Is the Remotely from Georgia Program Right for You? Everything You Need to Know

What the Remotely from Georgia Programme Actually Is

Georgia’s visa-free policy has been pulling in remote workers since well before the pandemic made location independence mainstream. By 2026, the country has refined its pitch considerably. The Remotely from Georgia programme — administered by Enterprise Georgia, a government agency under the Ministry of Economy — is the official framework designed to attract foreign remote workers and freelancers who want to live and work legally from the country while keeping their foreign income largely untaxed by the Georgian state.

The programme was launched in 2020 and has gone through several administrative revisions since. In its current 2026 form, it operates as a registration system rather than a separate visa category. Successful applicants receive a certificate that confirms their status as a programme participant. This matters mainly for one reason: it unlocks access to a preferential tax regime — the 1% small business tax — and makes the process of opening a Georgian bank account and registering as an individual entrepreneur considerably smoother.

Enterprise Georgia runs the programme through its Business in Georgia portal. Processing is handled online for most nationalities, though some applicants are asked to submit supplementary documents via email. The programme does not grant a special visa. Citizens of the roughly 100 countries that already enjoy visa-free entry to Georgia do not need the programme to live here legally — but those who qualify may find the tax and banking benefits genuinely useful.

Who Qualifies — and Who Gets Rejected

The programme has clear eligibility criteria, and the common rejections follow predictable patterns. Understanding both upfront saves you from submitting a weak application.

Nationality

The programme is open to citizens of countries that have a visa-free agreement with Georgia, or to those who can obtain a Georgian visa. In practice, applicants from the United States, the EU, the UK, Canada, Australia, Israel, and most Asian and Latin American countries are eligible. Citizens of Russia and Belarus have faced heightened scrutiny since 2022, and while the programme has not formally excluded them, processing times and approval rates remain inconsistent as of 2026. Check Enterprise Georgia’s official list before applying.

Income and Employment Type

You must demonstrate that you work remotely for a company or clients located outside Georgia. The income threshold sits at a minimum of 2,000 USD per month in verifiable foreign income. This figure has remained consistent since 2022. Acceptable proof includes employment contracts with foreign companies, freelance contracts, recent bank statements showing regular income, and invoices. Passive income from investments alone does not qualify. Neither does income derived from Georgian clients or the Georgian market.

Eligible work types include salaried remote employees, freelancers, and sole traders. Agency workers and those employed by Georgian-registered companies do not qualify. If your situation is hybrid — say, you have a foreign employer but also some Georgian consulting work — the foreign income must be the dominant and clearly documented stream.

Common Rejection Reasons

• Bank statements that show irregular or insufficient income deposits
• Employment contracts that name a Georgian company as employer
• Freelance income where contracts are informal or undocumented
• Applications submitted without a translated and notarised copy of required documents (requirements vary by nationality)
• Applicants who have previously violated Georgian immigration rules

The Application Process Step by Step

The application is handled through the Business in Georgia online portal. Here is what the process looks like in 2026.

1. Create an account on the Enterprise Georgia Business in Georgia portal and select the Remotely from Georgia programme.
2. Upload your documents. The standard package includes: a valid passport scan, proof of employment or client contracts, three to six months of bank statements showing income above the 2,000 USD threshold, and a brief description of your work activity.
3. Pay the application fee. There is no application fee charged by Enterprise Georgia for the programme itself. However, if you proceed to register as an individual entrepreneur through the Revenue Service, there are small administrative fees of around 20–50 GEL depending on the registration path chosen.
4. Wait for the preliminary decision. Most applicants hear back within 5–10 business days. The decision arrives by email.
5. Receive your programme certificate. Once approved, you receive a PDF certificate confirming your participation. This document is what you present to banks and tax authorities.
6. Register as an individual entrepreneur at the Georgian National Agency of Public Registry or through the Revenue Service portal if you intend to use the 1% tax regime. This is a separate step from programme approval and requires in-person attendance or a notarised power of attorney if doing it remotely.

One realistic note: in 2026, the volume of applications has grown significantly, and while the portal functions well, the individual entrepreneur registration step at the Revenue Service still involves some bureaucratic back-and-forth, especially for those who need Georgian-language documents explained. Budget an extra week for this phase.

Tax Status: The 1% Small Business Regime Explained

This is where the programme becomes genuinely attractive — or genuinely misunderstood. Georgia operates a small business tax regime that allows individual entrepreneurs with annual turnover below 500,000 GEL to pay a flat 1% tax on gross revenue from foreign sources. There is no corporate income tax, no dividend tax, and no VAT obligation below the 100,000 GEL threshold for most service-based businesses.

Here is what this means in practice: if you earn 3,000 USD per month as a freelance developer working for a German client, you declare that income in Georgia, pay 1% of the gross (roughly 30 USD per month in tax), and that is your Georgian tax obligation, assuming your income is entirely foreign-sourced.

What Counts as “Foreign-Source” Income

This is the critical distinction. Income is considered foreign-source if the client or employer is based outside Georgia and the services are not physically delivered inside Georgia to Georgian entities. Working from a Tbilisi apartment for a London agency counts as foreign-source. Consulting for a Georgian company from that same apartment does not — that income would be taxed at the standard rate of 20%.

Your Obligations Under This Regime

• File a monthly or quarterly declaration with the Georgian Revenue Service (the portal is available in English)
• Pay the 1% tax on declared turnover by the 15th of the following month
• Maintain basic records of invoices and contracts
• Notify the Revenue Service if your annual turnover exceeds 500,000 GEL (at which point different rules apply)

One thing that catches people off guard: you remain a tax resident of your home country unless you formally sever that tie. Georgia’s 1% regime covers your Georgian tax obligation — it does not automatically exempt you from home-country tax rules. Check with a tax adviser in your home country before assuming you have eliminated your tax liability entirely. The US, for instance, taxes its citizens on worldwide income regardless of residence.

2026 Budget Reality: What It Actually Costs to Live Here

Georgia’s cost of living rose noticeably between 2022 and 2024 as a wave of relocators — many from Russia and Ukraine — compressed the rental market. By 2026, the market has stabilised in most cities, though it has not returned to 2021 levels. Here is an honest breakdown by city and comfort tier.

Tbilisi

• Budget (shared flat or studio in outer districts): 800–1,200 GEL/month rent
• Mid-range (one-bedroom in Vera, Saburtalo, or Vake): 1,500–2,500 GEL/month
• Comfortable (two-bedroom in central or premium locations): 3,000–5,000 GEL/month

Batumi

• Budget: 700–1,100 GEL/month
• Mid-range: 1,200–2,000 GEL/month
• Comfortable: 2,500–4,000 GEL/month (sea-facing apartments carry a premium)

Kutaisi

• Budget: 500–800 GEL/month
• Mid-range: 900–1,400 GEL/month
• Comfortable: 1,500–2,500 GEL/month

Monthly Living Costs Beyond Rent (Tbilisi mid-range baseline)

• Groceries: 400–700 GEL/month for one person cooking at home
• Utilities (electricity, gas, water, internet): 150–300 GEL/month depending on season and building insulation
• Mobile SIM with data: 25–60 GEL/month
• Public transport (metro and bus): 20–40 GEL/month
• Health insurance: 80–250 GEL/month (see next section)
• Eating out regularly at local restaurants: 300–600 GEL/month

A single person living comfortably in Tbilisi — renting a decent one-bedroom, eating out several times a week, and covering all utilities and insurance — typically spends between 2,500 and 3,500 GEL per month in 2026. At current exchange rates, that is roughly 900–1,300 USD. For a couple, shared costs bring the per-person figure down noticeably.

Health Insurance: What You Need and What’s Actually Available

Georgia does not have a universal public health system in the way most Western Europeans understand it. Public hospitals exist and are usable in emergencies, but the standard of care varies significantly, and you will be expected to pay out of pocket without private insurance. For anyone staying longer than a few weeks, health insurance is not optional — it is essential.

Do You Need Insurance to Join the Programme?

Enterprise Georgia does not formally require proof of health insurance at the application stage. However, it strongly recommends coverage, and the Revenue Service may ask for it during certain registration processes. More practically: if you are living here for several months, the risk of going uninsured is real. A single hospitalisation at a private Tbilisi clinic can cost 2,000–10,000 GEL depending on what happens.

Local Georgian Insurance Plans

Several Georgian insurers — Aldagi, GPI, and Imedi L are the largest — offer individual health plans for foreign residents. In 2026, basic coverage for a healthy adult under 40 typically costs 80–150 GEL/month. These plans cover outpatient consultations, basic hospitalisation, and emergency care at a network of partner clinics. They do not typically cover pre-existing conditions, dental care beyond emergencies, or evacuation.

International Plans

If you need coverage that travels with you — or if you have ongoing medical needs — an international health insurance plan from providers like Cigna, Aetna, or SafetyWing makes more sense. SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance, popular among long-term travellers, costs around 45–60 USD/month in 2026 but comes with limitations on coverage amounts and requires you to spend time outside your home country. For longer stays with greater medical needs, a dedicated expat health plan at 150–300 USD/month gives substantially better protection.

For most Remotely from Georgia participants who are healthy adults staying 3–6 months, a local Georgian plan from Aldagi or GPI at 100–130 GEL/month hits the right balance of cost and practical coverage.

The One-Year Visa-Free Stay vs. the Programme — Do You Even Need to Register?

This is the question many people arrive at after reading the basics — and it deserves a straight answer.

Citizens of most Western countries can enter Georgia visa-free and remain for up to 365 days in a calendar year without any special registration. You do not need to sign up for Remotely from Georgia to be here legally. You do not need to register with anyone or notify any authority simply by being present and working remotely for a foreign employer.

So who actually benefits from going through the formal programme and registering as an individual entrepreneur?

The Programme Makes Sense If:

• You want to open a Georgian business bank account in your own name — most Georgian banks require either a Georgian ID card, a registered business, or programme participation to open an account as a foreigner
• You plan to stay 6 months or longer and want legal clarity on your tax situation
• You are earning above 2,000 USD/month and want to formalise that income under Georgia’s 1% regime rather than relying on your home country’s tax treatment
• Your home country has a tax treaty with Georgia or actively monitors foreign income, and you need documented proof of your Georgian tax residency
• You want to receive payments via Georgian accounts or issue invoices from a Georgian entity

The Programme Adds Little Value If:

• You are staying fewer than 3 months and have no banking needs in Georgia
• You are a US citizen (who is taxed on worldwide income anyway and gains limited benefit from Georgian individual entrepreneur status without deeper planning)
• Your income situation is simple and your home country’s tax authority does not require any action for short-term foreign residence

The honest summary: the 365-day visa-free entry is one of Georgia’s most generous and genuinely useful policies. The Remotely from Georgia programme sits on top of that as a formalisation layer — useful for the subset of people who need banking access, tax documentation, or legal clarity, but not a prerequisite for living and working here comfortably.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply for the Remotely from Georgia programme before arriving in Georgia?

Yes. The Enterprise Georgia online portal accepts applications from anywhere in the world. You do not need to be physically present in Georgia to apply or receive your approval certificate. However, the individual entrepreneur registration step — if you choose to complete it — typically requires in-person attendance at the National Agency of Public Registry or a notarised power of attorney arrangement.

Does participating in the programme make me a Georgian tax resident?

Not automatically. Georgian tax residency is determined by spending more than 183 days in the country in a calendar year, not by programme participation alone. If you cross that threshold, you are considered a Georgian tax resident and the 1% individual entrepreneur regime applies to your declared foreign income. Your home country’s tax rules apply independently — check those separately.

Can freelancers with multiple clients qualify, or do I need a single employer?

Multiple clients are fine. What matters is that your combined income meets the 2,000 USD/month minimum and that all clients are based outside Georgia. You will need to provide contracts or documented evidence for each client relationship. Platforms like Upwork, Toptal, or direct client invoices all work as documentation, provided they show consistent income levels.

Has anything changed about the programme in 2026 compared to earlier years?

The core structure — income threshold, 1% tax regime, Enterprise Georgia administration — has remained consistent since 2022. In 2026, the main improvements are a faster online portal, slightly clearer document guidance for freelancers, and better English-language support from the Revenue Service for individual entrepreneur registration. Processing times have also improved compared to the 2022–2023 backlog period.

What happens when my 365-day visa-free stay ends? Can I renew?

The 365-day visa-free period resets after you leave Georgia and re-enter. Many long-term residents do a brief border run to Armenia or Turkey and return immediately, effectively resetting the clock. This is legally permitted under Georgia’s entry rules as of 2026 and is widely practised. There is no minimum time required outside the country between entries for most nationalities, though border officers have discretion. If you plan a stay of multiple years, exploring a Georgian residence permit or D-visa is a more stable long-term path.

📷 Featured image by Mark Stuckey on Unsplash.