For Investors
Why Georgia?
Georgia enjoys a unique location as a gateway to European markets and standards. The country is a cultural and ethnic nexus between the Western and Eastern world.
Georgia is one of the top countries globally for doing business and welcomes foreigners looking to invest in its economy. From Tbilisi, its metropolis, to Batumi, a booming resort and entertainment hub in the Black Sea, there are opportunities to catch everywhere in Georgia. Moving to Georgia is an opportunity for everyone looking to experience and settle in a country with a focused European perspective and ambition to join the EU. Georgia is working to become part of European Union,
Visa for Georgia
The purpose of your travel to Georgia determines the type of visa you should apply for. There are different visa categories for visiting, studying, business, or permanent residence.
One can use the E-VISA Portal to gain entry for a short stay without visiting the Georgian Embassy or Consular Office in their countries. When filling out a visa application through the E-VISA Portal, the platform will send a message to confirm the e-mail address indicated and ensure payment of state duties. One must confirm the e-mail within 1 (one) hour (otherwise the application will be cancelled) and pay the state duties within 5 (five) hours once received the e-mail confirmation.
One can use the E-APPLICATION System to apply for any category of visa. After applying through the System, unlike the Portal, one must submit to the visa issuing authority hard copies of the signed visa application and all necessary documents.
The citizens and permit holders of over 50 countries may enter Georgia without a visa for an appropriate period of time — among these countries are also Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Jordan, and Lebanon.
Visa Categories
There are five visa categories: Diplomatic (A), Special (B), Ordinary (C), Immigration (D), and Transit (T).
The most relevant types for our clients are:
C1 Tourist Visa: A short-term (30 days) visa for citizens who don’t have citizenship or residence of one of 50 exempted countries.
D1 Labour Visa: For those 1) Who are planning to come to Georgia for work purposes and have an Employment Contract with a company; 2) Who represent or own a Company or Firm registered in Georgia and plan to come to Georgia.
D3 Educational Visa: For those who plan to come to Georgia and study in authorized Universities/Schools in Georgia.
D5 Propery Owners’ Visa: For those who plan to come to Georgia and they already own property (flat(s), land(s), etc.) whose value is a minimum of $100,000. The property’s market value should be written and approved by the certified auditor of the Accreditation Center.
Entry in Georgia
Entry in Georgia during the pandemic has two main paths:
Entry for Vaccinated Visitors
Citizens of all countries traveling by air from any country may enter Georgia if they present at the border checkpoints of Georgia a document confirming the full course (two doses) of a WHO recognized vaccine (namely AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria), AZD1222 (SK Bioscience Co Ltd.), Covieshield, Janssen, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, Sinopharm and Sinovac). The document can be in English, Georgian, or Russian.
Also allowed to enter are passengers with a positive COVID-19 test issued at most 100 days before arrival and a COVID-19 vaccination certificate showing that they received one dose at least 14 days before arrival. The certificate can be in English, Georgian, or Russian.
Passengers must not have travelled in India in the past 14 days prior arrival in Georgia.
Entry for Non-vaccinated Visitors
Citizens and residence permit holders from:
Azerbaijan, Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, China (People’s Rep.), Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Iraq, Ireland (Rep.), Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea (Rep.), Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova (Rep.), Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia (Rep.), Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russian Fed., San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, USA, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan if arriving from Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, China (People’s Rep.), Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Iraq, Ireland (Rep.), Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea (Rep.), Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova (Rep.), Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia (Rep.), Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russian Fed., San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, USA, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom or Uzbekistan.
They may enter Georgia by air (land and sea remain closed) under the conditions mentioned bellow:
- They must fill out the mandatory online form, and receive a confirmation number they must show on check-in at the departure point.
- They must present a negative PCR conducted 72 hours prior to traveling to Georgia (passengers younger than 10 are exempted and allowed to enter Georgia without PCR).
- The certificate must be in English.
- On the 3d day of their stay, they must undergo a PCR examination at their own expense.
- All individuals who traveled to the United Kingdom within the last 14 days will be placed in mandatory quarantine for 12 days upon entry.
- Passengers departing from Georgia to Azerbaijan on AZAL and Buta Airways flights must present a negative PCR with QR code or obtain a certificate of negative coronavirus test from one of the branches of the Synevo laboratory.
For more information consult:
Residency in Georgia
Foreigners looking to move to the country can rest assured that there are many pathways to obtaining residency. Georgia visa for UAE residents, for Egyptian residents, for Qatari residents and for Saudi residents is sometimes even sped-up in case of property ownership.
In order to apply for a residence permit in Georgia, a foreigner must possess these documents issued by their country:
Passport.
Residence Card or Visa from a country such as UAE, or Qatar, or Saudi Arabia (if applicable).
Georgian Visa (Category C not applicable, the visa must be category D1 Labor Visa or D5 Property Owners’ Visa).
Residence Permit for temporary residence:
A working residence permit is issued for the purpose of exercising entrepreneurial or labor activities in Georgia.
An educational residence permit is issued for study purposes at any authorized educational facility in Georgia.
A residence permit with the purpose of family reunification is issued to family members of a foreigner already holding a residence permit.
An investment residence permit is issued to a foreign citizen investing the equivalent in GEL of $300,000 in Georgia.
A short-term residence permit is issued to a foreign citizen or their family members owning real estate valued more than $100,000.
Residence Permit for permanent residence:
A permanent residence permit is issued to a spouse, child, or parent of a Georgian citizen based on family membership. A foreigner may obtain a permanent residence permit by residing in Georgia for the past 6 years (study, medical, or diplomatic purposes not applicable).
A perpetual residence permit is issued to a foreign citizen and members of their family making an investment of an equivalent of $300,000 in Georgia. The foreigner must hold an investment resident permit and prove an annual turnover of at least $50,000 in their first year of entrepreneurial activity, $100,000 in their second year, $120,000 in their third, fourth, and fifth years. The perpetual residence permit may be issued to one who has received resident permit based on ownership rights, given the value of their property is at least USD 300,000 equivalent in GEL. They must hold an investment residence permit, and 5 years must have passed from acquisition of property rights.