What the official source states
Georgia's State Services Development Agency, under the Ministry of Justice, describes two schemes relevant to a property buyer.
The short-term residence permit. It concerns a foreign national holding real estate in Georgia, except agricultural land, whose market value exceeds the equivalent of USD 150,000 in GEL.
The investment residence permit. Here the threshold is above the equivalent of USD 300,000 in GEL, likewise excluding agricultural land.
In both cases the market value must be established by a certified assessor accredited by the LEPL Unified National Body of Accreditation — Accreditation Centre. That is not a formality: the valuation is neither the seller's asking price nor your own estimate.
The five limitations the source obliges us to state
1. A threshold is an eligibility condition, not an entitlement. Owning above the threshold does not oblige the administration to issue the permit. Any wording implying automaticity is false.
2. The value that counts is the accredited assessor's, expressed in GEL by equivalence with a dollar amount. Two variables therefore move: the property's value and the exchange rate. A unit bought just above the threshold can fall below it at valuation date.
3. Agricultural land is excluded. The nature of the asset matters, not only its price.
4. The page consulted carries no update date. A threshold may have changed without the page signalling it. We consulted this source on 26 July 2026; re-check it before any decision.
5. The source covers neither renewal, nor the effect of a resale, nor family members. Yet those are the questions that determine whether a permit is useful over time. To be confirmed with a qualified professional.
What a residence permit is not
A residence permit is not citizenship. Nor is it, in itself, a change of tax residence: that follows its own criteria, in Georgia as in your home country, and a tax treaty steps in to resolve dual-attachment cases. Holding a permit therefore does not automatically remove you from your home tax system.
Key takeaways
Two official thresholds exist: above the equivalent of USD 150,000 (short-term) and above USD 300,000 (investment), agricultural land excluded.
Value is set by an accredited assessor, not by the sale price.
The threshold opens eligibility; it does not bind the administration.
A residence permit is not tax residence.
Source consulted 26 July 2026 with no update date shown: re-verify.
Risks to be aware of
Buying exactly at the threshold. A slightly lower valuation or an FX move puts you below it. Headroom is not a luxury.
Treating the seller's estimate as the official valuation. Only the accredited assessor counts.
Buying for the permit first and the asset second. If the permit is refused you still own an asset you did not choose on its own merits.
Ignoring what comes next. Renewal, resale, family: all untreated by the source, and decisive over time.
Conflating residence and taxation. Two distinct regimes, two distinct analyses.
Checklist before relying on a permit
Is the target property outside agricultural land?
Have I identified an assessor accredited by the national accreditation body?
Does my headroom above the threshold absorb an FX move and a valuation gap?
Have I checked the official page on my decision date, not this guide's?
Has a Georgian lawyer confirmed the procedure, documents and timescales for my case?
Have I had my tax residence analysed separately?
Does my project still stand up if the permit is refused?
Illustrative example
This example is fictional.
A buyer targets a unit just above the USD 150,000 equivalent threshold. Between signing and valuation two things move: the accredited assessor sets a value below the price paid, and the conversion rate shifts. The file drops below the threshold.
Nothing abnormal happened: price paid and assessed market value are different notions, and conversion is dated. The lesson is not to avoid the scheme, but never to build a project on zero headroom.
Is the permit automatic above the threshold?
No. The source describes eligibility conditions. The administration retains discretion. Presenting the threshold as an acquired right is inaccurate.
Can this purchase lead to Georgian citizenship?
That is not what the consulted source describes; it deals with residence permits. Any naturalisation question falls under a different framework, to be confirmed with a Georgian lawyer.
Does the permit change my tax residence?
Not mechanically. Tax residence follows its own criteria and, in dual-attachment cases, the treaty between France and Georgia applies. Have your situation analysed by a tax adviser before concluding anything.
What happens to the permit if I sell?
The consulted source does not say. That is precisely the kind of point to have confirmed by a qualified professional before buying, not after.
Going further
France–Georgia taxation: what the treaty settles, and what it does not.
The documents to demand before any payment.
The most common mistakes made by overseas buyers.
Get a selection
For each project we state the verification level reached. We never make a selection conditional on obtaining a residence permit.
Sources
Every regulatory statement in this guide rests on the official sources below. They were consulted on the date shown; check they have not changed since.
State Services Development Agency (Géorgie) — Migration — Residence Permits. https://sda.gov.ge/en/products/migration-residence-permits/ (consulté le 2026-07-26)
National Agency of Public Registry (Géorgie) — Real Estate Registry. https://www.napr.gov.ge/en/service/registers/real-estate-register (consulté le 2026-07-26)
Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères (France) — Présentation de la Géorgie. https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/information-par-pays/georgie/presentation-de-la-georgie (consulté le 2026-07-26)
Disclaimer
This guide is general information. It is not legal, tax or investment advice and takes no account of your personal circumstances. Capital, rents and liquidity are not guaranteed. A purchase in Georgia is governed by Georgian law and does not carry the French protections that apply to off-plan sales at home. Engage independent counsel in Georgia and, for your French obligations, a tax adviser.