Rumors of impending mobilization in the Russian Federation have once again intensified Russian citizens' interest in relocating to Georgia. Unlike the panic of autumn 2022, when people urgently fled across the Verkhny Lars border crossing, today's potential relocants are carefully studying housing, living conditions, and prospects for adaptation in the country in advance. Georgia remains one of the most accessible destinations for Russians due to a unique set of conditions not provided by any other country.
Why Georgia Remains Attractive for Russian Relocants
Georgia attracts Russian citizens not only with its picturesque nature but also with developed infrastructure, minimal bureaucracy, and most importantly—the possibility of long-term legal residence in the country. Russian citizens enjoy a visa-free regime, allowing them to stay in the country for a whole year without obtaining visas. Upon expiration of this period, relocants resort to the so-called "visa run"—a short-term departure abroad followed by return to renew their legal stay period. Typically, they cross the border at Sarpi (with Turkey) or Sadakhlo (with Armenia), then re-enter the country, gaining approximately another year of legal residence.
Although Georgian legislation has tightened conditions for hiring foreigners, and the property value threshold for obtaining a residence permit (RP) has been raised to $150,000 as of March 1, 2026, settling in Georgia remains much easier for Russian citizens than in other countries. For example, in Belarus, Russian citizens staying longer than 90 days must register temporarily or obtain an RP.
Financial Indicators of Relocant Inflow
Indirect financial indicators confirm the intensive inflow of Russian citizens staying in Georgia for an extended period. The volume of ruble deposits in Georgian banks in July 2026 surged sharply—up 32.9% in just one month and 48.4% compared to July of the previous year, reaching 98.6 million lari. Although ruble funds account for a small share of all bank deposits—around 0.13%—it is evident that the majority of these funds belong to Russian citizens.
Relocants prefer to keep most of their savings in the national currency, lari, or in dollars and euros. Among IT specialists, cryptocurrency is popular, helping bypass restrictions on international money transfers introduced after sanctions against Russia were imposed. Fast and relatively inexpensive crypto transactions solve financial problems for relocants working remotely. According to international experts, Georgia ranked fourth in the world in crypto-friendliness after Hong Kong, the United States, and Switzerland, which is supported by the presence of crypto ATMs in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, and Batumi, allowing the conversion of digital assets into the local currency.
Impact on the Real Estate Market
Demand from affluent Russian citizens is already having a significant impact on the real estate purchase market. The distribution of buyers between the capital and coastal cities differs considerably: in Tbilisi, Georgian citizens purchase over 88% of housing, while the share of foreigners is slightly more than 11%. The picture is quite different in Batumi, where Georgian citizens purchase about 47% of housing on the primary market, while most sales fall to foreigners, primarily Russian relocants. This demand contributes to rising prices: on Batumi's primary market, prices rose 9–10% over the past year.
The Acute Problem of Rental Housing Affordability
The most significant impact of the new inflow of relocants is manifested in the rental market. According to real estate agents, demand for apartments in Tbilisi compared to the previous year has grown by approximately 20–30%. The growth in demand is compounded by the fact that rumors of mass "flight from mobilization" from Russia coincided with the arrival of out-of-town students at capital universities. As a result, rental rates are rising rapidly again, creating serious difficulties for the local population. The anticipated further influx of Russian relocants could make rental housing even less accessible for Georgian citizens themselves, exacerbating the housing affordability problem in the domestic market.