Moving to Georgia: Where to Begin

Write down the move you are actually planning

Before comparing apartments, describe your situation on one page. Include every traveller’s nationality, the purpose and expected length of the stay, where income will come from and whether anyone needs schooling, medication or accessible housing. A family with local employment needs a different plan from someone visiting first to explore options.

Decide which commitments are reversible. Temporary accommodation, an exploratory visit and a short list of neighbourhoods leave room to learn. A long lease, a property purchase or a resignation deserves more preparation. Set a decision date and identify what evidence you need before making each commitment.

Keep four separate questions in your plan: can I enter, how long can I stay, can I do the intended work, and what tax obligations might follow? An answer to one is not an answer to the others.

Confirm your entry route before booking

Use the Georgian consular portal and the current legislation to check your own passport and circumstances. Georgia has several entry routes. The one-year visa exemption belongs to the nationalities covered by the applicable government list; it is not a universal allowance. Other visa or residence documents can support different routes with their own conditions.

Save the applicable official page, its date and the documents you will use to demonstrate eligibility. Check passport validity, the permitted stay and any supporting-document requirements. For a family, verify each person separately rather than assuming everyone follows the principal traveller’s route.

If information from an airline, an agent and an official source conflicts, resolve it before committing to a non-refundable itinerary. Ask the relevant consular authority a question that includes your nationality, travel document and intended purpose. Recheck close to departure.

Do not build a long-term plan around a promised border renewal. Entry eligibility and a previous admission do not settle every later immigration question.

Treat residence and work as separate checks

If you intend to stay on a residence basis, identify the relevant permit category and confirm its current application conditions with the State Services Development Agency. Prepare a calendar for documents, appointments and renewals. Do not assume that arriving visa-free means a later residence application will automatically succeed.

Before working, examine the current Labour Migration Law and applicable procedures. It covers relevant employment and self-employment but also contains exceptions, including certain services for non-residents connected with activity outside Georgia. Your work arrangement and status matter; a visa-free stay alone does not establish work eligibility.

Bring an adviser a description of the real activity: where you will be physically working, who contracts with you, where clients operate and how payment is received. Ask for a written explanation of the applicable route or exemption, rather than relying on the label “remote worker”.

Keep immigration deadlines and tax questions in different calendar entries. Ask about obligations in the country you leave as well as Georgia before changing employment or invoicing.

Prepare documents and health cover

Create a document inventory, not a pile of scans. For each item, note the holder, expiry date, intended use and whether the receiving authority requires a translation, certification or another formality. Typical items to investigate include identity and family records, qualifications, school records and medical information.

For entry as a tourist, the official guidance effective from 1 January 2026 requires health and accident insurance with at least GEL 30,000 coverage, covering the entire stay including arrival and departure dates. A physical or electronic policy must be available in Georgian or English. The guidance lists exemptions, so confirm your category.

Ask the insurer what the policy actually pays for. Check pre-existing conditions, deductibles, outpatient care, emergency assistance and how to make a claim. Meeting an entry requirement does not mean every medical need is covered. Carry policy details and a usable assistance number.

Keep originals accessible during travel and encrypted copies separately. Avoid sending full identity records to accommodation listings or intermediaries before you know who is receiving them.

Build a budget that can survive a change of plan

Separate one-off costs from recurring expenses. Your arrival budget should consider travel, temporary accommodation, a rental deposit, document work, essential purchases and any professional advice. Your monthly budget should cover housing, utilities, food, transport, communications and healthcare.

Use dated quotations for your own needs. Record the currency, what is included and whether a figure is a confirmed charge or an estimate. A listing for one apartment is not a reliable city-wide budget. Check whether advertised utilities, management charges or services are additional.

Prepare a fallback case: a longer housing search, a delayed income payment or an unexpected trip home. Choose a reserve according to the disruption you can absorb. Do not commit the same cash simultaneously to rent, a business launch and an emergency fund.

For a family, contact schools and healthcare providers directly about availability and terms. A public directory or someone else’s experience cannot confirm a place or service for you.

Use temporary housing to test everyday life

Shortlist areas using your actual routine. Consider commute times, school access, groceries, noise, building access and the services you need. Visit at different times if possible. A photograph can show an attractive room while revealing little about heating, water pressure or the street at night.

Before paying a deposit, verify the property, the recipient and the person’s authority to rent it. Read the agreement in a language you understand. Agree the payment currency, included costs, deposit return, repairs and early termination. Keep a condition inventory and payment records.

During the first weeks, make a small task list for connectivity, health services, housing and official appointments. Add an owner and date to each family task. Leave capacity for delays; getting everything done in the first few days is rarely a useful planning assumption.

Your pre-departure checklist