Residency and work permits
The rules changed three times in 2026 and most websites still describe the old ones. This page sets out what applies now, with the legal basis, so you can tell a current source from a stale one.
Since 1 March 2026 a foreigner without a permanent residence permit needs a right to work to be employed or self-employed in Georgia (Law on Labour Migration, Government Resolution No. 70 of 20 February 2026). Since 15 April 2026 (Law No. 1509) there are exemptions: work for non-resident clients that relates to their activities outside Georgia, fully remote work for a Georgian employer, directors of category I to III enterprises, and short-term professional work of up to four months a year. Shareholding alone never requires it. The burden of proof is yours: keep contracts and invoices that show who your clients are and where they are.
Fees: 200 GEL for a decision within 30 days or 400 GEL within 10 working days. Working without a required right to work carries a fine of 2,000 GEL.
A residence permit based on your IE or LLC requires, in practice, a right to work first, even if you are exempt for the work itself. You are then eligible as soon as you can show three things: turnover of at least 50,000 GEL per foreign person, about 17,000 EUR (35,000 GEL for education and healthcare, under Government Resolution No. 520 as amended by No. 317 of 9 July 2026); a personal bank balance of at least 5,000 EUR at the moment of application; and an address in Georgia, through a rental contract or a notarised consent from a landlord, which our partner arranges. A company younger than three months with at most three foreigners can get a first permit of up to six months without the turnover proof.
State fees: 300, 450 or 600 GEL for a decision within 30, 20 or 10 calendar days (sda.gov.ge)
First permit 6 to 12 months, renewable up to 12 years in total; permanent residence after 10 years
You must be in Georgia on the day of filing and collect the card in person
Timeline: you file as soon as the turnover test is met. An active freelancer typically gets there in three to six months; the right to work takes up to 30 days and the permit decision 10 to 30 days on top. One visit to Georgia for filing and collecting the card; renewals can be handled remotely by power of attorney
Property: a residence permit on real estate worth more than USD 150,000 at appraised value, since 1 March 2026 (previously 100,000). Investment: USD 300,000 with turnover conditions, five years, and an exemption from the right to work. IT specialists: a permit of up to three years for IE holders in IT with two years of experience and USD 25,000 of annual income. There is no digital nomad residence permit; the 2020 programme is suspended. The new C5 visa (April 2026) is for nationals who are not visa-free; EU citizens already get 365 days.
A residence permit lets you stay. Tax residency is a separate matter: it takes 183 days in Georgia in a rolling twelve months, or the high-net-worth programme. It is what ends your home country's claim on your worldwide income; the 1% regime itself depends on where the work is done and on your activity, not on a residence card. Our partner issues the tax residency certificate for €540 once you qualify.