Residence permits in Georgia

Most remote workers don't need a residence permit in their first year: citizens of about 95 countries can stay in Georgia for a year without a visa. A permit matters if you want to stay longer, or to make some paperwork easier. Georgia has no digital nomad visa, so the permit follows what you do here. This is the picture as of October 2026; the rules changed several times in 2025 and 2026, so check the official sources before you apply.

Do you need one?

• Staying under a year: usually not, if your nationality is on the visa-free list. You'll need health insurance for the stay.
• Staying longer: yes. Overstaying has been fined at ₾1,000–₾3,000 since October 2025, with possible entry bans.
• The 2020 "Remotely from Georgia" scheme has ended; there's no special status for remote workers.

The routes

• Work: for people working in Georgia, employed or self-employed, with proof of income or turnover. Six to twelve months at a time, renewable.
• IT (since September 2025): for IT employees, IT individual entrepreneurs with small business status and managers of IT companies, with two years' experience and at least $25,000 a year. It lasts three years, but lapses after more than 183 days abroad in a year.
• Property: owning non-agricultural property worth more than $150,000 (the threshold rose from $100,000 in March 2026); renewed yearly.
• Investment: $300,000 or more, for five years.
• Study and family, for students and the families of residents and citizens.

The right to work, new in 2026

Since 1 March 2026, foreigners employed or self-employed in Georgia need a "right to work", applied for online with the State Employment Support Agency for ₾200, or ₾400 for a faster decision. Working only for employers or clients abroad is outside this rule. If you're registering as an individual entrepreneur to serve local clients, check what applies to you first: freelancing from Georgia.

Applying

Apply at a Public Service Hall or online with the Public Service Development Agency, at least 40 days before your legal stay ends for most types. The fee depends on how fast you want the decision: ₾300 for 30 days, ₾450 for 20, ₾600 for 10 (₾500–₾1,000 for the IT permit). Bring your passport, a photo, proof that you're in Georgia legally and the proof your route needs: a property valuation, income or turnover statements, or IT certificates. Foreign documents need an apostille and a translation. Refusals sometimes come without a detailed reason, so for anything complicated a local lawyer is worth the fee.

Questions people ask

Does Georgia have a digital nomad visa?

No. Remote workers use the one-year visa-free stay, and a residence permit for longer stays.

How long can I stay in Georgia without a permit?

A full year for citizens of about 95 countries, shorter for some others; check the official list for your passport.

How much does a residence permit cost?

₾300–₾600 depending on how fast you need it, and ₾500–₾1,000 for the IT permit.

Living here while you wait: the digital nomad guide to Tbilisi.