, encumbrances, permits. What that covers is in the article on due diligence.
- Complete the purchase and register the title. From abroad this works by power of attorney, as described in the article on remote transactions.
- File the permit application with the valuation report.
- Register your residential address once the status is granted.
Step one comes first for a reason: it costs little and eliminates the most expensive mistake available.
What threshold applies now?
USD 150,000 since 1 March 2026. Before that date the threshold was USD 100,000, in force since July 2019.
I hold a permit under the old threshold, will it be revoked?
No. The law is not retroactive. Where the permit was obtained under the USD 100,000 threshold and you retain ownership of the same property, the value is not reassessed at renewal.
Does the purchase price or the valuation count?
The valuation. Market value is established by a certified assessor from an accredited body. The contract price carries no weight for the application, and the two figures can differ.
Do I have to live in Georgia to renew?
No. There is no minimum presence requirement for this basis.
What happens to the permit if I sell?
The current permit stays valid to the end of its term but will not be renewed on this basis. Another lawful ground would be needed.
Does a commercial property qualify?
Yes. There is no restriction on property type; the assessed value is what matters.
How long is the permit issued for?
One year, renewable annually for as long as you keep the property.