Long-Term Stay in Georgia: Visa Options & Residency for Remote Workers

Before You Book That One-Way Ticket

Georgia’s reputation as a remote-work destination exploded between 2021 and 2024, and by 2026 the country has matured considerably as a long-stay option — for better and for worse. Border procedures are tighter, the Revenue Service is paying closer attention to foreign income earners, and landlords in Tbilisi know exactly what the market will bear. If you arrived here expecting a rough guide that says “just show up and it’ll work out,” this is not that guide. What follows is a precise breakdown of how to stay legally, work legally, pay tax correctly, and actually afford it — whether you’re planning three months or three years.

Visa-Free Entry and the 365-Day Rule

Citizens of around 95 countries — including the US, UK, EU member states, Canada, and Australia — can enter Georgia without a visa and stay for up to 365 days within any calendar year. This is not a rolling 12-month window. It resets on 1 January. So if you arrive on 15 August 2026, you have until 31 December 2026 before the year closes, then a fresh 365 days from 1 January 2027. In practice, many long-stayers simply leave briefly — a bus to Armenia or a train to Azerbaijan — and re-enter, which resets the clock under most circumstances. However, Georgian border officers have grown more attentive to what are clearly just “visa runs,” particularly at the Lars checkpoint with Russia and at Sarpi on the Turkish border. There is no official rule prohibiting re-entry, but there is also no legal right to it. If an officer believes you are living here indefinitely without formal status, they can and occasionally do refuse entry.

The safest approach if you plan to stay longer than six months continuously is to formalise your status rather than rely on border hops. The options for doing that are covered below.

The “Remotely from Georgia” Programme

Launched in 2020 and overhauled in 2023, the Remotely from Georgia programme is administered by Enterprise Georgia and remains active in 2026. It is not a visa — it is a registration programme that provides official documentation confirming your status as a remote worker, which helps when opening a bank account, signing a lease, or applying for tax registration. To qualify in 2026, you must meet the following conditions:

• Be a citizen of a country eligible for Georgia’s visa-free regime
• Be employed by a foreign company or be self-employed with income sourced outside Georgia
• Demonstrate a minimum monthly income of 2,000 USD (verified by bank statements or employment contracts)
• Hold valid health insurance with coverage in Georgia

The application is submitted online through the Enterprise Georgia portal. Approved participants receive a certificate that can be presented to Georgian banks — which have become increasingly reluctant to open accounts for foreigners without some form of documentation — and to landlords who want proof of income. The certificate does not grant you additional days beyond the standard 365-day visa-free allowance, but it significantly smooths the practical experience of being here. Processing takes between 5 and 15 working days in 2026.

One thing the programme does not do: it does not automatically exempt you from Georgian personal income tax. Foreign income that is “not sourced in Georgia” is generally not taxable here, but if you operate through a Georgian legal entity or have Georgian-source clients, different rules apply. More on that in the tax section below.

Legal Ways to Stay Beyond 365 Days

If you want to stay continuously without relying on annual resets or border runs, you have three realistic paths in 2026.

Individual Entrepreneur (IE) Status with Tax Residency

Registering as an Individual Entrepreneur (IE) — the Georgian equivalent of a sole trader — makes you a Georgian tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in the country per calendar year. Tax residency alone does not grant a residence permit, but it creates a legal identity within the Georgian system, opens the door to a Georgian personal bank account, and positions you for the 1% small business tax regime (detailed in the next section). For many remote workers, IE status combined with annual visa-free re-entry is sufficient for a 1–2 year stay.

Residence Permit via Property Ownership

Purchasing property worth at least 100,000 USD grants you the right to apply for a one-year renewable residence permit. This is a popular route for those committing to Georgia long-term. The permit is issued by the Civil Registry Agency and must be renewed annually, with proof that the property is still owned. In 2026, the real estate market in central Tbilisi has seen prices stabilise after the sharp rises of 2022–2024, though the threshold remains the same.

D Visa (Long-Stay Visa)

The D visa is issued by Georgian embassies abroad and allows stays of up to one year, renewable. It requires a concrete reason — employment by a Georgian company, study at a Georgian institution, or family reunification — so it is not available to standard remote workers unless they establish a Georgian business entity that employs them. If you set up a LLC (Ltd in Georgian terminology) and pay yourself a salary, the D visa route opens up. It involves more administrative overhead but provides the cleanest long-term legal status.

Setting Up as a Freelancer or Individual Entrepreneur

The 1% small business tax regime is the most discussed tax advantage Georgia offers remote workers, and it is real — but it comes with conditions that are often glossed over in online forums.

To qualify for the 1% rate in 2026, your annual turnover must not exceed 500,000 GEL (approximately 185,000 USD at current rates). Your income must come from the provision of services, not from trading goods. You register as an IE at the Revenue Service — a process that takes one working day at any Public Service Hall — and file a monthly turnover declaration. The 1% is applied to gross revenue, not profit. There are no deductions for expenses under this regime.

If your turnover exceeds 500,000 GEL in a calendar year, you automatically switch to the standard personal income tax rate of 20%, plus potentially VAT registration at 18% if turnover exceeds 100,000 GEL. Plan accordingly.

Critically, this regime applies only to income from foreign-source clients. If you provide services to Georgian clients or a Georgian company, that income is taxed at the standard rate. Keep your foreign and domestic income clearly separated from day one.

Registration as an IE requires your passport, a Georgian phone number, and an address in Georgia. You do not need a Georgian bank account to register, but you will want one shortly after, because the Revenue Service e-portal requires a Georgian mobile number for two-factor authentication and declarations are filed online.

Health Insurance — Requirements and Real Costs

Georgia’s public healthcare system provides minimal coverage to foreigners. Private health insurance is not legally mandatory to enter the country, but it is a requirement for both the Remotely from Georgia programme and for any residence permit application. Beyond compliance, it is simply sensible: a single night in a private Tbilisi hospital with diagnostics can cost 800–2,500 GEL out of pocket.

In 2026, international health insurance plans with Georgia coverage typically run between 80 and 200 GEL per month for a healthy adult under 40, depending on the provider and whether the plan includes emergency evacuation and home-country coverage. Locally issued policies from Georgian insurers such as Aldagi or GPI tend to be cheaper — some plans start at 45–60 GEL per month — but coverage caps and exclusions are narrower. Read the fine print on pre-existing condition clauses and dental coverage, both of which are commonly excluded from the base tier.

For stays under three months, most remote workers use the international travel policy they already hold and upgrade it to cover extended stays. For stays of six months or more, a locally underwritten annual policy is usually more cost-effective.

2026 Budget Reality: What It Actually Costs to Live Here

Cost of living figures for Georgia circulate widely online and are frequently outdated. The numbers below reflect mid-2026 market rates.

Accommodation (monthly rent, unfurnished or furnished)

• Tbilisi — budget: 800–1,200 GEL for a one-bedroom apartment in Gldani, Isani, or Saburtalo outer areas
• Tbilisi — mid-range: 1,800–2,800 GEL for a renovated one-bedroom in Vera, Vake, or central Saburtalo
• Tbilisi — comfortable: 3,500–5,500 GEL for a modern two-bedroom in Vake, Mtatsminda, or a new-build development
• Kutaisi — budget: 600–900 GEL for a one-bedroom in a residential area
• Kutaisi — mid-range: 1,000–1,500 GEL for a renovated one-bedroom near the centre
• Batumi — mid-range (seasonal): 1,500–2,500 GEL from October to May; prices jump 40–70% in summer

Monthly Living Costs (excluding rent)

• Budget: 700–1,000 GEL (local markets, cooking at home, public transport)
• Mid-range: 1,200–1,800 GEL (mix of eating out, taxis, occasional travel)
• Comfortable: 2,000–3,500 GEL (regular restaurants, car rental or private transport, gym, activities)

Other Fixed Monthly Costs

• Health insurance: 45–200 GEL depending on plan
• Utilities (electricity, gas, water in winter): 150–400 GEL — Tbilisi apartments vary wildly based on building age and insulation
• High-speed internet (home fibre): 25–45 GEL per month from providers including Magti, Silknet, and Geocell Fibre
• Georgian SIM with data: 15–30 GEL per month on a Magti or Beeline plan

A single person living comfortably in Tbilisi in mid-2026 — renovated apartment, eating out several times a week, covered by health insurance — realistically spends between 3,500 and 5,500 GEL per month all in. The days of surviving on 1,500 GEL total are largely over in central Tbilisi. Kutaisi offers genuinely lower costs and has developed a small but growing remote-worker community since the expansion of Kutaisi International Airport’s direct routes in 2025.

Practical Admin: Banks, SIMs, and Registration

These are the steps that trip people up, and getting them in the right order matters.

Georgian Bank Account

Bank of Georgia and TBC Bank are the two main options for foreigners. Both have English-language apps and cards that work internationally. In 2026, opening a personal account as a non-resident requires your passport, a Georgian phone number, proof of address (a signed lease is usually sufficient), and — increasingly — a document explaining the source of your funds. The Remotely from Georgia certificate is directly useful here. TBC Bank’s online account opening has improved and many remote workers complete the process through the TBC app before even visiting a branch, though in-person verification is still required within 30 days.

If you have registered as an IE, open a separate IE business account. The Revenue Service links tax declarations to specific account numbers, and mixing personal and business income creates problems during audits.

SIM Card

Buy a SIM on day one — you need a Georgian number for almost every digital service in the country, including the Revenue Service portal, bank apps, and the Remotely from Georgia application. Magti and Beeline have the widest coverage outside Tbilisi. Bring your passport to any carrier shop; registration is immediate.

Address Registration

There is no mandatory address registration for short-stay foreigners, but if you register as an IE or apply for a residence permit, you will need to provide a Georgian address. A signed rental agreement is the standard proof. Some landlords are reluctant to formally register tenants — particularly for short lets — so clarify this before signing. Serviced apartments and certain co-living spaces in Tbilisi offer formal address registration as part of their package, which is worth the slight price premium if you need it for legal purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely for a foreign employer while in Georgia without any special registration?

Yes, under the standard visa-free stay. Georgia does not require registration simply to be present and work remotely for a foreign employer. However, if you stay more than 183 days in a calendar year you become a Georgian tax resident, and at that point your income situation becomes more complex. Registering as an IE proactively is cleaner than being caught unprepared.

Does the 365-day visa-free allowance reset if I leave and re-enter Georgia?

Technically, the 365-day count applies per calendar year and re-entry does not reset it mid-year. However, border crossings do interrupt continuous stays, and many travellers use brief exits to manage their practical situation. The law does not guarantee re-entry, and frequent short exits specifically to extend a stay can draw scrutiny from border officers in 2026.

Is the 1% small business tax rate available to all nationalities?

The 1% small business regime is available to any person who legally registers as an Individual Entrepreneur in Georgia, regardless of nationality, provided they meet the turnover and income-type conditions. Your nationality affects your visa status, not your eligibility for the tax regime. Consult a Georgian tax accountant before registering to confirm your specific situation.

Do I need a Georgian bank account to receive my foreign salary or freelance income in Georgia?

No — you can receive income in a foreign bank account and live in Georgia spending it on an international card. A Georgian bank account is not legally required. It becomes practically necessary if you register as an IE, since tax payments and declarations link to local accounts, and it makes day-to-day life significantly easier given that some Georgian landlords and service providers only accept local transfers.

📷 Featured image by Aleh Tsikhanau on Unsplash.