Mortgages for foreigners in Georgia in 2026

Banks lend to non-residents without a residence permit: a 30-40% deposit, rates from 8% in dollars, terms up to 20 years. There is no purchase tax.

Yes, Georgian banks lend to non-residents. A residence permit is not required; what matters is proven income. The deposit is 30-40% of the price and the rate starts at 8% a year in dollars.

Georgia is one of the few markets where a foreigner can get a mortgage without a residence permit or a local salary. The major banks assess non-resident applications on foreign income documents, and the purchase itself takes a few days: no notary is needed and title is registered at the Public Registry.

The price of that access is the rates. A loan in dollars costs from 8% a year and in lari about 12%, and fees and insurance add another 1-2 percentage points to the full cost. So before applying it is worth comparing a mortgage with a developer's instalment plan, which in new builds is often interest-free.

Which banks lend to foreigners in Georgia

The framework is set by the National Bank of Georgia. A loan cannot exceed 85% of the property value in lari or 70% in foreign currency, and dollar and euro mortgages are issued for no more than 10 years. Banks lend foreigners less than the ceiling: usually 60-70% of the valuation.

Banks differ in maximum amount, borrower age and the list of countries whose income they accept. It makes sense to apply to two banks at once: the decision is free and takes a few days.

A lari loan carries a higher rate but no currency risk for those who earn in Georgia. With income in dollars or euros it makes more sense to borrow in the same currency: the payment will not rise with the exchange rate.

Income requirements and documents

The bank looks at stable income over the last 6-12 months: salary, business income, rent or dividends. Income abroad is accepted if backed by an employer's letter and translated bank statements. Business owners will need the company's accounts.

The loan payment is capped as a share of income: 20 to 50% depending on the loan currency and the size of income. The cap is tighter for foreign-currency loans, so with income in dollars a dollar mortgage is easier to get approved.

The bank also checks your credit history: the Georgian one through the local bureau and the foreign one through a report from your country of residence, where one can be obtained. Existing loans reduce the amount that will be approved.

Documents for the application:

• passport and residence permit, if you have one
• income certificate and bank statements for 6-12 months, translated
• preliminary sale agreement and a Public Registry extract for the property
• valuation report from a valuer the bank accepts
• an account with a Georgian bank

Borrowers are usually at least 20, and the loan must be repaid by age 65. A spouse acts as co-borrower if their income is counted.

Foreign documents are filed with a translation into Georgian or English, and income certificates must be recent, issued for the application date.

How a mortgage purchase works: steps

1. Open an account with a Georgian bank and get pre-approval on your income documents.
2. Choose a property, check it in the Public Registry and order a valuation from the bank's valuer.
3. Get the amount approved and sign the sale agreement and the loan agreement with the mortgage.
4. Register title and the mortgage at the Public Registry: 1 to 4 working days.
5. Take out life and home insurance, after which the bank transfers the money to the seller.
6. Pay monthly; the early repayment terms are set out in the loan agreement.

The whole route from application to keys takes 2-4 weeks. A bank finances a building under construction only if the developer is accredited with that bank.

Costs of buying and owning

The main cost on top of the price is interest and insurance: with them the full cost of a dollar loan is about 9-10% a year. Georgia has no purchase tax, and registering title costs from $60, more for urgent processing.

If you let the apartment, rent covers part of the loan payment: the tax on it is 5% once you register with the tax service as a landlord.

How to choose a district and a property is covered in our review of buying an apartment in Georgia, and selection for rental income on our investment property in Georgia page.

Does buying property give residency in Georgia

Yes, but only for an expensive purchase. A one-year residence permit goes to the owner of a home valued above $150,000 by an accredited valuer, and a 5-year permit above $300,000. The valuation counts, not the contract price.

If the apartment is worth less than $150,000, a residence permit is obtained on another ground: work, your own business or study.

A mortgaged apartment is registered to the buyer but pledged to the bank. Check with an expert how this is treated in a residence application in your case. All grounds are on our Georgia residence permit page.

Restrictions for specific nationalities

The law does not divide buyers and borrowers by nationality: the apartment and the mortgage are registered on a foreign passport. The only ban concerns agricultural land, which is not sold to foreigners.

Citizens of most countries, including Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, the European Union and the United States, can stay in Georgia visa-free for up to a year, so travelling for the purchase and signing the loan agreement is simple.

The bank makes the lending decision itself and does not have to explain a refusal. Borrowers from sanctioned countries should gather source-of-funds documents and proof of lawful income in advance: without them neither an account nor a loan will be opened.

The alternative: developer instalment plans

In new builds in Tbilisi and Batumi developers sell apartments on instalment plans: a deposit of 10-30% and the rest in equal payments until handover, sometimes for another 1-3 years after it. There is usually no interest, but the price on instalments is higher than for payment in full.

An instalment plan requires no proof of income, and that is its main advantage over a mortgage. The main risk is the developer: until handover the buyer depends on whether the building gets finished. So before signing, the building permit, encumbrances on the plot and the record of completed buildings are checked.

Some buyers combine the two: they pay in instalments until handover and, once title is registered, cover the balance with a mortgage secured on the finished apartment.

This topic in other countries

Mortgages for foreigners in other countries:

• Mortgages for foreigners in Serbia in 2026
• Mortgages for foreigners in Kazakhstan in 2026
• Mortgages for foreigners in Turkey in 2026
• Mortgage for foreigners in Spain in 2026
• Mortgage for foreigners in the UAE in 2026
• Mortgage for foreigners in Thailand in 2026
• Mortgage for foreigners in Armenia in 2026

About this country:

• Buying an apartment in Georgia: prices, taxes and residency
• Investment property in Georgia
• Georgia residence permit
• Taxes in Georgia
• Tbilisi: districts and prices
• Batumi: districts and prices
• Personal bank account in Georgia
• Cost of living in Georgia

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