Georgia's property route to residence is still $150,000 — and it is the valuation, not your receipt, that counts

The figure for a property-based short-term residence permit moved from $100,000 to $150,000 with effect from 1 March 2026. The lower level had stood since 2019, so this was the first move in roughly seven years, and a 50% one. Buyers who had completed both purchase and full payment before that date were able to rely on the old threshold; anyone buying now is working to the higher one. The permit itself is the same instrument as before — short-term, issued for a year and renewable rather than permanent — so the increase changed the price of entry, not what you get.

This is the part people get wrong. Eligibility rests on a market valuation produced by an appraisal body accredited through Georgia's national accreditation system, not on the sum you agreed with the seller. The stated purpose of working from valuations rather than contract prices is to stop inflated paperwork being used to clear the bar. The practical consequence runs both ways: a flat bought cheaply in a private deal may appraise above what you paid, while a new-build sold at a developer's headline price may appraise below it. If you are buying mainly for the permit, get the valuation question settled before you sign anything, and use an accredited appraiser rather than an agency's estimate. Holdings can also be combined, so two or three smaller properties that together reach the threshold work as well as one large one.

A permit obtained this way is tied to continued ownership. Authorities can revoke it if the property is sold or if the total market value of the holdings falls below the threshold — which is a real consideration in a market where valuations move. That makes this route different in character from a one-off payment: you are committing to hold an asset, in a currency that is not the lari, for as long as you want the permit. The other side of it is that holders renewing an existing permit have been able to do so without commissioning a fresh appraisal, provided they keep the property. Anyone planning to flip a flat within a year or two should think about what that does to their status before they buy.

Property is not the only door, and for some people it is the wrong one. A separate investor route set at $300,000 carries five-year temporary residency and accepts investment types beyond real estate — twice the money, but a longer permit and no obligation to hold a specific flat. There is also an IT-focused residence permit introduced in September 2025, which asks for at least two years of industry experience and annual income above $25,000 rather than capital; for a remote worker earning well, that is a far cheaper path than buying a $150,000 apartment. On the property route, spouses and children can be included under the same investment, so the threshold is per investment rather than per person. Immigration rules change and are applied case by case, so take advice on your own file rather than on a summary like this one.