Property for a residence permit in Batumi: what clears the 150 000 dollar threshold

Property for a residence permit in Batumi has to pass two checks: yours and the valuer's. Since 1 March 2026 a residence permit through property is granted to the owner of non-agricultural property with a market value of more than 150 000 US dollars according to a report by an accredited valuer. How the application is filed and which documents are needed is described on our page about the residence permit through property purchase; this page is about choosing a property that clears the threshold with confidence.

Which property qualifies for a residence permit

Any non-agricultural property qualifies: an apartment, a house with a plot on non-agricultural land, a commercial unit, an aparthotel unit. The key condition is one: ownership must be registered in your name in the Public Registry, because the application package includes an extract confirming ownership.

That is why an apartment in a building under construction qualifies only after completion and registration of ownership, and with many developers registration is possible only after full payment. If you need the residence permit this year, we look at completed buildings.

Property for a residence permit in Batumi: a margin over the threshold

The main mistake is choosing an apartment by its contract price. The valuer looks at the apartment itself, the floor, the view, the condition and sales of similar properties nearby, and their figure is sometimes lower than the price, especially in new builds where the price list includes a margin for the payment plan. An apartment bought for 155 000 dollars may be valued below the threshold.

The exchange rate matters too: the valuation is given in lari, while the threshold is in dollars. So we look for properties with a margin over the threshold, and if the price is close to it, we order the valuation before the deposit. It costs from 330 ₾ and can save you from a purchase that will not work for a residence permit. The application needs a recent report, so it is updated before filing if a lot of time has passed since the purchase.

Which properties clear the valuation more confidently

• apartments in completed buildings where there is something to compare with: sales of neighbouring apartments support the price;
• large apartments and penthouses with a sea view, where the price rests on clear features;
• apartments on the first row and in the centre, where the market is active;
• ground-floor commercial units with a tenant;
• houses on non-agricultural land within the city.

If a building has few sales, the valuer relies on sales in neighbouring buildings, the figures vary more, and a larger margin over the threshold is needed. It is harder with properties that have no similar sales nearby: an unusual layout, a building off the market's radar, an apartment with a renovation that the valuer will not fully account for. How we choose first-row apartments is explained on our page about beachfront apartments.

While the residence permit is valid

A residence permit through property is short-term: it is issued for 1 year and renewed annually as long as the property remains yours. Sell the apartment, and the grounds for renewal are gone. So a property for a residence permit should be one that is convenient to hold for years: to live in, to let, or both.

An apartment on which the residence permit was granted can be let, and the rental income is taxed under the usual rules. The residence permit itself does not make you a Georgian tax resident; residency is counted by days in the country. If the family needs residence permits too, we prepare the documents on family relationships in advance, with an apostille and translation, so that the application does not fail because of a single certificate.

Timing: from choosing to applying

The longest part of this chain is choosing and checking the property. Registering ownership with the Public Registry takes up to 4 business days at the standard rate of 150 lari, one business day for 270 lari, or the same day for 350 lari. How registration works is described on our page about registration with the Public Registry.

The property can be bought remotely under a power of attorney, but the residence permit application is filed in person at the House of Justice. So it is convenient to plan your trip to Batumi for when the ownership extract and the valuation report are ready and the documents translated. How buying without travelling works is explained on our page about buying an apartment remotely.

If you need the residence permit by a particular date, for example before your visa-free stay runs out, we count backwards from it: the application, translating documents, the valuation, registration, the deal, the checks, the choice. A margin of a few weeks at each stage is better than a rush at the end.

What a property search for a residence permit costs

A valuation by an accredited valuer costs from 330 ₾, and residence permit support through property, with documents, translations and filing, from 840 ₾ excluding state fees. A property search on a flat fee costs from 5 400 ₾, legal due diligence from 960 ₾, and legal support for the transaction from 2 220 ₾.

The final price is set after we look at your brief and agree the scope of work. State fees, the registry fee and notary charges are paid at their own rates.