At Legal Sandbox Georgia, we understand that purchasing property as a foreign national involves navigating a complex intersection of real estate law, banking regulations, and immigration statutes. Our Expat & Foreign Buyer Support is a comprehensive legal service designed to mitigate the specific risks faced by international investors, such as the statutory ban on foreign ownership of agricultural land. We begin with property selection and due diligence, ensuring the asset has the correct "non-agricultural" status in the National Agency of Public Registry (NAPR) to guarantee a valid transfer of title. We manage the entire transaction lifecycle, from drafting the Purchase Agreement in a bilingual format to handling the mandatory notarized translations of your passport and apostilled documents required for registration.
A critical component of our service is linking property acquisition to your legal status in Georgia. We advise on eligibility for Residency Permits based on investment, specifically the short-term residence permit (for property valued over $100,000 USD) and the investment residence permit (for investments over $300,000 USD) under the Law of Georgia on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons. Our team compiles the necessary legal appraisal reports and represents you at the Public Service Hall to secure your residency card. Furthermore, we navigate the increasingly difficult banking landscape. We provide "Banking Support" to assist with Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance, facilitating the opening of multi-currency accounts and ensuring the legal transfer of funds from abroad.
Post-acquisition, we ensure your transition into the Georgian tax system is seamless. We consult on your tax residency status and assist with registering as a taxpayer to utilize the 5% rental income tax regime (if applicable). We also handle the practical legalities of ownership transfer, such as re-registering utility subscriber cards (electricity, water, gas) in your name and setting up property management protocols. This end-to-end support ensures that your relocation is not just a physical move, but a legally secured establishment of your new life in Georgia.
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