Georgia: cross-border payments and remote closing

A buyer who lives abroad needs to know three things before committing: how the money reaches the seller, how ownership is registered, and how they can sign without travelling. This briefing sets out the usual route in Georgia and the points where deals tend to stall. Details come from public sources and a law-firm guide; confirm them with a Georgian lawyer.

How ownership passes

In Georgia ownership passes on registration, not on signing. The sale is concluded in writing and registered with the National Agency of Public Registry, usually through a Public Service Hall. A law-firm guide says a contract signed before the registry's authorised person does not need separate notarisation, while other formats may (step-by-step guide). Tell the buyer clearly that until the registry entry is made, the title is still the seller's.

Before any money moves

• An up-to-date registry extract: owner, cadastral code, boundaries, mortgages and liens.
• Written agreement on price, currency, payment steps and what happens if the registration fails.
• The buyer's bank account ready to send, and the seller's account details confirmed in writing by a second channel.

Payment

• Payment is normally by traceable bank transfer to the seller's account under the contract terms. The same law-firm guide says Georgia has no exchange controls on incoming purchase funds; check this with your lawyer.
• Currency matters. Prices are often quoted in US dollars or lari. Agree in the contract which currency is paid, who bears the exchange cost, and which exchange rate applies.
• Expect questions from the bank. Some sources note that banks may ask extra questions about the source of funds, including for buyers from certain countries. The practical answer is early documents and an account opened in advance.
• Agree in writing how the deposit is treated if the deal does not close. Ask your lawyer whether the funds can be held until registration instead of being paid to the seller in advance.
• Do not suggest paying in cash or through third parties to save time.

Registry fees and timing

The registry works on three speeds. A law-firm guide gives the fees as GEL 350 for the same day, GEL 270 for one business day and GEL 150 for four business days. Treat the figures as indicative and check the registry's current schedule. The guide also notes that there is no transfer tax or stamp duty on a purchase, while an annual property tax may apply later.

Signing from abroad

A remote buyer can sign through a representative holding a power of attorney.

• A power of attorney made abroad is normally notarised and apostilled, and the same guide says that for dealings in Georgia a foreign power of attorney has had to be a notarised public deed since October 2023.
• Keep the power of attorney narrow: name the property, the transaction and the powers. A general authority is a risk for the buyer and is often refused.
• Allow time for the notary, the apostille and any translation before a deadline in the contract.
• Check the representative's identity and, if a lawyer acts, how the lawyer is paid and held to account.

What to tell a remote buyer

• The title passes only on registration; ask for the extract before and after.
• Open the bank account first, and keep proof of the source of the funds.
• Do not pay to a personal account that differs from the seller named in the extract.
• Allow a few working days for registration after signing, and longer if documents come from abroad.
• If the plan depends on a residence permit, ask a Georgian immigration lawyer before buying; ownership alone does not give residence (see our 2026 briefing).

A suggested sequence for a remote deal

• Agree the main terms in writing: price, currency, deposit, deadline and who pays which cost.
• Order the registry extract and have a lawyer review it.
• The buyer opens the Georgian bank account and prepares the source-of-funds papers.
• Prepare the power of attorney, if one is used, with notarisation and apostille, and allow for translation.
• Sign the contract in the form the registry accepts, then pay by bank transfer as agreed.
• Register the transfer at the Public Service Hall at the speed the buyer chooses.
• Obtain a fresh extract showing the buyer as owner, and keep it with the contract and the payment proofs.

Costs to put on the page

Registry fees, a translator and a notary where needed, the broker's commission as agreed in the brokerage agreement, bank charges on the transfer and, later, the annual property tax if it applies. Ask for the figures in writing, in the currency the buyer will pay.

Typical pitfalls

• A seller who is not the registered owner, or an unregistered encumbrance.
• A power of attorney that is too general, out of date or missing an apostille.
• Payment in a currency or to an account that does not match the contract.
• A bank that asks for documents the buyer does not have ready.
• A buyer who expected a residence permit and learns about the valuation only after paying.

Working with D.H. Realting

D.H. Realting is a trilingual (Russian, English and Polish) overseas-property platform that introduces buyers, including expats living in Poland, the EU and elsewhere, to property abroad and supports the process. Agencies in Georgia that handle the deal locally and would like to be introduced to such buyers can contact us through our partners page. Terms are discussed individually.

This briefing is for information only and is not legal, tax or compliance advice. Rules change; confirm with a local lawyer and the competent authority before acting.