How to get a visa for Georgia: A detailed guide for tourists

Georgia is an amazing country that has not been reached by mass tourism yet, even though it is slowly becoming a popular destination. For this reason, it is still an ideal place for those looking to get off the typical tracks and want authentic and less crowded destinations.

Georgia is always included in the route through the Caucasus and the country is definitely worth a visit.

What types of visas are there for Georgia?

Georgia is a country that makes things easy when applying for a visa. It is quite quick and easy to apply for any of the permits offered by the country for foreigners. We will start with the most common one, which is the electronic visa:

eVisa for Georgia

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia allows visitors travelling to the country for a short period of time to obtain an eVisa or electronic visa in a very simple way and without requiring excessive documentation.

Foreign citizens visiting the country have the possibility to obtain an e-visa without the need to go to a Georgian Embassy in just three simple steps:

• fill in a form
• make the online payment
• print the electronic visa

All you need is a credit or debit card and scanned copies of the following documents:

• Passport
• Document certifying the reason for the trip
• Document certifying accommodation
• Travel and health insurance
• Document proving sufficient financial means

These documents must be presented together with your approved eVisa at the Georgian border or airport and depending on your nationality, the eVisa will be granted for 30 or 90 days maximum stay in the country.

Citizens of these countries can stay in Georgia for a maximum of 90 days with a visa valid for 180 days: Bolivia, Cuba, Dominica, East Timor, Grenada, Guatemala, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

Only citizens of the following countries can stay for 30 days with a visa valid for 120 days: Angola, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Indonesia, Jamaica, Laos, Lesotho, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Tonga, Togo, Vietnam, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

If the reason for our trip is not only tourism and you plan to study, work or reside in Georgia, you must apply for some other permits that the government authorities offer.

Residence permit for studies

If you are a student and you are interested in studying in Georgia, it will be easy for you to obtain a student residence permit. The required documentation is the following:

• Application form for the study residence permit
• Photograph
• Passport photocopy
• Admission letter issued by an authorized educational institution in Georgia
• Certificate of owning a bank account
• Payment proof of the service fee 

Residence permit for work

A work activity is considered to be any activity that is remunerated or brings a benefit to the person who performs it. A work permit will be granted to a foreign citizen who wishes to conduct business or work activities in Georgia.

In order to apply for this permit, the following documents must be submitted to the Public Service Development Agency of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia:

• Stay for work purposes application
• Photograph
• Passport photocopy
• Employment contract or certificate of legal ownership of a Georgian company
• Payment proof of the service fee 

Temporary residence permit for family reunification

A Georgian citizen, or a foreign citizen who has already obtained Georgian citizenship or a residence permit, has the possibility to apply for family reunification. Family members are considered to be spouses, children, parents and people under the guardianship of the person applying for this permit. To apply for the family reunification permit you need:

• Application for the family reunification process
• Photograph
• Passport photocopy
• Copy of Georgian residence card
• Family record book or other document confirming the family relationship
• Employment contract or proof of income of the person already residing in Georgia
• Proof of the payment of the service fee 

Special residence permit

This special residence permit is issued to a foreign citizen who has the status of a victim or a person with a demonstrable suspicion that he/she may become a victim.

A special residence permit is also granted to a foreign citizen for whom a member of the Georgian Government has submitted a letter to issue a temporary residence permit in Georgia. The following documentation is required for this permit: 

• Special residence permit processing application
• Photograph
• Passport photocopy
• Letter written by a member of the Georgian Government (only when requested by a member of the government)

Permanent residence permit

A permanent residence permit is issued to the spouse, parents or children of a citizen of Georgia. A permanent residence permit may also be applied for by a foreigner who has lived in Georgia with a temporary residence permit for the last 6 years. To obtain it, you need:

• Permanent residence permit processing application
• Photograph
• Passport photocopy
• Copy of the document proving legal presence in Georgia
• Documentation proving the relationship to the citizen of Georgia

To obtain a permanent residence permit for a citizen who has resided more than 6 years in the country, you need: 

• Permanent residence permit processing application
• Photograph
• Passport photocopy
• Copy of the temporary residence card
• Employment contract or other proof of legal income

Residence permit for investment

The residence permit for investment is granted to people and their family, who intend to make an investment in the country for a  minimum of 300,000 dollars. To apply for a residence permit for investment, the following documents are required:

• Application for a permanent residence permit
• Photographs
• Passport photocopy
• Copy of the document confirming legal presence in Georgia
• Document confirming the investment of at least 300,000 dollars in Georgia
• Recommendation letter from a member of the Government of Georgia or from 3 Georgian citizens who are engaged in business activity in Georgia
• Payment proof of the fee.

Residence permit for short term stay

The short-term residence permit is granted to people who own a property valued for at least 100,000 USD and who wish to spend sporadic periods of time in Georgia. This permit is also extended to the owner's family members. The documentation to be submitted is the following:

• Application for a permanent residence permit
• Photograph
• Passport photocopy
• A copy of the document proving legal presence in Georgia
• Certificate from the land registry of the property
• Payment proof of the fee

How to apply for a Georgia visa?

As we have already mentioned, it is rather easy to obtain permits or visas to travel to Georgia. If you are travelling for tourism or to visit some relatives, you must get the electronic tourist visa online, for all other permits you must go to the Georgian embassy in your country.

Who needs a visa for Georgia?

Depending on the nationality of the foreign citizen wishing to visit Georgia, they may not need a visa for periods of up to 1 year. Check if your nationality requires a visa.

What are the requirements to apply for a visa to Georgia?

For electronic visas you will need:

• Passport
• Document proving the purpose of the trip
• Document certifying accommodation
• Travel and health insurance

Can the visa be modified once it has been processed?

No, once the application has been processed it is not possible to modify our visa. If there is an error in our application, you must make a new one and pay the corresponding fees again.

How much does the Georgia eVisa cost?

The eVisa for Georgia has a government fee of 22 dollars.

How far in advance do I need to apply for the Georgia eVisa?

Government authorities need 7 working days to process new applications, so it is advisable to apply for our visa at least 15 days in advance.

Which are the entry ports to Georgia?

Georgia is a transcontinental country located between Europe and Asia. It borders Russia to the north, Armenia to the south, Turkey to the northeast and Azerbaijan to the southeast. If we are going to enter the country by road, the border crossings are:

• Between Georgia and Russia: Mtskheta-Mtianeti region, Stepantsminda district
• Between Georgia and Armenia: Samtskhe-Javakheti region; Kvemo-Kartli region, city of Guguti; Kvemo-Kartli region, Sadakhlo and Kvemo-Kartli region, Marneuli district.
• Between Georgia and Azerbaijan: Kvemo-Kartli region, Mughanlo city; Kvemo-Kartli region, town Vakhtang Isi and Kakheti region, Lagodekhi.
• Between Georgia and Turkey: Adjaria, Sarpi town and Samtskhe-Javakheti region, Vale town.

From the sea, the ports of Batumi and Poti are the most important ones in the country, and if we enter by air, the main airport is Tbilisi Airport, located in the capital of the Georgian country.

Are vaccines required to travel to Georgia?

It is not mandatory to be vaccinated to travel to Georgia, although it is advisable to be vaccinated for hepatitis A and B, MMR, and currently for Covid-19.

What is the currency of Georgia?

The official currency of Georgia is the Georgian Lari (GEL). There are notes of 1, 2, 5, 10, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 GEL. One GEL is equivalent to 30 cents of Euro and 34 cents of Dollar.

What is the best time to travel to Georgia?

The best time to travel to Georgia is spring and summer. During early spring and autumn rain is very frequent and winters are very cold. Therefore, the best time to travel is from May to September, although depending on the area we travel to in the country, temperatures may vary.

Is it safe to travel to Georgia?

Georgia is an excellent country to travel to. It is a very safe country, its crime rates are very low. We will be able to travel through the country easily both at day and night.

Tips for travelling to Georgia

• Georgia requires visitors to enter the country with travel insurance (health insurance).
• Its cuisine with huge Russian, Persian and Turkish influences is a real wonder.
• They are very strict with the dress code in religious places.
• The plugs are the same as in the rest of Europe and work at 220 volts.
• Their language is Georgian, but most of their inhabitants (especially in Tbilisi, their capital) speak English without any problem.
• The Wi-Fi is in almost all public places, it is not a problem to be connected.
• Georgia has some great trekking routes, but be careful, most of them are medium-high level.
• The country is a great grape grower and wine producer.
• In the Georgian capital and in the most touristic cities there is no problem to pay by credit card and there are many ATMs where you can withdraw cash.
• Georgia is a fairly inexpensive country.
• Georgia is a fascinating country that is still unexploited, which makes it more incredible. If we have the opportunity to visit it, it will not leave us indifferent.