How to buy an apartment in Georgia as a foreigner: a step-by-step guide

A foreigner can buy an apartment in Georgia without a residence permit, without a local partner and without any minimum amount. The procedure is one of the fastest in the region: ownership is registered within a few days. Buyers do not go wrong on the paperwork; they go wrong earlier, when choosing and checking the property. Below is the whole route, step by step, the way we take clients through it in Batumi.

Who can buy property in Georgia

A citizen of any country can own an apartment, a house, a commercial unit or an urban plot in Georgia outright. You do not need residency to buy, and a Georgian bank account is not required either: settlement can go through a bank or a notary’s escrow account.

There is one restriction, and it is serious: foreigners cannot acquire agricultural land. For a flat in an apartment block this does not matter, but when buying a house or a villa with a plot the land designation must be checked. It happens that a cottage by the sea stands on agricultural land and cannot be registered to a foreigner. Schemes through a local company exist, but that is work for a lawyer, not a way to save money.

New build or resale

In Batumi most of what is on offer is new builds. They are sold at the excavation stage, during construction and after the building is completed. The earlier the stage, the lower the price and the higher the risk: the key question is not about the flat but about the developer — how many buildings they have already completed, whether they kept to deadlines, whether the project has a permit and whether the plot is mortgaged.

New builds are almost always handed over without finishes, as a black or white frame. We cover the difference and what it means for the budget in the article on black and white frames. Before signing the acceptance act it makes sense to order a handover inspection with instruments: until the act is signed, defects are the developer’s to fix.

The resale market carries different risks: layout changes without documents, utility arrears, worn engineering in older buildings. On the other hand, you see the whole flat and can move in straight away.

Checking the flat before the deposit

Everything that matters is checked before any money reaches the seller. After the deposit, negotiating or walking away becomes expensive. The minimum list:

• An extract from the National Agency of Public Registry: who the owner is and whether there is a mortgage, an attachment or another encumbrance.
• The designation of the land under the building or plot: not agricultural.
• For a new build: the building permit, the project stage, the completion date in the contract and the developer’s liability for delays.
• Whether the actual layout and floor area match the documents.
• Arrears on utilities and management company fees.
• The technical condition: walls, windows, ventilation, traces of leaks, electrics.

Checking the documents and the property as a whole is what purchase support covers: we weed out problem options before you spend time on viewings.

Deposit and the sale contract

After the checks the parties sign a preliminary agreement and the buyer pays a deposit. The agreement fixes the price, the date of the main deal and the conditions under which the deposit is returned — for example, if an encumbrance the seller kept quiet about comes to light. Without those conditions a deposit turns into a gift.

The main contract is signed in Georgian; if you do not speak it you need a translation, and if a representative signs for you, a power of attorney. Settlement is safest through a bank or a notary’s escrow account rather than in cash, hand to hand.

Registering ownership

Under Georgian law you become the owner only at the moment of registration in the Public Registry. Documents are submitted at the Public Service Hall, and the timing depends on the tariff chosen: from one day to several working days. Georgia has no tax on the transfer of ownership; the buyer pays only the registry fee.

After registration you receive an extract naming you as the owner. From that moment the flat can be renovated, let and sold.

How to buy an apartment without coming to Georgia

More than half of our clients buy remotely. The scheme is simple: you sign a notarised power of attorney in your own country, have it apostilled or legalised at a consulate, and the document is then translated into Georgian. The representative signs the contract and files the documents with the registry, while you see every step on video and in the documents.

After the deal the keys can wait for your arrival or go straight to work: we use the same principle when we run a renovation in Batumi remotely.

Residence permit through property

Buying property gives the right to apply for a short-term residence permit if the market value of the property exceeds the set threshold. Since 1 March 2026 that threshold has been the equivalent of USD 150,000, with the value confirmed by an accredited valuer; agricultural land does not count. For an investment residence permit the threshold is higher. The requirements change, so if you are buying for residency, check the rules in force on the date you apply.

Costs beyond the price of the flat

• The Public Registry fee, which depends on how urgent the registration is.
• The notary and apostille for the power of attorney, and document translation, if you buy remotely.
• An agent’s commission if you work through an agency.
• A valuation by an accredited valuer if the purchase is meant for residency.
• Renovation and furnishing: a new build without finishes needs a turnkey renovation and outfitting for rental, which often comes close to the price per square metre. We break that budget down in the article on what a renovation costs.

Common buyer mistakes

• Paying a deposit before checking the extract and the land designation.
• Choosing a developer by their advertising rather than by the buildings they have completed.
• Buying “from photos” without a technical inspection.
• Calculating yield on the August rate, as if it held all year.
• Budgeting for the flat alone, without renovation and furniture.

Questions and answers

Do I need a residence permit to buy an apartment in Georgia?

No. A foreigner can buy and register a flat without a residence permit and without Georgian citizenship.

How long does registration take?

From one day to several working days, depending on the registry tariff chosen.

Can I buy a house with land?

Yes, if the land is not designated as agricultural. This is checked in the extract before the deposit.

Can everything be done remotely?

Yes, under a notarised power of attorney with an apostille and a Georgian translation.

If you are choosing a flat in Batumi or elsewhere in Adjara, look through the property catalogue or write to us: we will find options for your goal and take the deal through to the registry extract. And if the flat is being bought for income, we will straight away work out what the renovation, the outfitting and management will cost. Which letting mode pays more is covered in the article daily or long-term.