Georgia investment residence permit: $300,000, a 5-year status and the path to indefinite residence

1. How the investment permit differs from the regular property permit

The regular (short-term) property permit requires property over $150,000 by appraisal from 1 March 2026, is issued for 1 year and renews annually while the property is kept. It is a 'life' status: stay rights, family, banking — but no long-term perspective in the basis itself.

The investment residence permit (Article 15(h) of Law No. 2705) is a different level: $300,000, a 5-year term and, crucially, a mechanism to switch to indefinite residence after five compliant years. The price is not only the bigger cheque but real post-approval obligations (see section 5).

2. Two bases: business or property

The first basis is an investment of at least $300,000 made in accordance with Georgia's law on investment promotion. Proof is an audit report by a certified auditor confirming the $300,000 actually contributed.

The second basis is title to immovable property in Georgia (except agricultural land) with a market value exceeding $300,000 equivalent in GEL. Value is determined by a report of a certified appraiser accredited by the national accreditation body — the same logic as the $150,000 threshold for the regular permit: the appraisal decides, not the contract price.

For a property buyer this means: an apartment at $320,000 'on paper' with a $280,000 appraisal will not qualify. The margin between contract price and appraisal is built in before the deal.

3. Documents and procedure

The applicant's package: the approved application form, passport copy, proof of lawful stay in Georgia, evidence of the investment (audit report) or title to the property, the accredited appraiser's market-value report, a colour photo 3×4 and the fee receipt.

A separate item is the written reference: from a member of the Government of Georgia or from three Georgian citizens authorised to represent a Georgian legal entity. This document most often delays filings — start collecting it early.

Filing is possible online through the SDA portal; status is tracked in the account. The investment permit is not on the list of permits prohibited on a category C visa basis, and the 40-day advance filing requirement does not apply to it.

• Application form + 3×4 photo
• Passport and proof of lawful stay
• Audit report on the $300,000 investment, or title to property worth over $300,000
• Appraiser's report from a nationally accredited assessor
• Reference: a Government member OR 3 authorised citizen-representatives of a Georgian entity
• SDA fee receipt

4. Fees and processing times

The state fee depends on processing time: 300 GEL — 30 calendar days, 450 GEL — 20 days, 600 GEL — 10 days. On top come the appraisal (usually $100–300) and, for the property route, title registration.

Compare with the alternative: for a '$150,000 plus comfortable margin' budget the regular annual permit is noticeably cheaper. The investment route pays off not through savings but through the 5-year status and the path to indefinite residence.

5. Obligations after the card — where people lose the status

Business route: annually, before each year of the permit expires, a Revenue Service turnover statement goes to the SDA — at least $50,000 in year one, $100,000 in year two and $120,000 in years three through five. Unconfirmed turnover is grounds for termination.

Property route: ownership of the basis property must be maintained for the full 5 years. Selling early destroys the basis; the law allows a replacement under Article 21(13) of Law No. 2705, but a replacement is a separate procedure, not an automatic switch.

Practical takeaway: the investment permit is not 'buy and forget' but a five-year compliance regime with annual confirmations. Set up a reporting calendar right after the card arrives.

6. Renewal and the switch to indefinite residence

After the 5-year investment permit, the right to a residence permit for indefinite stay opens. For the property route the key document is an NAPR reference confirming five years of ownership of the basis property (or its lawful replacement).

For the business route, year-five turnover of at least $120,000 is confirmed. The investor's family switches to indefinite status together on the same grounds.

7. Family: who is included

Family in the investment basis means the spouse, a minor child, and a fully dependent beneficiary of support or a disabled person, and a fully dependent person recognised as legally incompetent under the law of the relevant country.

Family members file with their own package: passport, proof of lawful stay, a copy of the investor's permit, kinship document, photo and receipt. The fee is paid per family member.

8. When to choose the investment permit and when the regular one

The investment route makes sense if you are buying business-class property over $300,000 anyway, want a 5-year status without annual renewals and are aiming at indefinite residence — or plan to run a Georgian business with real turnover.

The regular $150,000 permit is reasonable if the goal is stay rights and a legal base for life: it is cheaper, simpler on documents and requires no turnover or references. Details are in the separate guide on the residence permit through property.

An intermediate scenario we often analyse in consultations: a $150,000–300,000 property under the regular permit now, upgrading to the investment status with the next purchase. The law does not forbid changing the basis, but each switch is a new filing with a full package.