Georgia has one of the most generous visa policies in the world. Citizens of 95+ countries can enter and stay for up to one full year — no visa, no registration, no questions asked. Just your passport.
Whether you're visiting for the first time or testing the waters for a long-term move, here's everything you need to know about getting in and staying.
Visa-Free Entry (Up to 1 Year)
Citizens of the following countries and regions can enter Georgia without a visa. Most get a full year — some get 90 days. Here's the breakdown:
| Region / Country | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All EU member states | 1 year | Can enter with national ID card |
| United States, Canada | 1 year | Passport required |
| United Kingdom | 1 year | Includes British overseas territories |
| Australia, New Zealand | 1 year | Passport required |
| Russia, Ukraine, Belarus | 1 year | Ukraine reduced from 3 years (April 2025) |
| Japan, South Korea, Israel | 1 year | Passport required |
| GCC states (UAE, Saudi, Qatar, etc.) | 1 year | Passport required |
| Most of South America | 1 year | Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, etc. |
| South Africa, Botswana, Mauritius | 90 days | Within 180-day period |
| Iran | 45 days | Visa-free |
| China (incl. Hong Kong, Macao) | 30 days | Max 90 days per 180-day period |
The full list is maintained by Georgia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If your country isn't listed above, check the Georgian e-Visa portal for current requirements.
Third-Country Visa Holders
Even if your country isn't on the visa-free list, holders of valid visas or residence permits from the US, EU/Schengen, UK, Canada, Japan, or GCC states can enter Georgia for 90 days without a Georgian visa. This is one of Georgia's most underrated entry rules.
What You Need at the Border
Georgia keeps it simple. Here's exactly what you need — and what you don't:
| Document | Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Valid passport | ✅ Yes | 6+ months validity recommended (not strictly enforced) |
| Return ticket | ❌ No | Airlines may check — have one on your phone just in case |
| Hotel booking | ❌ No | Rarely asked, but a booking.com screenshot doesn't hurt |
| Travel insurance | ✅ Yes (since Jan 2026) | Mandatory health & accident insurance covering your full stay. Must be in English or Georgian. Digital or printed. |
| Proof of funds | ❌ No | Georgia doesn't ask |
| Immigration form | ❌ No | No forms. No fingerprinting. Just a stamp. |
That's it. No advance registration. No invitation letter. Georgia genuinely makes it easy.
Arriving at the Airport
Immigration at Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) is fast and painless. Here's what to expect:
- Walk to passport control — there's only one path
- Hand over your passport
- The officer stamps it (they might ask "How long are you staying?" — "tourist" or "a few weeks" is fine)
- Walk to baggage claim
The whole process takes 5-15 minutes. There's no interview. No landing card. It's remarkably civilized compared to most countries.
Kutaisi Airport (KUT) is equally straightforward but smaller. Same process, often even faster.
Getting into Tbilisi from TBS
Download the Bolt app before landing (see our getting around guide). A ride to central Tbilisi costs 15-25 GEL ($5-9). The airport taxi desk charges double. Bus #37 runs to Liberty Square for 0.50 GEL but stops at midnight.
E-Visa for Other Nationalities
If your country isn't on the visa-free list, Georgia offers electronic visas (e-Visas) for many additional nationalities through the official e-Visa portal.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Cost | $20 USD (single entry), $50 (multiple entry) |
| Processing time | 5 business days (usually faster) |
| Stay duration | 30 or 90 days depending on nationality |
| Validity | 120 or 180 days from issue |
| Requirements | Passport scan, photo, travel details, payment card |
Notable e-Visa countries include India (30 days), most of Southeast Asia, and several African nations. The application is entirely online — no embassy visit needed.
Watch Out for Fake Visa Sites
Only use evisa.gov.ge — the official portal. Several third-party sites charge $80-150 for the same $20 visa. If the URL doesn't end in .gov.ge, close the tab.
The 1-Year Stay: How It Actually Works
Your visa-free period starts the day you enter Georgia. You can stay for 365 consecutive days. When that year is up, you need to leave the country — even briefly — and re-enter to restart the clock.
There's no registration requirement. No check-ins with immigration. No paperwork. You simply exist in Georgia for up to a year. It's one of the most relaxed immigration policies in the world.
The "Border Run"
Many long-term visitors and digital nomads do periodic border runs to reset their visa-free period. Here are the popular options:
| Destination | Border Crossing | From Tbilisi | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Armenia | Sadakhlo | ~1.5 hours | Easiest option. Quick, cheap, no visa for most nationalities |
| Turkey | Sarpi (Batumi) | ~5 hours | Popular with Batumi residents. Can also fly to Istanbul |
| Azerbaijan | Red Bridge | ~2 hours | Slower processing. Some nationalities need Azerbaijani visa |
You can technically do a same-day border run: cross out, turn around, cross back in. Georgia doesn't have a minimum stay-away requirement. Some people literally walk across the Armenian border, get stamped out, walk back, and get stamped in. If you're planning that, read the dedicated Georgia Border Crossings Guide first so you do not build the day around stale border advice.
Is This Sustainable Long-Term?
Yes. Many people have done annual border runs for years. Georgia explicitly allows it — there's no rule against repeated visa-free entries. That said, if you're planning to stay permanently, getting proper residency is smarter and gives you additional benefits like easier banking and a path to permanent residency.
Beyond Visa-Free: Residency Options
If you want to stay longer than a year without border runs, work legally, or build a long-term life in Georgia, here are your options:
| Permit Type | Cost | Duration | Key Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual Entrepreneur (IE) | ~50 GEL ($18) | Annual renewal | Register at Revenue Service or PSH. 1% tax on revenue. |
| Temp. Residency (Work) | ~300 GEL ($110) | 1-6 years | Active business or employment contract |
| Temp. Residency (Property) | ~300 GEL ($110) | 1 year | Own property worth 100,000+ GEL |
| Temp. Residency (Marriage) | ~300 GEL ($110) | 1-6 years | Marriage to Georgian citizen |
| Permanent Residency | ~500 GEL ($185) | Indefinite | 6 years legal residence, or $300K+ investment |
| Citizenship | Varies | Permanent | 10 years residence, Georgian language B1, history exam |
The IE Route (Most Popular for Expats)
The Individual Entrepreneur status is the most common path for digital nomads and remote workers. You register at any Revenue Service office or the Public Service Hall in about a day. It gives you the legal right to earn income in Georgia, invoice clients, and open a business bank account — all taxed at just 1% on revenue up to 500,000 GEL/year.
The IE doesn't give you residency by itself, but with evidence of business activity (invoices, bank transactions), you can apply for temporary residency. That gives you a proper residency card — no more border runs.
Citizenship: The Fine Print
Georgia doesn't easily allow dual citizenship. You'd typically need to renounce your current nationality, with some exceptions for "exceptional contributions" to Georgia. The requirements — 10 years of residence, B1 Georgian, history exam — are serious. Most expats stick with permanent residency instead.
Special Cases
🧑💻 Digital Nomads
Georgia launched "Remotely from Georgia" in 2020. In practice: if you're from a visa-free country, you can live and work remotely for up to a year with zero paperwork. Foreign income isn't taxed unless you establish tax residency (183+ days and local income).
🎓 Students
Foreign students at accredited Georgian universities get student residency for the duration of their studies. Medical school tuition runs $3,000-8,000/year — popular with Indian and Middle Eastern students.
👴 Retirees
No specific retirement visa, but the visa-free year plus a cost of living under $1,500/month makes Georgia increasingly popular with retirees. Some register as IEs for investment income.
👨👩👧 Families
Children enter under the same visa-free rules as parents. International schools in Tbilisi range from $3,000-15,000/year. Many expat families settle in Vake or Saburtalo for proximity to schools.
What You Can't Do on Visa-Free Status
| Activity | Allowed? | What to Do Instead |
|---|---|---|
| Work for a Georgian company | ❌ | Get a work permit or residency |
| Work remotely for foreign clients | ✅ | Perfectly fine on visa-free status |
| Buy an apartment | ✅ | No restrictions on residential/commercial property |
| Buy agricultural land | ❌ | Register a Georgian LLC to hold the land |
| Access public healthcare | ❌ | Private insurance or pay out of pocket (very affordable) |
| Open a bank account | ✅ | TBC Bank and Bank of Georgia accept tourist passports |
Arriving by Land
Georgia has land borders with Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia — but they are not equally useful in practice. Armenia is the simplest overland crossing for most travelers, Turkey is straightforward from Batumi or southern Georgia, Russia is workable but unpredictable, and Azerbaijan is still not a normal inbound land-entry option for ordinary tourists.
| Border | Main crossing | Use case | Reality check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Armenia | Sadakhlo / Bagratashen | Best for overland trips and border runs | Usually the easiest and most practical option |
| Turkey | Sarpi / Sarp | Best for Batumi and the Black Sea route | Straightforward, though summer queues can be annoying |
| Russia | Kazbegi / Lars | Only if you have the right paperwork and a real reason to go | Delays and weather closures are common |
| Azerbaijan | Red Bridge / Lagodekhi / Gardabani | Mostly not useful for ordinary inbound tourist planning | Do not assume you can enter Azerbaijan from Georgia by land in 2026 |
Need the full overland breakdown?
Read the dedicated Georgia Border Crossings Guide for crossing-by-crossing advice, border-run logic, and current 2026 reality on Armenia, Turkey, Russia, and Azerbaijan.
Abkhazia & South Ossetia
These Russian-occupied regions are considered by Georgia (and most of the international community) to be occupied territories. Entering from the Russian side is illegal under Georgian law and can result in fines, entry bans, or criminal charges. Only cross from the Georgian side, which for South Ossetia is currently not possible and for Abkhazia requires a special permit from the Georgian government.
Recent Policy Changes (2025)
Georgia's visa policy has been stable for years, but a few notable changes happened in 2025:
Ukraine: Reduced from 3 to 1 Year
As of April 2025, Ukrainian citizens can stay visa-free for 1 year (down from 3). Still very generous — but a significant change given the large Ukrainian community in Georgia.
GCC Visa Holders: Stricter Rules
Since May 2025, citizens of 17 countries entering Georgia via GCC visas must hold a visa/permit with at least 1 year validity. This tightened the loophole for short-validity GCC residence permits.
For most Western, CIS, and East Asian passport holders, nothing has changed. The 1-year visa-free stay remains intact.
Common Mistakes
❌ Overstaying Your Visa
Georgia has fines for overstaying. More importantly, overstaying can affect future entry. Set a calendar reminder for your 365-day mark.
❌ Confusing Visa-Free with Work Permission
You can live in Georgia visa-free, but you can't be employed by a Georgian company without a work permit. Remote work for foreign companies is fine.
❌ Thinking 1% Tax Applies Automatically
You need to actively register as an Individual Entrepreneur and file returns. Simply being in Georgia doesn't make you tax-exempt — it makes you potentially tax-liable after 183 days.
❌ Entering Occupied Territories
Crossing into Abkhazia or South Ossetia from Russia is illegal under Georgian law. It's a real offence that Georgia enforces — not a theoretical rule.
❌ Assuming Border Runs Will Last Forever
It works now and has for years, but policies can change. If you're building a life in Georgia, proper residency gives you legal certainty.
❌ Using Fake Visa Websites
Only evisa.gov.ge is official. Third-party visa "agencies" charge 3-5x the actual fee for the same document. Some are outright scams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely in Georgia on visa-free status?
Yes. Working for a foreign company or freelancing for international clients is perfectly legal. You only need a work permit if employed by a Georgian company. Remote workers typically register as Individual Entrepreneurs if staying long-term (for the 1% tax rate).
Do I need travel insurance to enter Georgia?
Yes — since January 1, 2026, all visitors must have valid health and accident insurance covering their entire stay. You can use any provider as long as the policy is in English or Georgian and covers health and accident expenses. Border officials (and sometimes airlines) will check your documentation. Digital copies on your phone are accepted.
Can I open a bank account as a tourist?
Yes. TBC Bank and Bank of Georgia both open accounts for tourists with just a passport. You'll get a debit card the same day. Some branches are smoother than others — flagship branches in central Tbilisi are your best bet.
What happens if I overstay my visa-free period?
Georgia imposes fines for overstaying. The amount depends on how long you've overstayed. Repeat offenders may face entry bans. Don't risk it — set a reminder well before your 365 days are up and do a quick border run if needed.
Is Russia-Georgia border crossing safe?
The Kazbegi/Lars crossing is the only legal border with Russia. It's safe but unpredictable — waits of 1-5 hours are common, and the road closes in winter due to avalanches. Most travelers fly instead. And remember: entering through South Ossetia or Abkhazia from Russia is illegal.
The Bottom Line
Georgia makes it absurdly easy to visit and stay. One year visa-free is among the most generous policies in the world. The immigration system is designed to be welcoming because Georgia has built its economic model partly around attracting international talent and tourists.
If you're from a qualifying country, the only thing stopping you from living in Tbilisi next month is a flight booking. Whether you're coming for a week or testing the waters for a longer move, the entry process is refreshingly simple.
Written by The Georgian Guide Team
We've navigated Georgia's immigration system firsthand — visa-free entries, border runs, IE registration, and residency applications. This guide is based on years of lived experience in Tbilisi and current regulations.
Last updated: February 2026. Visa policies can change — always verify with the Georgian e-Visa portal for current rules.
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