Buying Property in Georgia: Low Taxes and Fast Transfer

Georgia is an unusually friendly country for buyers from Slovakia and Czechia: a foreigner buys an apartment into full ownership here with virtually no restrictions, registration in the state registry takes 1–4 business days, and transaction costs are among the lowest in Europe — around 1% or less of the price. Additionally, EU citizens can stay in the country up to 365 days without a visa. Let's go through how the purchase works, what it costs, and what to watch out for.

Can a Foreigner Buy in Georgia?

Yes, with virtually no restrictions. Foreigners, including citizens of Slovakia and Czechia, buy apartments, houses, commercial spaces and non-agricultural land into full ownership (freehold), registered in the state NAPR registry. There is no reciprocity requirement, residence requirement or special permit needed.

The only ban concerns agricultural land — its purchase by foreigners, foreign companies and Georgian companies with foreign participation is prohibited directly by the constitution; the only solution is a long-term lease up to 49 years. When buying a house with a garden, always verify that the land is not registered as agricultural. Leasehold is not used for apartments; in Batumi, however, part of the projects operate as apartments in a hotel — the unit is owned, but with hotel-mode use, so verify the status in the contract.

Purchase Process Step by Step

1. Unit Reservation and reservation fee (typically 500–2,000 USD); when buying under construction (off-plan), signing a purchase agreement with the developer with a payment schedule.
2. Purchase Agreement is sufficient in simple written form — a notary is not mandatory. Parties can sign it directly at the House of Justice (Public Service Hall) before a NAPR officer. Notarial certification is recommended for complex cases: installments, remote purchase, pledge rights.
3. Registration of Ownership in NAPR Registry: standard 4 business days for a fee around 50–75 GEL; expedited within 1 day, or on-site, around 200–270 GEL. The registry is online and public — anyone can verify the owner and encumbrances.
4. Remote Purchase is Common: power of attorney certified by a Georgian notary, Georgian consulate, or at home with an apostille and translation; a local lawyer then signs and registers the transfer.
5. For completed property, the entire transaction can be closed in a few days. For off-plan, ownership of the unit (or share) is registered according to the contract — often only after full payment; until then, there is only a contractual claim, so the quality of the developer is key.

Fees and Taxes on Purchase

> Don't be alarmed by this list. Not everything is paid by the buyer — some items are borne by the seller or developer, and some are already included in the advertised price. These are also one-time costs at purchase, not regular payments. For a specific offer, we'll calculate in advance exactly how much you'll pay on top of the price, so you can decide with the final figure.

• Transfer tax or stamp duty do not exist — 0%.
• NAPR Registration Fee: around 50–270 GEL (approx. 17–90 €) depending on speed.
• Notary (voluntary): around 100–300 GEL; lawyer for review: around 500–1,500 USD or by the hour.
• When buying from a developer, VAT is already part of the catalog price — the buyer pays nothing extra. When buying from a private person, there is no VAT.

Total transaction costs are thus among the lowest in Europe — around 1% or less of the price.

Annual Costs for the Owner

Property tax is paid only by the owner whose household annual income exceeds 40,000 GEL; for non-residents, income from Georgian sources is assessed in practice (roughly — confirm with a local accountant). Rates: for income 40,000–100,000 GEL it is 0.05–0.2% of market value, above 100,000 GEL 0.8–1%. Those with no income in Georgia typically do not pay tax at all.

Ongoing costs are low: complex management in Batumi runs roughly 0.5–1.5 USD/m² per month depending on services (more in aparthotels) and utilities roughly 30–80 USD per month for normal apartment use.

Rental and Income

A foreigner may rent without a license. For long-term residential rental, you register with the Tax Authority (Revenue Service) and pay a flat tax of 5% of gross rent without deductions — applies to non-residents as well and is reported once a year — tax return is filed by April 1 of the following year (for corporate rent, the tenant deducts the tax).

Short-term rental (Airbnb, Booking) is a tax-grey area: 5% of gross rent is payable according to several sources even for short-term individual rentals; some operators with hotel services register as a sole proprietor with small business status and 1% tax on turnover, but the Revenue Service interpretation is not uniform — rental of property is formally excluded from the status, so always confirm the arrangement with a local accountant. A separate license for short-term rental is not yet required.

Gross returns in Batumi are commonly quoted as 6–10%, but real figures depend heavily on occupancy and season. Treat developer guaranteed returns with caution and read the terms carefully.

Residence and Visas

EU citizens, including Slovaks and Czechs, can stay in Georgia without a visa up to 365 days per entry — a residence permit is therefore not needed for normal apartment use.

Purchasing real estate also gives the right to apply for a short-term residence permit as a property owner: from March 1, 2026 the minimum threshold is 150,000 USD market value (until February 28, 2026 it was 100,000 USD; those who registered ownership earlier are assessed by the old threshold). The permit is issued for 1 year and renewed as long as ownership continues; it also applies to spouse and children. With larger investments (from approx. 300,000 USD) there is also a longer-term investment permit. Purchase does not automatically lead to citizenship.

Financing

Georgian banks provide mortgages to foreign non-residents only to a limited extent — they require a higher down payment, provable income and often local ties; interest rates in USD or GEL are higher than in Slovakia. The prevailing practice for new construction is therefore interest-free developer installment plans: typically 20–30% down payment and the rest in monthly installments over 2–5 years, often until completion. An alternative for clients from SK/CZ is a loan from a home bank secured by property at home — in Georgia it is then paid "in cash".

Risks and What to Watch Out For

• Installment Plan: the apartment is registered to the buyer usually only after full payment — in the event of developer bankruptcy, there is a risk of losing paid funds. Verify land ownership, building permit, completed projects and developer financing; escrow accounts are not standard.
• Supply Glut in Batumi: large new construction means risk of worse future resale and lower occupancy — choose location and quality, not just price per m².
• "White Frame": new buildings are standardly handed over without floors, doors and kitchen; finishing costs around 200–400 USD/m² extra — factor this into your budget.
• Aparthotel vs. Residential Status: in an aparthotel there may be mandatory hotel services and limited personal use — read the contract.
• Encumbrances and Owner: verify them in the public NAPR registry (online) shortly before signing.
• Land Category: an agricultural land cannot be bought by a foreigner — for villas with a garden, verify it.
• Currency Risk: prices are negotiated in USD, rental income is in GEL/USD.

Sale in the Future

If a natural person owns a property for more than 2 years, the gain from the sale is completely exempt from income tax. When selling within 2 years, the gain — the difference between selling and purchase price — is taxed at 5%. There is no transfer tax on sale; the buyer pays only registration. The proceeds from the sale can be freely transferred abroad; Georgia has no currency restrictions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I as a Slovak or Czech buy an apartment without restrictions? Yes, apartments and houses without any permit; only agricultural land is banned.

How long does ownership transfer take? Registration in the NAPR registry takes 1–4 business days; the entire transaction for a finished apartment can be done within a week.

What taxes do I pay on purchase? None — only a registration fee around 50–270 GEL; VAT on new construction is already in the price.

Do I have to be there in person? No, purchase is commonly handled by power of attorney with an apostille via a local lawyer.

Will I get a residence permit by purchasing? As an EU citizen, you can stay 365 days without a visa anyway; a residence permit from ownership requires from March 1, 2026 a property worth at least 150,000 USD.

When can I sell without tax? After 2 years of ownership the gain is exempt; earlier it is taxed at 5%.

Next Step

If Georgia interests you, we'd be happy to go through the budget, project selection and the entire purchase process with you in a non-binding way — consultation is free. Write to us what you're looking for and we'll get back to you.

In the meantime, you can check out current offers in Georgia.

Information Status: August 2026. Informational only, not legal or tax advice.