Long-Term Stay in Georgia: Visa Options and Residency for Digital Nomads

How Long You Can Actually Stay Without a Visa

One of the most common mistakes people planning a long stay in Georgia make in 2026 is assuming the rules work like a typical 90-day Schengen window. They do not. Georgia has one of the most generous visa-free access policies in the world, but the specifics depend entirely on your passport — and getting this wrong can lead to fines or a forced departure.

Citizens of roughly 100 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, most of the EU, Canada, Australia, and many others, can enter Georgia and stay for 365 consecutive days without a visa. This is a full calendar year from your date of entry, not a rolling 180-day window. There is no requirement to leave and re-enter to reset the clock. You simply arrive, clear passport control, and you are legal for up to one year.

After 365 days, you must leave. You can re-enter immediately — there is no enforced cooling-off period written into Georgian law — and a new 365-day period begins. In practice, many long-term nomads do a brief border run to Armenia, Turkey, or Azerbaijan and return the same day. This has worked consistently, though Georgian border officers have discretion, and if you have done this multiple times over several years, they may ask questions about your ties to the country.

If your passport is not on the visa-free list, you will need to apply for a Georgian e-visa before arriving. The e-visa process is fully online through the official portal of the Public Service Hall (migration.gov.ge), costs around 20 USD, and is typically processed within five business days. It grants a 90-day stay per entry, which is significantly less useful for nomads planning a long stint.

The “Remotely from Georgia” Programme in 2026

Launched originally in 2020, the Remotely from Georgia programme has undergone several refinements. In 2026, it remains an optional administrative track rather than a mandatory registration — meaning citizens of visa-free countries do not need to use it. But it does offer a formal paper trail that can be useful when dealing with banks, landlords, or tax authorities.

The programme is administered through the Georgian National Tourism Administration and is aimed at foreigners who work remotely for a company or clients based outside Georgia while living inside the country. The core appeal is straightforward: Georgia acknowledges your presence, you get a certificate of participation, and you gain access to a curated support network including legal consultations and partner services.

To qualify in 2026, applicants must:

• Be a citizen of a country with visa-free access to Georgia or hold a valid Georgian visa
• Demonstrate remote employment or freelance work for a non-Georgian employer or client base
• Show a minimum monthly income — in 2026 the threshold sits at approximately 2,000 USD equivalent per month, verified through bank statements or employment letters
• Hold valid health insurance covering Georgia

The programme does not create a special visa or residence permit. You still stay under the standard 365-day visa-free rule. What it does provide is a letter of participation that banks — particularly TBC Bank and Bank of Georgia — have come to recognise as a legitimate reason for opening a non-resident account. Given that Georgian banks have tightened their non-resident account policies significantly since 2023, this letter has practical value beyond its symbolic status.

Setting Up as a Freelancer or Individual Entrepreneur

If you plan to stay in Georgia for more than a few weeks and earn money while you are here, understanding the tax framework is not optional. The good news is that Georgia’s small business tax regime is genuinely one of the most favourable in the world for independent workers, and in 2026 it remains intact despite years of speculation about reform.

The key structure is Individual Entrepreneur (IE) status with Small Business classification. Once registered, if your annual revenue stays below 500,000 GEL (roughly 180,000 USD at 2026 rates), you pay a flat 1% tax on turnover. This is income tax and business tax combined. There is no VAT obligation below this threshold. There are no payroll taxes because you are not employing yourself in the conventional sense.

Registration happens at the House of Justice (a Public Service Hall branch). The process takes roughly one to two hours in person and costs under 20 GEL. You will need:

1. Your passport
2. A Georgian tax ID number (PIK) — applied for at the same location, free of charge
3. A local address (your rental apartment address is sufficient)
4. Basic details about your business activity

Once registered, you file and pay your 1% tax monthly through the Revenue Service portal (rs.ge). The portal is available in English, though some sections still default to Georgian — a translation browser extension helps.

One point worth being clear about: Georgia taxes income earned from Georgian sources regardless of your residency status. Income earned entirely from foreign clients, paid into a foreign bank account, and not connected to Georgian economic activity is generally outside Georgian tax jurisdiction for a visa-free visitor. But once you register as an IE in Georgia, you are bringing that income into the Georgian system voluntarily — which is precisely why the 1% rate makes it worthwhile for most nomads.

Residence Permit Options When You Want to Stay Longer

After a year of living in Georgia, some people decide to make it more permanent, or at least more structured. The 365-day free stay is generous, but it does not give you formal residence status, and without that, certain things — property ownership paperwork, longer-term bank relationships, enrolling children in state schools — become more complicated.

In 2026, the main residence permit routes relevant to nomads are:

Investment-Based Residence Permit

Purchase real estate worth at least 100,000 USD (at current exchange rates, approximately 280,000 GEL) and you qualify for a temporary residence permit valid for one year, renewable. This has been a popular route since the property market boom in Tbilisi and Batumi. After five consecutive years on a temporary permit, you can apply for permanent residency.

Income-Based Short-Term Residence

Since 2022, foreigners who can demonstrate a stable income from abroad — including remote workers — can apply for a short-term residence permit based on financial sufficiency. In 2026, the minimum monthly income required for this route is approximately 2,500 GEL per month, proven through six months of bank statements. This permit is issued for one year and is renewable. It does not tie you to a Georgian employer or require investment.

Long-Term Residence for IE Holders

If you have been registered as an Individual Entrepreneur in Georgia and have been filing taxes for at least one year, this activity can support a residence permit application as a self-employed person. The Revenue Service tax compliance record is submitted alongside your permit application to the Public Service Hall.

All residence permit applications in Georgia go through the Public Service Hall or the Agency of Public Registry. Processing takes between 10 and 30 working days. In 2026, an online pre-application portal is available, but in-person attendance for biometrics is still required at least once.

Health Insurance — What You Need and What It Costs

Georgia does not have a national health service that covers foreign residents. Public hospitals exist and are functional, but without insurance, a hospital stay or even a straightforward diagnostic appointment will come out of your pocket at full private rates. In 2026, a single night in a Tbilisi private hospital clinic easily runs to 800–1,500 GEL depending on the facility.

For the Remotely from Georgia programme, health insurance is a stated requirement. For a standard visa-free stay, it is not legally mandatory — but going without it in a country where you are not a tax-funded resident is a significant financial risk.

Your options in 2026:

• International travel/nomad insurance (SafetyWing, World Nomads, Genki, etc.): Roughly 40–80 USD per month depending on age and coverage level. Covers emergency care globally but often excludes routine check-ups and pre-existing conditions. These policies are widely accepted by the Remotely from Georgia programme administrators.
• Georgian local health insurance (Imedi L, Aldagi, GPI): Monthly premiums for a basic plan covering outpatient and inpatient care range from 60 to 200 GEL per month in 2026. These plans are priced for local income levels and are often better value for people staying more than six months. They cover the full Georgian private health network, which is broad and generally competent for most non-specialist needs.
• Comprehensive expat insurance (Cigna Global, AXA, Allianz Care): 150–400 USD per month. Overkill for most nomads but relevant if you have ongoing medical needs or require guaranteed evacuation coverage.

For a healthy adult under 40 staying six months to a year, a Georgian local insurer plan in the 90–150 GEL per month range typically offers the best balance of cost and real-world usability inside the country.

2026 Budget Reality: Monthly Cost of Living

Georgia remains significantly cheaper than Western Europe, but prices in Tbilisi in particular have risen sharply since 2022 following the large influx of Russian and Ukrainian relocators. The market has partially stabilised in 2026, but you should not be working from 2019 budget guides.

Budget Tier — 2,500–3,500 GEL per month

• Room in a shared apartment or studio in a less central Tbilisi district: 700–900 GEL
• Groceries (cooking most meals): 400–600 GEL
• Local transport (metro, buses, occasional taxi): 100–150 GEL
• Utilities including fast internet: 150–200 GEL
• Basic health insurance: 70–90 GEL
• Social spending, eating out occasionally: 300–500 GEL

Mid-Range Tier — 4,500–6,500 GEL per month

• One-bedroom apartment in a central Tbilisi neighbourhood or in Batumi: 1,200–1,800 GEL
• Groceries plus regular restaurant meals: 900–1,200 GEL
• Transport including occasional car rental for weekend trips: 250–400 GEL
• Utilities: 200–250 GEL
• Mid-level health insurance: 120–160 GEL
• Entertainment, gyms, cultural activities: 500–800 GEL

Comfortable Tier — 8,000–12,000 GEL per month

• Modern two-bedroom apartment in Vake, Mtatsminda, or central Batumi seafront: 2,500–4,000 GEL
• Eating out regularly at good restaurants, imported groceries: 1,500–2,500 GEL
• Private car or regular car rental: 800–1,500 GEL
• Comprehensive insurance and gym membership: 400–600 GEL
• Travel within Georgia and to neighbouring countries: 1,000–1,500 GEL

Kutaisi deserves a specific mention: it has emerged as a genuine low-cost alternative base in 2026. A comfortable one-bedroom apartment in the city centre costs 700–1,000 GEL per month, and the city is now connected to more European destinations than ever via Kutaisi International Airport, including new direct routes launched in 2025 to Warsaw, Vilnius, and Budapest operated by Wizz Air and Ryanair. Monthly living costs in Kutaisi at a comfortable level run roughly 30–40% below equivalent Tbilisi costs.

Practical Admin Steps in the Right Order

The biggest mistake new arrivals make is doing these steps in the wrong sequence. Here is the order that actually works in 2026 without creating unnecessary delays:

1. Get a Georgian SIM card on arrival — you need a local phone number for almost every government portal and bank OTP verification. Magti and Beeline both offer tourist SIMs at the airport arrivals hall; data-only plans start at 15 GEL for 30 days.
2. Register your address at the Public Service Hall — this is called address registration (sacxovrebeli adgilis registracia). Your landlord must co-sign. It is free and takes about 20 minutes. Many services require this address on file before you can proceed.
3. Obtain your Georgian Personal Identification Number (PIK) — done at the same visit to the Public Service Hall. Free. This number follows you through every subsequent government interaction.
4. Open a bank account — TBC Bank and Bank of Georgia both have English-language onboarding. In 2026, TBC’s digital account can be partially opened via the TBC app before visiting a branch, which speeds up the in-branch process considerably. Non-residents need a passport, PIK, and proof of funds or employment. A Remotely from Georgia programme participation letter helps significantly.
5. Register as an Individual Entrepreneur if applicable — after you have a PIK and a local address, this takes one working day at the House of Justice.
6. Sort health insurance — do not leave this until you are sick. Set up your chosen policy within the first week.

The total elapsed time for completing all these steps, assuming no complications, is typically three to five working days. The sensory reality of this process: the Public Service Hall waiting rooms have a particular hum of overlapping languages, the numbering system calls your ticket in Georgian and English, and the staff at the central Tbilisi branch on Marjanishvili Street are noticeably accustomed to foreigners and often speak functional English.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I stay in Georgia indefinitely by doing border runs every year?

Technically yes, if your passport qualifies for the 365-day visa-free stay. There is no law preventing re-entry after a brief departure, and many long-term nomads do exactly this. However, Georgian border officers have discretion, and repeated multi-year patterns of annual resets can invite scrutiny. Having a legitimate reason for your continued presence — work, investment, or registered business activity — makes these crossings smoother.

Do I need to pay Georgian taxes on my foreign income?

If you are a visa-free visitor without Georgian tax registration, income paid by foreign clients into foreign accounts generally falls outside Georgian jurisdiction. Once you register as an Individual Entrepreneur in Georgia, you bring that income into the Georgian tax system — voluntarily, and at the advantageous 1% small business rate. Consult a Georgian tax lawyer if your situation involves significant income from multiple jurisdictions.

Has the cost of renting an apartment in Tbilisi stabilised since the 2022–2023 spike?

Yes, broadly. Tbilisi rents peaked in mid-2023 and have come down modestly through 2024 and 2025 as some relocators left for other destinations. In 2026, central Tbilisi one-bedroom apartments typically rent for 1,200–1,800 GEL per month furnished. Peripheral neighbourhoods remain 30–40% cheaper. Batumi seasonal variation is sharper — summer prices spike significantly.

Is the Remotely from Georgia programme worth registering for?

For most visa-free nationals who already meet the income threshold, the main practical benefit in 2026 is the participation letter for bank account opening. If you can open a bank account without it — which some nationalities can — the programme adds less urgency. It does not create a visa, does not extend your legal stay, and does not substitute for IE registration or a residence permit.

What has changed about Georgian e-visas in 2026?

The e-visa system itself has not changed fundamentally, but processing has become faster — typically three to four business days in 2026 versus five to seven previously. Georgia also expanded its visa-free list slightly in late 2024, adding several Gulf state passport holders. If your country was borderline visa-free in 2024, re-check the current official list at evisa.gov.ge before making travel plans.

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📷 Featured image by Charlotte Noelle on Unsplash.