Moving to Georgia (the country)

A practical guide to relocating to Georgia — how long you can stay, what it costs, how the tax system treats you, and the sequence that makes the move straightforward.

Last reviewed

How long can you stay?

Citizens of many countries can stay in Georgia visa-free for 365 days. Enter the date you last entered the country.

365 days left

You have been here 0 days. Your visa-free period runs until 20 August 2027.

Visa-free length depends on your nationality — 365 days is common but not universal. Check your own country’s terms before relying on this.

Georgia is one of the easiest countries in the world to move to, and one of the least understood. This guide covers what actually matters in the first year.

First, a clarification that saves confusion: this site is about Georgia the country — the one in the Caucasus, between Russia and Turkey, with Tbilisi as its capital. Not the US state.

Why people come

Three reasons account for most arrivals:

  • The 365-day visa-free stay. Citizens of many countries can simply arrive and live here for a year. No application, no sponsor, no minimum income.
  • The 1% tax regime. An Individual Entrepreneur with Small Business Status pays 1% of turnover. For freelancers and remote workers, that is close to unbeatable.
  • Cost of living. Tbilisi remains substantially cheaper than Western Europe, and cheaper than most of its regional neighbours.

The sequence that works

  1. Come and see it first. The visa-free regime makes a trial run almost free. A month in Tbilisi tells you more than any amount of research.
  2. Sort your income before your paperwork. If you plan to use the 1% regime, check that your activity is eligible before building plans around it — see Small Business Status.
  3. Open a bank account early. This takes longer than everything else and gates the tax registration.
  4. Decide about a residence permit later. Many people live here for years on the visa-free regime. A permit is about stability, not permission to be here.

There is a fuller version of this in how to move to Georgia.

What it costs

A single person lives comfortably in Tbilisi on roughly $1,300–1,800 a month, and modestly on around $1,000. Rent is the variable that moves most — it has risen sharply since 2022 and central one-bedroom flats now cost multiples of what they did.

The cost of living page has a calculator you can adjust to your own situation, and is Tbilisi expensive compares it against seven cities people weigh it against.

Tax

If you become a Georgian tax resident, the Individual Entrepreneur route is what most self-employed newcomers use. The headline is 1% of turnover, with a 500,000 GEL annual limit and a separate VAT threshold at 100,000 GEL over any rolling twelve months.

The obligation people underestimate is that declarations are monthly, not annual.

Residency

Georgia issues a dozen distinct residence permit categories, from work and study to investment and — unusually — a permit aimed at IT specialists that is explicitly open to an Individual Entrepreneur with Small Business Status. The residence permit guide covers every category and what each requires.

What is genuinely harder than people expect

  • Banking. Account opening has tightened considerably. Expect questions about the source of your funds.
  • The language barrier in officialdom. Day-to-day Tbilisi runs fine in English. Government offices, contracts and utility companies often do not.
  • Long-term housing. Short-term furnished rentals are easy. Unfurnished annual leases with a proper contract take more effort.
  • The Georgian alphabet. Not required, but learning to read the 33 letters takes a weekend and makes the place far more navigable.

Frequently asked questions

How long can I stay without a visa?

Citizens of many countries can stay for 365 days visa-free, which is unusually generous. The exact length depends on your nationality, so check your own country's terms rather than assuming.

Do I need a residence permit?

Not necessarily. Many people live in Georgia on the visa-free regime for years. A permit becomes useful when you want stability, a route to permanent residence, or a status that does not depend on leaving and re-entering.

Is Georgia in Europe?

Geographically it straddles the boundary between Europe and Asia, and culturally and politically it orients towards Europe. It is not in the European Union or the Schengen area, so time spent in Georgia does not count against Schengen limits.

Is it safe?

Georgia has low rates of violent crime and most people find Tbilisi comfortable to walk around at night. The usual caveats about traffic, driving standards and occasional political demonstrations apply.

Stuck on your own situation?

Describe where you are and what you are trying to do. We read every message and reply personally.

We use your message only to reply. No newsletter, no sharing with third parties without asking you first.

Where these numbers come from

Verified on against the primary sources listed below. This is information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change and individual circumstances differ — confirm anything you intend to act on with the Revenue Service or a qualified adviser.

Known upcoming changes

  • From 1 September 2026: The study residence permit is narrowed to adults enrolled in a higher or vocational education programme, with enrolment terms set by government ordinance. (Article 15(b))
  • From 1 September 2026: The permanent residence permit route for a spouse of a Georgian citizen changes to 5 years of residence on a spousal residence permit. (Article 15(g))

Not fully verifiable

Some details on this page could not be confirmed against an English-language primary source and are marked as indicative where they appear.

Important caveats

  • Amounts in the statute are set in USD and converted to GEL, so the GEL figure moves with the exchange rate.
  • Property valuations for the investment and short-term permits must come from an assessor accredited by the Georgian Accreditation Centre.
  • Meeting a threshold is necessary, not sufficient — the Agency decides each application.
  • These are typical ranges observed in the market, not official statistics. Rents in particular move quickly and vary a lot by district.
  • Figures assume a foreigner renting on the open market, which usually costs more than a long-standing local tenancy.

Sources