How to buy property in Batumi as a foreigner
Can foreigners buy property in Batumi?
For a typical Batumi apartment, hotel-apartment unit or commercial property, foreign ownership is generally permitted. Georgian law treats agricultural land separately, so confirm the registered classification when land is part of the transaction. The current legal text and official registration record control; see the Organic Law on Agricultural Land Ownership and use an independent Georgian lawyer for the exact deal.
The process, step by step
The mechanics are genuinely fast – it’s the due diligence that deserves your time:
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Shortlist | Pick projects on price, location, and – critically – the developer’s delivery record. |
| 2. Verify | Check the legal entity and ownership documents, then compare the contract timeline with official, archived or dated published evidence before paying anything. |
| 3. Reserve | Sign a reservation and pay a deposit; read the delay-compensation clause carefully. |
| 4. Purchase | The sale is registered at the Public Registry (NAPR); ownership transfers on registration. |
| 5. Register | Registration is quick and can be completed in person or by power of attorney. |
What to verify before an off-plan deposit
A reservation form is not due diligence. Before transferring a material deposit, match the sales offer to the exact legal and property scope:
- Contracting company. Record the seller’s exact legal name and company identification number; a consumer brand may involve several companies.
- Property scope. Identify whether the offer concerns land, a building under construction, a completed unit or only a future contractual right.
- Title and restrictions. Check the relevant real-estate record and any registered mortgage, lien, seizure, prohibition, lease or obligation.
- Delivery definition. The contract should distinguish construction completion, commissioning, buyer handover and title registration rather than using one vague date.
- Payment and remedies. Link each instalment to a verifiable milestone and state what happens after delay, suspension, specification change or termination.
- Exact product. Attach the unit plan, finish specification, furniture inventory, view, parking and any promised common facilities.
- Operating terms. For hotel apartments, obtain the management agreement, fees, revenue split, owner-use limits, start conditions and termination rules.
What the Public Registry can and cannot confirm
| Record | Useful for | Important limit |
|---|---|---|
| Business Registry extract | Exact company name, identification number, status and registered representatives | It does not prove that the company owns the land or is the seller of your unit |
| Real-estate extract | Registered owner, property object, address, area, rights and obligations | A land or building extract does not automatically describe every apartment or contract |
| Restrictions information | Registered mortgages, tax liens, seizures, prohibitions, leases and public-law restrictions | The result must match the correct property object and date |
| Underlying document copy | Clarifying a specific application, decision, agreement or registered obligation | Request it only after the relevant document or registration event is identified |
Use the official Public Register extract service and restrictions information service. Registry records are evidence of their stated scope, not a substitute for an independent contract review.
What it actually costs
There is no useful one-line percentage for every purchase. Build the budget from the exact transaction and intended use:
| Item | How to budget it |
|---|---|
| Public Registry registration | NAPR charges depend on the service and speed selected; use the current official fee schedule. |
| Legal, translation and power of attorney | Quote these for the actual contract, language and remote-purchase structure; they are not fixed percentages of the property price. |
| Rental income tax | A 5% rate may apply to qualifying residential rent where a natural person claims no deductions; confirm your status and use with the Revenue Service or an accountant. |
| Tax on a later sale | The Tax Code includes an exemption for surplus from a residential apartment or house owned for more than two years, but the exact property and taxpayer circumstances matter. |
| Finishing, furniture and operation | Price the finish specification, furniture, utilities, service charges, management setup, repairs and reserves separately. |
Hotel-apartment management and service fees are often more important to the investment result than the registration cost. Obtain them in writing before comparing yields.
Off-plan versus completed – the decision that matters most
Off-plan (under construction)
- Lower entry price, staged payment plans
- More choice of units and floors
The risk you’re taking
- Delivery can slip by months or years – our Index shows how often
- You can’t use an off-plan unit for residency until it’s built and registered
- Payment protection depends entirely on the contract clause
If a completed unit fits your budget, it removes most of the risk. If you go off-plan, treat the developer’s track record as the single most important number – more than price, more than the render. That’s what the Batumi Delivery Index is for.
FAQ
Do I need to be in Georgia to buy?
Is buying property enough for residency?
What’s the biggest mistake foreign buyers make?
Get a shortlist matched to your budget
Tell us your budget, goal, and timeline. We’ll send projects that fit – each with its developer’s delivery record and the honest cons attached.
Last reviewed 2026-07-04
General information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm specifics with a licensed Georgian lawyer or accountant before committing funds.