Georgia residence permit through property ownership

The property must be real estate in Georgia, not agricultural land, owned by the applicant, with a market value above USD 150,000 in GEL equivalent. The value is set by a certified assessor accredited by Georgia's national accreditation body. The permit ends if ownership ends.

The D5 visa is issued for one year, multiple entry, and also extends to the spouse and children. Georgian missions ask for the passport, photo, accommodation letter, flight booking, travel insurance, proof of ownership, an appraisal above USD 150,000 by a certified appraiser, the fee receipt and two signed application forms.

In Georgia, file the application with a passport copy, proof of lawful stay, the title document, the valuation report, a photo and the fee: GEL 300, 450 or 600 for a decision on the 30th, 20th or 10th calendar day. The 40-day advance filing rule does not apply to short-term permits.

The Agency accepts short-term permit applications online as well as at Public Service Halls. Because this permit is exempt from the 40-day advance filing rule, an owner staying visa-free can apply at any point while still lawfully in Georgia. For the D5 visa itself, the law sets a decision period of 10 calendar days and the visa is issued as a one-year long-term visa.

The permit is renewed for one year at a time as long as you keep the property. Owners of property worth more than USD 300,000 can instead apply for the five-year investment residence permit, which leads to indefinite stay. The permit does not include a right to work.

The spouse and children apply with the application form, a passport copy, proof of lawful stay, a copy of the owner's permit, proof of kinship, a photo and the fee.

The law defines a foreigner's family members as the spouse and minor children, so adult children and parents of the owner do not qualify through this permit.

The Public Service Development Agency only issues residence permits to foreigners staying lawfully in Georgia, and an asylum seeker does not count as lawfully staying. A permit is also refused to someone whose only basis for being in Georgia when applying is a deferral of the obligation to leave; such a deferral can be granted once, for up to three months, while an application is pending.

Under Article 18 of the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens, a permit can be refused on security or public-safety grounds, because of certain criminal prosecutions or convictions, for forged or invalid documents, for incorrect or concealed information, or because the conditions of the permit are not met. A permit holder who meets the requirements of another permit type may apply for that type instead.