How to move to Georgia (the country)
A step-by-step plan for relocating to Georgia — what to do before you arrive, in your first week, and in your first three months, in the order that actually works.
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.
Moving to Georgia is administratively easier than almost anywhere else. The mistakes people make are mostly about sequence — doing things in an order that leaves them blocked.
Here is the order that works.
Before you leave
Get documents apostilled. This is the one thing that is genuinely painful to fix later. If there is any chance you will need your degree certificate, marriage certificate or children's birth certificates recognised in Georgia, get them apostilled in the issuing country before you go.
Check your visa-free entitlement. Many nationalities get 365 days. Some get 90. Some need a visa. Confirm yours rather than assuming the generous case.
Do not close everything at home yet. Keep a working bank card and phone number. You will need them for the weeks before the Georgian equivalents are running.
Book short-term accommodation only. A month somewhere flexible while you learn the districts. Signing a year's lease from abroad, in a city where districts vary enormously, is how people end up somewhere they dislike.
Week one
Get a Georgian SIM. Cheap, immediate, and required for almost everything that follows — the tax portal in particular sends two-factor codes to Georgian numbers.
Start the bank account. Begin this on day two, not week three. It is the longest pole in the tent and it gates your tax registration. Take your passport, proof of address if you have it, and be prepared to explain clearly what you do and where your money comes from. Try more than one bank; their appetites differ.
Walk the districts. Vera and Sololaki are central and characterful. Vake is greener and more expensive. Saburtalo is cheaper, well connected and where a lot of people end up. Isani and Gldani are cheaper again. You cannot judge these from listings.
Weeks two to six
Find longer-term housing. Most rentals go through agents or Facebook groups rather than portals. Rents are usually quoted in dollars. Expect to pay a deposit plus the first month, and get a written contract even if the landlord suggests otherwise.
Sort your income and tax position. If you are self-employed and intend to use the 1% regime, this is when to check that your activity is actually eligible — see Small Business Status — and then follow the registration walkthrough.
Remember the order: register as an Individual Entrepreneur first, then apply for Small Business Status separately. The status is not retroactive, so the gap between the two is taxed at 20%.
Register with a clinic. Private healthcare is inexpensive and good. Sorting this before you need it is worth the hour.
Months two and three
Decide about a residence permit. Many people never bother, living indefinitely on the visa-free regime and stepping out of the country once a year. A permit matters if you want a status that does not depend on re-entry, a route toward permanent residence, or something a landlord or bank treats as settled.
The residence permit guide covers all twelve categories. If you work in IT, look specifically at the Article 15(l) permit — it is explicitly open to an Individual Entrepreneur with Small Business Status.
Get into the monthly filing rhythm. Your declarations are due by the 15th of each following month, including months when you earned nothing. Set the reminder for the 10th.
Learn to read the alphabet. Thirty-three letters, a weekend of effort, and the city becomes dramatically more legible. You do not need to speak Georgian to benefit enormously from being able to read shop signs and menus.
The mistakes worth avoiding
- Leaving the bank account too late. It blocks the tax registration, which blocks everything else.
- Signing a long lease before understanding the districts.
- Assuming IE registration gave you the 1% rate. It did not; Small Business Status is separate.
- Not apostilling documents before leaving.
- Missing the first monthly declaration because no income felt like nothing to file.
What it will cost to get started
Budget two to three months of living expenses as a buffer, plus a rental deposit and first month. Registration fees themselves are minor — the state fee for the IE, and nothing for Small Business Status.
The cost of living calculator will give you a monthly figure to work from.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to move to Georgia?
Citizens of many countries can enter and stay visa-free for 365 days, which is long enough to establish yourself before dealing with any permit. Check your own nationality's terms before booking.
What do I need to bring?
Your passport, and if you plan to work or study, apostilled copies of the documents that prove it — degree certificates, marriage certificate, birth certificates for children. Getting documents apostilled after you have left is far harder than doing it beforehand.
Can I bring my pet?
Yes. You will need a microchip, rabies vaccination and a veterinary certificate. Requirements vary by country of origin, so check well ahead of travel.
How much money do I need to arrive with?
Enough for a deposit and first month of rent, plus a buffer for the weeks before a bank account and income stream are working. Budget two to three months of expenses.
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))
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.
- The 1% and 3% rates apply to turnover (gross income), not profit. Business expenses are not deductible under this regime.
- Only income from a Georgian source is taxed under this regime, and salary income is excluded (Article 90(3)).
- Losses cannot be carried forward to the next year (Article 91(5)).
Sources
- Law of Georgia on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons — Article 15, Types of residence permits — Article 15(a)-(l)
- Article 15(h) — investment residence permit threshold — Article 15(h)
- Article 15(j) — short-term residence permit, immovable property threshold — Article 15(j)
- Article 15(l) — IT residence permit, available to an IE with Small Business Status — Article 15(l)
- Tax Code of Georgia — Article 90, Taxable income of small business and tax rates — Article 90(1)-(3)
- Tax Code of Georgia — Article 88, Small business — Article 88(2)-(3)
- Tax Code of Georgia — Article 89, Granting the status of small business — Article 89(2)-(5)
- Tax Code of Georgia — Article 93, Filing micro and small business tax returns — Article 93(1^1)
- Tax Code of Georgia — Article 91, Principles of accounting for small business income and costs — Article 91(1), 91(5)