Temporary residence permit
The umbrella instrument for lawful residence, issued on one of five grounds: work, IT, investment, study, family.
The card is not the permission. Since 1 March 2026 a permit only says you may live here. The right to work is a separate decision from the State Employment Support Agency, with a fee, a recorded interview and a GEL 2,000 fine for working without it. Property owners and dependants lose most: their permits never conferred work rights.
Programme snapshot
| Item | Current rule |
|---|---|
| Main audience | Foreign employees, IT specialists, investors, students, family members |
| Threshold | Varies by ground, see below |
| Validity | 6 to 12 months for work, study and family; up to 3 years for IT; 5 years for investment |
| Renewal | Annually for 5 years, then 1 to 5 years at a time |
| Settlement | Switch required. Visa-free time is irrelevant |
| PR clock | 10 years of continuous temporary residence, except study |
| Citizenship clock | 10 years of residence, with language and exam conditions |
| Family | Yes, spouse, minor children and dependants |
| Local employment | Only with a separate right-to-work permission, except investment and IT holders |
| Tax headline | 20% flat on Georgian-source income; 2% employee and 2% employer social contribution (2026) |
| Processing | 30 days for GEL 300, 20 for GEL 450, 10 for GEL 600 |
The grounds
| Ground | Threshold (2026) |
|---|---|
| Labour activity | 5x subsistence minimum; employer turnover GEL 50,000 per foreign employee (GEL 35,000 accredited education and medical) |
| Information technology | No published floor; documented IT activity, 183 days a year here |
| Investment | USD 300,000, traceable through a Georgian bank |
| Study | 2x subsistence minimum per month |
| Family | Sponsor income of 2x subsistence minimum per month |
Application flow
- Fix the ground. The document set differs completely between them, so gather the matching evidence: contract and employer turnover, IT records, traced funds, enrolment, or apostilled kinship documents with notarised translation.
- Where work rights are needed, file the right-to-work application. GEL 200 standard, GEL 400 expedited. Attend the recorded interview if called. Notice can arrive the same day.
- File at least 40 calendar days before lawful stay expires, with the Public Service Development Agency.
Good fit
A genuine Georgian job offer at a company with turnover and a payroll. An IT professional with foreign clients who wants three years in one application. An investor with USD 300,000 who wants five years, then a lifelong permit.
Poor fit
A freelancer paid by foreign clients, who has no general remote work route. Anyone using enrolment as a residence strategy, because study years do not count. A property buyer who expects the card to allow local consulting.
Watchpoints
- The card is not a work permit. Missing the interview cancels the application, and the fee is not refunded.
- The employer is examined too. Turnover, foreigners already employed and a labour market test sit in the file.
- A gap breaks the clock. No grace period is in law, and late filing means leaving and restarting from a D1 visa abroad.
- The GEL 50,000 turnover rule is disputed. The SDA checklist requires it, while Law No. 1509 is reported to have removed it pending a new ordinance. Budget for the stricter reading.
- The IT permit is not a nomad visa. The 183 day expectation conflicts with the travel its marketing invites, and study time is worth nothing toward permanence.
Sources
- Public Service Development Agency, permit categories, forms and fees, checked 2026-10-22
- State Employment Support Agency, right-to-work permission, checked 2026-10-22