2026-09-23 · Real Estate
The residence permit through property now starts at $150,000 — and the appraisal, not the price you paid, is what counts
Georgia lifted the property-investment bar for temporary residence permits by half, from $100,000 to $150,000, with effect from 1 March 2026. The figure that has to clear the bar is a certified appraised value, which is not always the number on the contract.
What changed, and when
The threshold had stood at USD 100,000 since July 2019. Legal.ge, writing at the end of December 2025, reported the increase to USD 150,000 with effect from 1 March 2026 — a rise of half. Buyers who had completed their purchase and paid in full before that date were able to qualify under the old figure. Everyone applying on a property bought since then is working to the new one.
The appraisal is the whole exercise
The qualifying value is not what you agreed with the seller: it is a certified market value established by an accredited appraiser. That has two practical consequences. A flat bought at a friendly price from a developer may appraise below what you paid, and a flat bought above market in a hurry does not get credit for the excess. Ask for an indicative valuation before you sign, not after, if the permit is the reason you are buying.
What qualifies and who it covers
The investment has to be in non-agricultural property — an apartment, a house, or a commercial unit. Agricultural land does not count, which is a separate restriction foreigners run into in Georgia anyway. A qualifying purchase covers the applicant's spouse and children as family members, so the threshold applies to the household rather than per person.
If you already hold a permit at the old level
Legal.ge's reading is that holders who obtained residency at the $100,000 level can renew without a fresh appraisal as long as they keep the property — while flagging that the position on renewals after March 2026 is not entirely settled. If you are in that group, the sensible move is to confirm your own case with a Georgian lawyer before a renewal deadline rather than after, and to keep the original appraisal and ownership record to hand.
Source: Legal.ge — Georgia raises real estate investment bar for residence permits by 50% · Also see: Erickson Immigration Group — Georgia to increase real estate investment threshold effective 1 March 2026
#residence permit #buying #appraisal #foreign buyers
Written by us from the source linked above, not investment, legal or tax advice. Figures and rules change — confirm anything that matters before acting on it.
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