Moving to Georgia: the complete guide

Moving to Georgia, on one screen

Georgia is one of the easiest countries in the region to move to, at least at the start. Citizens of many countries may enter without a visa and stay for a full year, foreigners can own homes on the same terms as Georgians, and a property, an investment, a job or a tech career can each lead to a residence permit. The rules have also tightened in ways that newcomers often miss. Since 1 January 2026 foreign visitors must hold health and accident insurance, since 1 March 2026 most foreigners need a permit before they work, and the property threshold for a residence permit rose to $150,000 on the same day. Being allowed to stay, being allowed to work, being taxed as a resident and owning a home are four different questions in Georgian law, with four different answers. This guide puts them in order, adds the practical side of settling in, and links to the detailed guides on residence, money, renting and buying.

The table also shows why the order of steps matters. Buying a home does not give you the right to stay, the right to stay does not give you the right to work, and none of them alone decides your tax position. Treat each as a separate decision, in the order the rest of this page follows.

How to move to Georgia, step by step

Most people who move to Georgia go through the same sequence. Doing the steps in this order avoids the most common mistake: making a large decision, such as buying property, before knowing which status and which city suit you.

1. Check your entry rights and insurance

   Confirm whether your nationality allows a visa-free stay, and buy health and accident insurance that covers your whole stay before you travel.

2. Choose a base city

   Decide between Tbilisi's year-round capital life, Batumi's seaside rhythm, or a smaller town, and visit in more than one season if you can.

3. Rent before you buy

   Rent for several months in the district you are considering, so that you learn the city before committing to a purchase.

4. Choose your legal status

   Decide whether the visa-free year is enough, or which residence permit route fits you: property, investment, work, study, family or the IT permit.

5. Settle your right to work

   Check whether your activity in Georgia needs a labour activity permit, and whether your status exempts you, before you start working locally.

6. Organise money and banking

   Prepare a source-of-funds file, open a Georgian bank account if you need one, and plan how you will move money in and out.

7. Arrange healthcare

   Choose private health insurance that suits a longer stay, and find a clinic and a family doctor near where you live.

8. Plan your tax position

   Count your days, understand when Georgian tax residence begins, and ask an adviser how it interacts with your home country.

Entering and staying: the visa-free year

Under Government Ordinance No 255, citizens of countries on the government's list can come to Georgia visa-free and remain for a whole year. That list is a long one. Among many others it covers the member states of the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. Citizens of countries not on the list need a visa to travel, and should check the conditions with a Georgian consulate before planning a move.

The visa-free year is generous, and for many newcomers it is enough to arrive, rent, look around and decide. It is not a residence permit, however. It does not by itself give a right to work, it does not convert into residence, and it does not count towards the years of residence that later lead to permanent residence or citizenship. If you plan to stay beyond a year, or to build a long-term status, the residence permit is the route.

Plan the end of the year from the start. Note your entry date, decide by around the sixth month whether you will apply for a residence permit, and leave time to gather and legalise the documents the application needs. A permit applied for in good time is a formality; one applied for in the last weeks is a source of stress.

Mandatory insurance for visitors since 2026

Article 12 of the Law of Georgia on Tourism requires tourists visiting Georgia to have health and accident insurance, and the Government's resolution setting the rules for this mandatory insurance took effect on 1 January 2026. As reported by Eurofast, a tourist for this purpose is a foreigner who enters Georgia for business, leisure or other personal purposes, stays at least one night and remains no longer than one year; reported exemptions include people employed by institutions or enterprises in Georgia and directors of Georgian companies. Georgia Today reported a minimum coverage of not less than GEL 30,000, valid for the whole stay, and border officers may ask to see the policy.

For a newcomer the practical rule is simple: buy a policy that meets the requirement before you travel, keep proof of it on your phone and on paper, and renew it if you extend your stay. Once you hold a residence permit or a job in Georgia, ask an insurer or adviser whether the tourist requirement still applies to you, and move to a health insurance plan designed for residents.

Residence permits: the main routes

A residence permit turns a visit into a stay. It is Georgia's Law on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons that sets out the grounds; the main ones for people moving to Georgia are these.

• Property. Ownership of non-agricultural property in Georgia with a market value above $150,000, assessed by an accredited valuer, supports a one-year short-term residence permit, renewable while you keep the property and also covering your spouse and children (Article 15(j)). The threshold rose from $100,000 on 1 March 2026. The permit ends when the ownership ends (Article 21(11)).
• Investment. An investment of at least $300,000, or ownership of non-agricultural property worth more than $300,000, supports a five-year investment residence permit (Article 15(h)), which can lead to permanent residence if the conditions are kept.
• IT professionals. A three-year IT residence permit introduced in September 2025 is aimed at tech professionals with at least two years of experience and annual income above $25,000.
• Work, study and family. Employment, studies and family ties to a Georgian citizen or resident are separate grounds, each with its own documents.
• Permanent residence. Among other grounds, a foreigner who has lived in Georgia for ten years on temporary residence permits, excluding study and medical periods, may apply for permanent residence.

Applications go to the Public Service Development Agency, in person, through a representative with a power of attorney or electronically where permitted, and a decision is due within 30 days of a complete file under the standard procedure. The state fee for short-term and investment permits is GEL 300 for a decision in 30 days, GEL 450 in 20 days or GEL 600 in 10 days. The guide to a residence permit by property covers the property route in detail, and the Residency section covers the others.

A property-based permit is a one-year permit, so renewal is part of the plan from the start. Each year you show again that you own the property; if it is the same property, the law does not ask for a new valuation. Holders who qualified under the previous $100,000 threshold may continue to renew while they keep the qualifying property, according to the law firms that reported the 2026 change. Because the permit ends when the ownership ends, a sale, a gift or a division of the property before you have another basis to stay should be planned, not discovered.

Working in Georgia from 2026

Georgia's rules on foreigners' work changed in 2026. According to Andersen and Fragomen, from 1 March 2026 most foreign nationals who do not hold a permanent residence permit must obtain a right-to-labour-activity permit before paid work, freelance or business activity in Georgia. The permit is issued through the State Employment Promotion Agency's portal. The exemptions reported include refugees, diplomats, accredited journalists and holders of investment residence permits; holders of property-based short-term permits are not listed as exempt in the sources we checked. Registered labour migrants have a transition period until 1 January 2027, and enforcement for the self-employed began on 1 May 2026.

For newcomers, three situations need a clear answer from a lawyer before work begins: a job with a Georgian employer, self-employment or a business in Georgia, and remote work for a foreign employer while living in Georgia. The first two are clearly within the rules; how the third is treated depends on the details of the activity and should be confirmed for your case.

Tax residence: when Georgia taxes you as a resident

Tax residence is separate from immigration status. Under Article 34 of the Tax Code, Georgia treats you as a tax resident for a tax year once your actual presence in the country reaches 183 days or more within any continuous 12-month period that ends in that year. Any part of a day counts as a day; days abroad for treatment, leisure, business trips or study count as days in Georgia; and days in Georgia for treatment or leisure do not count. Residence can also be granted to high net worth individuals under rules of the Minister of Finance.

Holding a residence permit does not turn you into a tax resident, and tax residence is possible without any permit. Your home country applies its own rules at the same time, and Georgia's 58 double taxation treaties decide which country prevails where both treat you as resident. Before you move, ask an adviser in both countries how your income, savings and any rent or sale will be taxed. The guide to money and taxes explains the Georgian side.

Choosing a city

Tbilisi is the capital, with a population Geostat put at about 1.37 million on 1 January 2026, a metro with two lines and 23 stations, and year-round city life. Most newcomers who work, run a business or have children at school base themselves here. The Tbilisi guide describes the districts.

Batumi is the seaside city, with a mild, wet climate: about 2,560 millimetres of rain a year, with January averaging +7.1°C and August +23.2°C, according to the Adjara tourism department. It suits people who want the sea and accept a quieter winter. The Batumi guide covers the zones.

Smaller towns and resorts, from Kutaisi to Kakheti's wine towns and the mountain resorts, offer a slower life and lower costs, with fewer services and international schools. The resorts guide describes them.

Whichever you choose, visit in winter as well as summer. Tbilisi's heating, Batumi's rain and a mountain town's snow are part of daily life for months of the year.

Renting before you buy

Renting for six months or a year before buying is the single most useful step for a newcomer. It shows you the district, the building types, the commute, the winter and the neighbours, and it costs far less than a wrong purchase. Galt & Taggart reports average rents in Tbilisi of about $9.8 per square metre a month in December 2025, ranging from $14.2 in Vake to $8.4 in Gldani and Samgori.

As a tenant you are protected by the Civil Code. A deposit may not exceed three months' rent, may be paid in three monthly instalments and earns interest (Article 552). A landlord may end a tenancy of a home only for valid reasons, though a furnished apartment can be ended by observing the notice period (Article 562), and the notice period is three months unless agreed otherwise (Article 561). Read the contract for the notice period and the deposit terms before you sign. The guide to renting out an apartment explains the same rules from the owner's side.

Money and banking

Most newcomers want a Georgian bank account for rent, utilities and daily payments. Each bank decides on its own clients under anti-money-laundering rules, so requirements differ; a passport and a clear file showing where your money comes from are the core of any application. The lari is the currency of daily life and of taxes, while property prices and many rents are quoted in dollars. The National Bank of Georgia's official rate was 2.624 lari per dollar on 5 August 2026, and inflation stood at 5.6% in August 2026.

Prepare your source-of-funds documents before you move: savings statements, a sale contract for property at home, employment records or a loan agreement, translated where needed. The same file will be asked for when you buy property, open accounts and, later, move money out again. The bank account service describes how we help.

Healthcare and insurance

Georgia has public and private clinics in the main cities, and private health insurance is widely sold. The state's universal healthcare programme is designed for Georgian citizens and certain protected groups, so most newcomers on visas or temporary residence permits rely on private health insurance, both to meet the visitor requirement and for everyday care. Choose a plan that covers outpatient care, hospital treatment and emergencies, check which clinics are in its network near your home, and keep the policy active for your whole stay.

Families and schools

Families moving to Georgia usually start with the school, then choose the district, then the apartment. Tbilisi has the widest choice of international schools and kindergartens, and families tend to look at districts such as Vake, Saburtalo and the newer areas towards Dighomi and the hills for space, parks and a short school run. Batumi and smaller towns have fewer international options. Visit schools before you sign a lease, ask about waiting lists and fees, and check how a residence permit for your children is tied to your own status: under the property route, the permit covers the owner's spouse and children while the property is held. A dedicated guide to international schools, fees and admission is planned in this section.

Driving, cars and pets

Two practical questions come up in almost every move: whether you can drive on your licence, and what your pets need.

Driving. The rules on how long a foreign licence may be used in Georgia, and on exchanging it for a Georgian licence, are administered by the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Check them before you plan to drive for more than a short visit, and carry your licence and any international driving permit your country issues.

Pets. Cats and dogs entering Georgia generally need identification by microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and a veterinary health certificate. The competent authority is the National Food Agency; confirm the current requirements with it, and with your airline, before booking.

Buying a home once you live here

You do not need to live in Georgia, or hold any permit, to buy property here. Foreigners buy residential and commercial property on the same terms as Georgians, except agricultural land (Constitution, Article 19(4)), and ownership passes on a written transaction and registration in the Public Registry (Civil Code, Article 183). The registration fee is GEL 150 to 350 depending on speed, and there is no transfer tax.

For newcomers, the right moment to buy is usually after the first season: once you know the city, the district and the building type you want. If the purchase is meant to support a residence permit, check the threshold and the valuation before you sign, and remember that the permit ends if you sell. The guide to buying property in Georgia sets out the purchase step by step.

What the move itself costs

A move to Georgia has a few official costs and several practical ones. The table lists those that come from published sources; everything else, from flights to furniture, depends on your plans.

Add translations and legalisation of documents, a lawyer for the permit and any purchase, a few months of rent while you look around, and private health insurance for the longer term. None is large on its own; together they are worth a line in your budget.

Documents to bring from home

Most of the delays newcomers meet come from a missing document that is easy to obtain at home and hard to obtain from Georgia. Before you leave, collect the following, as they apply to you.

• Passports for every family member, valid well beyond your planned stay.
• Civil status documents. Birth certificates for children and a marriage certificate, which are needed when a spouse and children are included in a residence permit.
• Legalisation. Foreign public documents are legalised for use in Georgia with an apostille if your country is a party to the Hague Convention, or through a consulate if it is not, and translated by a certified translator.
• Source-of-funds file. Bank statements, sale contracts, employment records or loan agreements showing where your money comes from.
• Work and study documents. Diplomas, employment contracts and references if you plan to work or apply for a work-based or IT permit.
• Driving licence and any international driving permit your country issues.
• Pet documents: microchip record, vaccination record and a veterinary certificate.

Make digital copies of everything and keep the originals together. The same documents will be asked for by banks, notaries, the Public Service Development Agency and, later, the Public Registry.

Mistakes newcomers make

• Assuming the visa-free year solves everything. It lets you stay; it does not let you work locally without the right permit, and it does not count towards residence.
• Buying in the first month. The first apartment that looks right is often in a district you would not choose after a winter.
• Relying on verbal answers. Landlords, sellers and agents may be helpful, but contracts, permits and registry entries are what count.
• Ignoring the tax calendar. Passing 183 days in Georgia changes your tax status for the year, whatever your immigration status.
• Leaving documents at home. An apostilled certificate that takes a week at home can take months from abroad.

Your first 90 days: a checklist

1. Confirm your visa-free stay or visa, and keep your entry date.
2. Buy health and accident insurance that covers your whole stay.
3. Rent a furnished apartment on a short, written contract in the district you are testing.
4. Get a local SIM card and set up mobile banking.
5. Open a bank account with your passport and source-of-funds file.
6. Register with a clinic or doctor in your insurer's network.
7. Decide whether you will stay beyond a year, and which residence permit route fits.
8. If you will work locally, check the labour activity permit rules before you start.
9. Start counting your days in Georgia for tax residence.
10. Ask an adviser at home how your move affects your taxes there.
11. Visit schools and kindergartens if you have children.
12. Check driving and pet rules if they apply to you.
13. Spend at least one month in winter conditions before buying.
14. Keep copies of every contract, receipt and registry extract in one place.
15. Only then shortlist properties to buy, with a lawyer acting for you.

Three newcomers, three paths

The remote worker. A software developer moves to Tbilisi on the visa-free year, rents in Saburtalo and works for an employer abroad. After a few months she checks whether her work needs a labour activity permit, considers the IT residence permit for a longer stay, and counts her days because she will pass 183 days in Georgia within the year.

The retiree. A retired couple moves to Batumi for the climate and the sea. They rent for a year, then buy a two-room apartment worth more than $150,000 by an accredited valuation, which supports a one-year residence permit renewable while they own it. They keep private health insurance and check with an adviser at home how their pensions are taxed.

The family. A family of four moves to Tbilisi for one parent's job with a Georgian company. The employer arranges the work authorisation, the family chooses a school first and then rents in Vake, and they postpone buying until they have spent a winter in the city.

Living in Georgia: the detailed guides

Risks and exceptions

• Arriving uninsured. Visitors entering as tourists must hold health and accident insurance since 1 January 2026.
• Working without a permit. Most foreigners without permanent residence need a labour activity permit since 1 March 2026.
• Treating the visa-free year as residence. It does not count as a residence permit or lead to one.
• Buying before living. A purchase made in the first weeks is often in the wrong district or building.
• Forgetting the home country. Moving changes your tax position at home as well as in Georgia.
• A permit tied to one property. The property-based permit ends when the ownership ends.
• Thin paperwork. Banks, registries and permit offices all ask for the same documents; keep them together.
• "Guaranteed" residence or citizenship. Permits are decided by the state; nobody can guarantee one.

Frequently asked questions

How long can I stay in Georgia without a visa?

Citizens of countries on the list in Government Ordinance No 255 may stay for one full year without a visa. The list includes the EU, the UK, the USA, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Israel, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.

Do I need insurance to enter Georgia?

Since 1 January 2026, foreigners entering as tourists must hold health and accident insurance under the Law on Tourism, reported with a minimum coverage of GEL 30,000 for the whole stay. Border officers may ask for proof.

Does buying property give me residence?

Since 1 March 2026, non-agricultural property in your name whose appraised market value exceeds $150,000 can be the basis of a one-year residence permit, renewed for as long as you keep it. Buying a cheaper property does not.

Can I work in Georgia on a residence permit?

Since 1 March 2026 most foreigners without permanent residence need a labour activity permit before working; holders of investment residence permits are among the reported exemptions, while property-based permit holders are not listed as exempt in the sources checked.

When do I become a Georgian tax resident?

Once your days of actual presence in Georgia reach 183 or more within any continuous 12-month period that ends in the tax year. Days in Georgia for leisure or treatment do not count.

Can I use public healthcare?

The universal healthcare programme is designed for Georgian citizens and certain protected groups; most newcomers rely on private health insurance. Eligibility for foreign residents is being confirmed with our lawyer.

Should I rent or buy first?

Rent first. A few months in the district, including part of a winter, show you more than any viewing and protect you from buying in the wrong place.

How do I get permanent residence?

Among other grounds, after ten years of living in Georgia on temporary residence permits, excluding study and medical periods. The investment route can lead there sooner if its conditions are kept.

Sources

1. Government Ordinance No 255 on visa-free entry, Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 11 October 2026)
2. Law of Georgia on Tourism (Article 12), as amended 28 May 2026, Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 12 October 2026)
3. Mandatory health insurance for tourists entering Georgia, Eurofast, 3 February 2026 (accessed 12 October 2026)
4. Mandatory health insurance for visitors, Georgia Today, 16 December 2025 (accessed 12 October 2026)
5. Law of Georgia on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons (Articles 15, 16, 21), consolidated 25 June 2026, Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 11 October 2026)
6. Residence permits, Public Service Development Agency (accessed 11 October 2026)
7. Work permits in Georgia, Andersen in Georgia (accessed 11 October 2026)
8. New work permit rules in Georgia, Fragomen (accessed 11 October 2026)
9. Immovable property registration: fees and terms, National Agency of Public Registry (accessed 11 October 2026)
10. Real Estate 2026: Georgia, MB Legal for Chambers and Partners (accessed 11 October 2026)
11. Tax Code of Georgia (Article 34), Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 12 October 2026)
12. Civil Code of Georgia (Articles 183, 552, 561, 562), consolidated 25 June 2026, Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 12 October 2026)
13. Constitution of Georgia (Article 19), Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 11 October 2026)
14. Number of population as of 1 January 2026, National Statistics Office of Georgia (accessed 12 October 2026)
15. Tbilisi Residential Real Estate, Monthly Market Watch, 30 January 2026, Galt & Taggart (accessed 12 October 2026)
16. Climate and weather in Ajara, Department of Tourism and Resorts of Adjara (accessed 12 October 2026)
17. NBG keeps refinancing rate unchanged at 8.25%, Civil.ge, 9 September 2026 (accessed 12 October 2026)
18. Lari strengthens in July too, GBC, 4 August 2026 (accessed 12 October 2026)

Change log

• 12 October 2026 - Complete guide published from Ordinance No 255, the Law on Tourism, the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens, the Tax Code, the Civil Code and reported 2026 work permit rules; legal points under review by the partner lawyer.