Country Overview
Economic Overview
Currency: GEL — ~2.68 per USD (Feb 2026) Inflation: 4.0% current CPI (2025-12) · 5.8% 5yr avg
Property & Ownership
Freehold ownership: Yes Mechanism: Purchase via private sale contract, registration of title at the National Agency of Public Registry (Public Service Hall). Notarization not mandatory; due diligence includes title extract, cadastral plan, lien check. Use of Georgian legal entity possible. Restricted zones: Agricultural land is restricted for foreign natural persons; strategic border zones may have additional limits. Recent changes: 2017 constitutional amendments (effective 2018) and 2019 Organic Law on Agricultural Land Ownership introduced restrictions on foreign ownership of agricultural land.
Visa & Residency Options
Work residence permit (D‑type)
- Min income: No fixed minimum; employer turnover ≥ GEL 50,000 per foreign worker (≈ $13,000) or GEL 35,000 for education/medical institutions/month USD
- Investment: None
- PR path: Time on this permit counts toward the 6‑year requirement for permanent residence
- Employer must meet turnover criteria; freelancer may also qualify. Application needs contract, income proof, turnover certificate. Processing tiers 10/20/30 days published by SDA.
Study residence permit
- Min income: Not specified; must show legal income of applicant or sponsor/month USD
- Investment: None
- PR path: Study periods do NOT count toward the 6‑year permanent residence requirement
- Requires certificate from authorized Georgian educational institution and proof of lawful stay and income. SDA publishes processing timelines/fees.
Family reunification residence permit
- Min income: Not specified nationally; proof of legal income usually required/month USD
- Investment: None
- PR path: Time counts toward 6‑year requirement; spouses/parents/children of Georgian citizens may obtain permanent residence directly under Art.15(g).
- Documentation of kinship and sponsor status required.
Permanent residence permit for close family of a Georgian citizen
- PR path: Already permanent residence.
- Issued directly to spouse, parent or child of a Georgian citizen per Art.15(g).
Investment residence permit
- Min income: Not applicable; turnover/maintenance tests apply during the 5‑year period/month USD
- Investment: USD 300,000 (or real estate of equal value)
- PR path: After 5 years and meeting turnover criteria, qualifies for indefinite/termless residence.
- Family members qualify; property valuation by accredited assessor required.
Short‑term residence permit (real estate owner)
- Min income: Not applicable/month USD
- Investment: USD 150,000 (new threshold 2026)
- PR path: No direct path; can transition to investment permit then indefinite.
- Requires title and accredited market valuation report.
Special residence permit (former citizen / stateless person)
- PR path: Case‑specific, governed by statute.
- Includes categories for former citizens, stateless persons and other special cases.
Social Security & Tax
SSA benefits portable: Qualified Totalization agreement: None — SSA agreements overview US expat taxes: Greenback Tax Services — Georgia guide
Queer Safety — Critical Warning
Georgia is not a safe destination for queer or trans Americans. In September 2024, the Georgian Parliament enacted the “Law on Family Values and Protection of Minors,” which bans same-sex partnerships, prohibits adoption by same-sex couples, bans gender transition procedures, prohibits “propaganda” promoting same-sex relationships, and restricts queer public gatherings and flags. The law represents a significant legislative rollback following years of advancing rights and growing queer visibility in Tbilisi.
Day-to-day risk has increased since the law’s passage. Street-level hostility toward visibly queer individuals has been documented. Trans Americans should assume hostile legal conditions: no local legal gender recognition process aligned with US documentation, and healthcare providers unwilling to continue hormone therapy may be common.
This is a HOLD for any queer or trans reader. Do not relocate to Georgia based on social climate observations that predate September 2024. The legal environment changed materially.