Visa and how long you can stay

At the border

1. Check your passport is on the one year list

   Citizens of about 95 countries, including all EU states, the US, the UK, Canada and Australia, can stay in Georgia without a visa for one full year.

   Sources: Legislative Herald of Georgia (consolidated 2026-06-25), Wikipedia, gov.uk.

2. Carry proof of health insurance for your whole stay

   Since 1 January 2026, foreign visitors must hold health and accident insurance with at least 30,000 GEL cover for the whole stay.

   Sources: gov.uk, Revera Legal, Tbilisi Blog (2025-12-30), Georgia Today (2025-12-16).

3. Expect the police to check it

   Patrol police check insurance at the border, and a person without a valid policy can be refused entry.

   Sources: Revera Legal, Georgia Today (2025-12-09), gov.uk.

4. Know the overstay fines

   Since 1 October 2025, overstaying costs 1,000 GEL (up to 3 months), 2,000 GEL (3 to 12 months) or 3,000 GEL (over 12 months), with entry bans of 6 months to 3 years.

   Sources: APA news agency (2025-10-01), First Channel, Revera Legal, Civil.ge (2025-04-23).

5. Do not plan on border runs

   Leaving Georgia and coming back usually starts a new one-year visa-free period, but the border officer decides each time.

   Sources: OC Media (2025), Wikipedia.

Rule changes, 2025 to 2027

1. 1 Oct 2025 In forceHigher overstay fines (some sources say 1 September)
   2 sources

   Sources: APA news agency (2025-10-01), First Channel.

2. 1 Jan 2026 In forceEntry insurance becomes mandatory
   2 sources

   Sources: gov.uk, Revera Legal.

3. 1 Mar 2026 In forceThe right to labour activity starts
   2 sources

   Sources: KPMG GMS Flash Alert 2026-117 (2026-04-29), Legislative Herald of Georgia (consolidated 2026-06-25).

4. 1 Mar 2026 In forceProperty residence permit needs USD 150,000
   2 sources

   Sources: Legislative Herald of Georgia (consolidated 2026-06-25), Public Service Development Agency.

5. 1 Apr 2026 In forceBank deposits insured up to 50,000 GEL
   2 sources

   Sources: Parliament of Georgia (2026), Terabank.

6. 1 May 2026 In forceEnforcement for the self-employed
   2 sources

   Sources: KPMG GMS Flash Alert 2026-117 (2026-04-29), Legislative Herald of Georgia (consolidated 2026-06-25).

7. 1 Sep 2026 In forceProof of legal stay for some residence permits
   1 source

   Source: Caspian Post (2026-08-28).

8. 1 Sep 2026 In forceUnified registry of foreigners
   2 sources

   Sources: Georgia Today (2026-07-22), Fragomen (2025-11-24).

9. Today
10. 1 Jan 2027 ComingDeadline for registered labour immigrants
    2 sources

    Sources: KPMG GMS Flash Alert 2026-117 (2026-04-29), Legislative Herald of Georgia (consolidated 2026-06-25).

Visa-free stay, entry insurance and overstays

• 1 year (365 days)Citizens of about 95 countries, including all EU states, the US, the UK, Canada and Australia, can stay in Georgia without a visa for one full year.

  Check your own country on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs list (geoconsul.gov.ge) before you travel. We could not load the official list page directly.

  The law allows one full year for countries listed in a Government ordinance (Ordinance No 255 of 5 June 2015, amended since). No application or fee is needed.

  Sources: Legislative Herald of Georgia (consolidated 2026-06-25), Wikipedia, gov.uk.

• 90 days in 180Visa-free visitors who are not on the one-year list can stay 90 days in any 180-day period.

  This is the default rule in Article 10(2) of the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons.

  Source: Legislative Herald of Georgia (consolidated 2026-06-25).

• Some nationalities get shorter visa-free stays, for example Iran (45 days) and China (30 days).

  Taken from a secondary summary of the ordinance. Check the official MFA list.

  Chile, Fiji, North Macedonia, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay are listed at 90 days. India and Indonesia need an e-visa (evisa.gov.ge).

  Source: Wikipedia.

• Leaving Georgia and coming back usually starts a new one-year visa-free period, but the border officer decides each time.

  This is practice, not a written guarantee. Visa-free stay does not give the right to work (see the work topic).

  There is no written cumulative cap in the law for one-year countries. Repeated long stays with short exits can lead to questions or refusal at the border.

  Sources: OC Media (2025), Wikipedia.

• A foreigner with a valid Georgian residence permit can enter and stay visa-free for the whole validity of the permit.

  Source: Legislative Herald of Georgia (consolidated 2026-06-25).

• 30,000 GEL minimumSince 1 January 2026, foreign visitors must hold health and accident insurance with at least 30,000 GEL cover for the whole stay.

  NEW in 2026. Foreigners who entered before 1 January 2026 did not need to buy it retroactively (Tbilisi Blog).

  The rule comes from Government Decree No 602 of 26 December 2025 under the Law on Tourism. A Georgian or foreign insurer can issue the policy, on paper or electronic, in Georgian or English.

  Sources: gov.uk, Revera Legal, Tbilisi Blog (2025-12-30), Georgia Today (2025-12-16).

• Sources disagree

  Some reports split the insurance minimum into 5,000 GEL for outpatient emergency care and 30,000 GEL for inpatient care.

  Conflict: Georgia Today (9 Dec 2025) gives the 5,000 plus 30,000 split; the UK FCDO, Revera Legal and Tbilisi Blog give one 30,000 GEL minimum. A policy with at least 30,000 GEL total that covers both is the safe choice.

  Source: Georgia Today (2025-12-09).

• Patrol police check insurance at the border, and a person without a valid policy can be refused entry.

  Enforcement varies by crossing point and officer (The Georgian Guide). Being waved through once does not mean the rule does not apply.

  The UK FCDO says airlines may also ask for proof at check-in. Travel guides report that border checks in 2026 are uneven: some arrivals are asked, many are not.

  Sources: Revera Legal, Georgia Today (2025-12-09), gov.uk.

• Diplomats, accredited international staff and international freight or passenger drivers are exempt from the entry insurance rule.

  Sources: Revera Legal, Tbilisi Blog (2025-12-30).

• Sources disagree

  It is not clear in official text whether Georgian residence permit holders are exempt from the entry insurance rule.

  Conflict: IRAO and other insurers say residence permit holders are exempt; Tbilisi Blog says this exemption was only stated informally and was not in public regulations. The decree defines a tourist as a visitor who stays overnight and up to one year.

  Sources: Tbilisi Blog (2025-12-30), IRAO insurance company.

• Few sources

  A fine of 300 GEL for not having entry insurance has been reported, but we could not confirm it.

  Only an insurance seller reports this figure. Georgia Today says no fixed fine was announced and that the rules focus on refusal of entry.

  Source: friendly.ge.

• Sources disagree

  1,000 / 2,000 / 3,000 GELSince 1 October 2025, overstaying costs 1,000 GEL (up to 3 months), 2,000 GEL (3 to 12 months) or 3,000 GEL (over 12 months), with entry bans of 6 months to 3 years.

  CHANGED 2025. Sources differ on the start date (Revera Legal says 1 September 2025; APA and other reports say 1 October 2025) and on whether the ban is added to the fine or replaces it. We could not read the Code of Administrative Offences text on Matsne.

  The old fines were 180 to 360 GEL and did not include expulsion. A transit violation costs 500 GEL.

  Sources: APA news agency (2025-10-01), First Channel, Revera Legal, Civil.ge (2025-04-23).

• Since 1 October 2025, courts can expel foreigners for some minor offences, such as petty hooliganism or disobeying police, with an entry ban of up to 3 years.

  Criminal convictions can lead to expulsion with bans of 2 to 10 years, or 5 to 20 years for serious crimes.

  Sources: OC Media (2025), Revera Legal.

• Sources disagree

  A Ministry of Internal Affairs database of foreigners who are or were in Georgia without legal grounds has been created; it is not public.

  Conflict on the date: Fragomen (Nov 2025) says the database runs from 1 October 2025; Georgia Today (July 2026) describes it as part of amendments in force from 1 September 2026.

  Sources: Fragomen (2025-11-24), Georgia Today (2026-07-22).

• Few sources

  We found no official bill to shorten the one-year visa-free stay as of 21 October 2026.

  This is an absence of evidence, not proof. Some guides speculate the rule could move to 90 days in 180 in the future.

  Sources: Wikipedia, OC Media (2025).

Remote work programs and residence permits

• The 2020 "Remotely from Georgia" program is no longer active.

  We found no official closure notice with a date.

  It was a COVID-era scheme launched in 2020 for remote workers from 95 countries staying at least six months. A September 2026 guide calls it defunct; the e-visa site no longer lists it.

  Sources: ExpatDen (2026-09-10), Georgia Today (2020).

• Georgia has no dedicated digital nomad visa; most remote workers stay on the one-year visa-free rule.

  Source: ExpatDen (2026-09-10).

• Georgia issues these residence permits: work, study, family reunification, former citizen, special, permanent, spouse of a citizen, investment, short-term (property), indefinite stay and IT.

  Sources: Public Service Development Agency, Legislative Herald of Georgia (consolidated 2026-06-25).

• 300 / 450 / 600 GELMost temporary residence permits cost 300 GEL in 30 days, 450 GEL in 20 days or 600 GEL in 10 days.

  Older guides list 210 or 180 GEL; these are out of date.

  This applies to work, study, family reunification, former citizen, investment and short-term (property) permits.

  Source: Public Service Development Agency.

• A permanent residence permit costs 500 GEL (30 days) or 650 GEL (20 days); the IT permit costs 500, 750 or 1,000 GEL (30, 20 or 10 days).

  Source: Public Service Development Agency.

• USD 150,000Since 1 March 2026, a property-based (short-term) residence permit needs non-agricultural property worth more than USD 150,000.

  CHANGED 1 March 2026. EIG says existing holders can keep renewing under the old threshold if they keep the property; another guide says the current market value must meet the new rule. Check before renewal.

  The threshold was USD 100,000 before. An accredited appraiser must value the property. The permit is renewed each year and ends when you sell the property.

  Sources: Legislative Herald of Georgia (consolidated 2026-06-25), Public Service Development Agency, Erickson Immigration Group (2026-02-27).

• USD 300,000An investment residence permit needs an investment or property worth at least USD 300,000 and is issued for 5 years.

  Investment permit holders are exempt from the new work permit rule.

  Sources: Legislative Herald of Georgia (consolidated 2026-06-25), Public Service Development Agency.

• The IT residence permit needs at least 2 years of IT experience and pay of at least USD 25,000 a year, received at least twice, 30 days apart.

  NEW from 2025. The permit ends if you are outside Georgia for 183 days or more in any 12 months (Article 21(14)).

  It is issued for 3 years the first time. The holder must also have the right to labour activity (work permit).

  Sources: Legislative Herald of Georgia (consolidated 2026-06-25), Public Service Development Agency, Fragomen (2025-11-24).

• A work residence permit needs the right to labour activity, income of at least five times the subsistence minimum, and employer turnover of at least 50,000 GEL per foreign worker.

  CHANGED 2026. The new-business exception comes from one guide only.

  The turnover rule is 35,000 GEL for educational or medical institutions. A July 2026 change lets new businesses (under 3 months, up to 3 foreign staff) give a staff certificate instead, with a 6-month permit (ExpatDen).

  Sources: Public Service Development Agency, Legislative Herald of Georgia (consolidated 2026-06-25), ExpatDen (2026-09-07).

• You must apply for a residence permit at least 40 calendar days before your legal stay ends, and show a document proving your lawful stay.

  Applicants on a category C (short-stay) visa generally cannot get a permit, except investment, special, temporary and IT permits. Asylum seekers do not count as lawfully staying for this purpose.

  Source: Public Service Development Agency.

• From 1 September 2026, a certificate confirming legal stay is mandatory for some residence permit categories under new Ministry of Internal Affairs rules.

  NEW 1 September 2026. We did not find the order text; reports do not give the full list of categories.

  Reports name children of Georgian citizens and their parents applying for permanent residence (who must also show a legal source of income) and study-based applicants (who must attend a state-authorized institution).

  Source: Caspian Post (2026-08-28).

• From 1 September 2026, a unified registry of foreigners, run by the Public Service Development Agency, holds foreigners' data, including biometric data.

  NEW 2026. The government rules on what data the registry holds were still being published.

  Since the 2025 amendments, the state can request fingerprints and palm prints from foreigners without legal status.

  Sources: Georgia Today (2026-07-22), Fragomen (2025-11-24).

• Permanent residence is open after 10 years of temporary residence, or earlier through close family links to a Georgian citizen.

  CHANGED June 2026 for spouses.

  Years on a study or medical treatment permit do not count. A spouse of a citizen now first gets a spouse permit (added by Law No 1803 of 25 June 2026).

  Sources: Legislative Herald of Georgia (consolidated 2026-06-25), Public Service Development Agency.

• A residence permit, other than permanent or investment, does not by itself allow you to work.

  CHANGED 1 March 2026. See the work topic.

  Sources: KPMG GMS Flash Alert 2026-117 (2026-04-29), Fragomen (2025-11-03).