PASSPORT CONTROLGeorgia
ROUTES ON FILE 路 Work / Entrepreneurial Temporary Residence PermitFor the IT-entrepreneur/digital-nomad residency variant, commentary cites ~USD 25,000/year of IT income plus ~2 years of IT experience; these figures are practitioner-reported, not confirmed from official English text. General work/entrepreneurial permits require proof of activity and sufficient means rather than a single published threshold.
Every route we have on file
What the file has to contain
These are the documents the authorities expect for the lead route. This is a reference list, not an eligibility check: whether any one item is met depends on your own situation. Items marked for apostille must be legalized before they will be accepted.
Original plus copy; commonly 6+ months validity.
Since 1 March 2026 the work-permit approval from labourmigration.moh.gov.ge generally must be obtained before the residence-permit application. Purely remote work for non-resident clients can be exempt from the work permit.
IE registry extract, business plan, contracts/invoices, or a Georgian employment contract.
Required for many residence categories; foreign certificates must be apostilled and accompanied by a notarized Georgian translation.
Required or strongly recommended depending on permit type.
Bank statements, contracts, or tax records.
Rental agreement or address declaration.
Typically two color biometric photos meeting current technical specs.
Diplomas or proof of professional experience; foreign diplomas need apostille and notarized Georgian translation.
Georgia has been a party to the Hague Apostille Convention since 2007, so foreign public documents (e.g. police clearance, diplomas, marriage certificates) need an apostille from the issuing country's competent authority plus a notarized Georgian translation when submitted to Georgian authorities.
From paperwork to residence card
The recorded process folds into stages, each listing the real steps it covers. Timing depends on your consulate and is not fixed, so no week estimates are shown here.
Prepare and legalize
- Obtain the Right to Labour Activity (work permit)
- Register your business / IE activity in Georgia
Lodge the application
- Gather and legalize documents
- Apply for the work/entrepreneurial residence permit
Decision and collection
- Await the PSDA decision and collect the residence card
The law says
Official rules, verified against government text.
- Income requirement
- See formula
For the IT-entrepreneur/digital-nomad residency variant, commentary cites ~USD 25,000/year of IT income plus ~2 years of IT experience; these figures are practitioner-reported, not confirmed from official English text. General work/entrepreneurial permits require proof of activity and sufficient means rather than a single published threshold. - Initial duration
- Typically 1 year (renewable); work/entrepreneurial permits historically issued for up to 6 years cumulatively
- Renewal
- Residence permits are renewable; after cumulative lawful residence (historically ~6 years for many categories) a foreigner may apply for permanent residence. Post-2026 renewal mechanics tied to the work permit were still settling in mid-2026.
- Tax status
- Holding a residence permit does not itself create the 1% tax regime; that comes from IE + Small Business Status. Residence supports tax residency once 183+ days are spent in Georgia.
- Processing time
- Work permit: 30 calendar days standard / 10 working days expedited. Residence permit: up to 30 calendar days standard, with faster expedited tracks.
- Official cost
- Residence-permit state fee historically ~210-300 GEL for standard ~30-day processing, roughly double for expedited (20-day/10-day) tracks. The separate work-permit fee is 200 GEL (standard, 30 days) or 400 GEL (expedited, 10 working days). Confirm current tariffs at sda.gov.ge / psh.gov.ge and labourmigration.moh.gov.ge.
The street says
16 SIGNALSWhat applicants report, kept separate from the official numbers.
Voices from the field
Georgia for Expats: New Requirements, Taxes & What You Need to KnowMillennials With Money 路 2026-04-19
You will be soon be required to have a work permit and a valid residence permit to stay in Georgia. Both require you to show turnover and funds...
They are going to implement a digital nomad visa for 3 years for remote workers. They will have to match some criteria like having an employment...
GD are working on a new law that will require you to get residency to open a business here.
@Stamped_Nomad 路 2026-07-24. A new centralized Foreigners' Registry starting 1 Sept 2026 will tie visa/residency status to everyday services, which could make Georgia's easy nomad base more restrictive.
Open the full source file (4)
- New Work Permit Rules for Foreign Nationals in Georgia Starting March 1GOV 路 U.S. Embassy in Georgia 路 accessed 2026-08-03
- Work permits for foreigners in Georgia from March 1, 2026 - step-by-stepPRACTITIONER 路 Espero.ge 路 accessed 2026-08-03
- Georgia immigration amendments - work authorization and residence permitsPRACTITIONER 路 EY Global Immigration Alert (June 2026) 路 accessed 2026-08-03
- Georgia tightens controls as digital nomad era faces regulatory shiftPRACTITIONER 路 Legal.ge 路 accessed 2026-08-03
For most remote workers, the route that matters is the Individual Entrepreneur (IE) registration with Small Business Status, because it gives you the 1% tax on turnover up to 500,000 GEL and is the common economic basis for a residence permit that can lead to permanent residence. The bar is simply registering as an IE and keeping that status while you meet eligibility, there鈥檚 no minimum income figure stated, just the turnover ceiling to watch. The flashy "Remotely from Georgia" visa is discontinued, so don鈥檛 plan around it; the visa-free 365-day stay is easy but doesn鈥檛 count toward PR, meaning the IE paperwork is your real ticket if you want to stay long-term.