The checklist for the property owner
This is the list the Public Service Development Agency publishes for the short-term residence permit on the property ground, in the agency's order, with a note under each item on what makes it acceptable. Tick the items as you collect them; the ticks are saved in your browser only, so you can come back to the list later. Before filing, compare it once more with the agency's current page, because forms and lists change more often than laws.
Seven items look short. The time goes into three of them: the valuation, which needs an appointment and a visit; the title document, which must show the right owner and the right land category; and any document issued abroad, which has to be legalised and translated before the agency will read it.
The checklist for your spouse and children
The same article of the law that grants the permit to the owner extends it to the owner's spouse and children, and the agency publishes a separate list for them. It is similar to the owner's list, with two differences: there is no property document, and two new items prove the family link and the owner's status.
Because the list asks for a copy of the owner's residence permit, plan the family's applications as a second step after the owner's decision, and keep everyone's lawful stay in view while you wait. A family that arrives together on visa-free entry has the same clock for everyone, and the agency's 40-day rule, explained on the step-by-step application page, applies to each person.
What rules does every document have to meet?
The government's procedure order for residence permits, Resolution No 520, sets general rules that apply to every document in the file, whichever permit you apply for. A file that ignores them is easy to return, so they are worth reading before you order anything abroad.
| Rule | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Language | The application and documents are filed in Georgian, the state language. The agency may accept an application in another language, but you should not count on it for the documents. |
| Copies | Where a copy is filed instead of an original, it has to be certified in the way the law requires. |
| Translation | A document in a foreign language is filed together with a Georgian translation certified in the way the law requires. A passport with personal data in Latin letters may be accepted without one. |
| Documents issued abroad | They must be legalised or carry an apostille, unless a treaty between Georgia and the issuing country says otherwise. |
| Electronic apostilles | A foreign document may be accepted electronically, without the original, if its apostille or legalisation can be verified in an electronic register. |
| Proof of family ties | Birth, marriage, paternity or adoption certificates, or documents on the appointment of a guardian or custodian. |
| Health certificate | The agency may ask for one when an infectious disease is spreading in another country; it is not a standard item. |
| Fee receipt | Not needed if the fee was paid cashless and the agency can check the payment electronically. |
Whether a country's documents need an apostille or consular legalisation depends on whether it is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention; the Hague Conference keeps the status table. The order of work is always the same: obtain the document, have it apostilled or legalised in the issuing country, then have it translated into Georgian and the translation certified.
Where do you get each document, and what should you check?
| Document | Where it comes from | Check before filing |
|---|---|---|
| Title to the property | The Public Registry, for the property's cadastral code | Your name exactly as in the passport; the land category is not agricultural; any mortgage or other burden is understood |
| Market value report | A valuation firm that is an accredited body, with a certified assessor | Addressed to you; describes the same property and cadastral code as the extract; value above the threshold in lari at the current rate |
| Lawful stay | Your passport stamp, visa or current permit | Valid on the day of filing, with enough time left under the 40-day rule |
| Kinship documents | The civil registry of the country where the event was registered | Apostille or legalisation; certified Georgian translation; the spelling of every name matches the passports |
| Photograph | Any photo studio, as a digital file | 3 by 4 format, colour, recent |
| Fee payment | Paid for the speed you choose | Paid cashless where possible, so no receipt is needed |
The registry extract and the valuation report have to describe the same thing. If the report names a different area, a different floor or a different cadastral code from the extract, the agency has two documents that disagree, and it may ask for more evidence before deciding. Lay the two side by side before you file.
What is needed for a child?
A child does not apply alone. The procedure order says the application for a minor is made by the child's representatives. If one parent files, the other parent's consent is not required for this permit. If someone else files under a power of attorney, the consent of both parents is required, or of the one parent a child has, or of the legal representative if there is no parent.
The consent can be given in one of four ways: in writing, certified in the proper way; in writing in front of an agency official; through the agency's online consent form using an electronic identity or residence card; or in a video contact with an agency official, if the person can be identified from the agency's database. For a parent who lives abroad, the certified written consent is usually the one that has to be organised, which means a notary, an apostille and a translation, so start it early.
Can the documents be filed electronically?
Yes, with a condition. The procedure order allows an electronic application only if the online contact lets the applicant and the agency official see each other directly, and the session is recorded. Within 10 days of the electronic registration, the documents needed for the decision must also be filed on paper, or the agency may leave the application unexamined. Only someone who is in Georgia can make a first application; the online route from outside the country is reserved for extending a permit that already exists.
Risks and exceptions
- A document expires while you wait. Lawful stay is the one that matters most; file early enough that nothing runs out during the review.
- A foreign document is not legalised. The agency cannot accept a document issued abroad without an apostille or legalisation, unless a treaty provides otherwise.
- The translation is not certified. A translation without the certification the law requires is treated as missing.
- The extract and the report disagree. Different areas, floors or codes on the two documents invite a request for further evidence.
- Forged or false information. The law allows a refusal where documents are forged or invalid, or where significant information is false or concealed. Never file a document you have not checked yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Georgian bank account or a tax number for the application?
Neither appears on the agency's list for this permit. You may need them for other purposes, such as receiving rent, but not for the residence application.
Do I need a criminal record certificate?
It is not on the agency's list for the property ground. The law does allow a refusal on grounds connected with criminal proceedings, and the agency checks with state bodies itself.
Can the agency ask for documents that are not on the list?
Yes. The procedure order lets the agency request additional documents at any stage to establish facts that matter for the decision, and you may also add documents on your own initiative.
Do I need to bring originals?
Where you file copies, they must be certified. For an electronic application, the paper documents follow within 10 days. Keep the originals with you in case the agency asks to see them.
Is health insurance on the list?
Not for this permit. Insurance rules for visitors entering Georgia are a separate matter, covered in our guide to moving to Georgia.
Can a lawyer file the whole file for me?
Yes. The order allows an application through a representative. The documents and the conditions are the same; only the person at the counter changes.
Before collecting documents, read what counts towards $150,000. To have the whole file prepared and filed for you, see our residence permit service.
Sources
- Migration and residence permits: short-term residence permit, documents for the applicant and family members, Public Service Development Agency (accessed 12 October 2026)
- Government Resolution No 520 on the procedures for residence permits (Articles 3, 4, 13 and 16), consolidated 26 August 2026, Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 12 October 2026)
- Law of Georgia on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons (Articles 15(j) and 18), consolidated 25 June 2026, Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 12 October 2026)
- National Agency of Public Registry (accessed 11 October 2026)
- Apostille Convention status table, Hague Conference on Private International Law (accessed 11 October 2026)
- Unified National Body of Accreditation, Accreditation Center (accessed 12 October 2026)
Change log
- - Checklist published from the Public Service Development Agency's document lists and Resolution No 520; being reviewed by the partner lawyer.