Business
Posted: 3 years ago
Author: Nina Gomarteli

How to Get a Georgian Residence Permit - Options for Living in Georgia

There are many reasons why one might be considering moving to Georgia and getting a residence permit. Georgia has a strategic location in the Caucasus, it’s easy to travel from here or do business accessing both European and Asian markets. 

If you’re planning to invest or start a business in Georgia, you will have to deal with liberal business and trade regimes, as well as low taxes. In case you don’t have a certain plan yet and you just want to stay in a country that has low cost living and gives you an opportunity to have a diverse lifestyle, you’ll be surprised how fast the settling process is. Let’s take a look at the options that grants you residence permit in Georgia. 

Georgia provides investors, property owners, entrepreneurs, workers, and their families with visas, residence permits, and tax resident status, as well as a road to citizenship.

A foreign citizen must apply for a residence permit in person or through an authorized representative at any territorial office of the Public Service development agency, branch of the Public Service Hall or Community Centre, or apply online through the Public Service development agency's distance service: https://services.sda.gov.ge. 

Work Residence Permit 

You need to present an employment agreement or a comparable document verifying your employment to qualify for a work residence permit as a business owner, entrepreneur or a freelancer. Please keep in mind that the applicant's monthly income must be at least $315. 

Study Residence Permit

Persons travelling to Georgia to study at authorized educational institutions are granted a study residency permit.

Family Reunification Residence Permit

Family members of a foreigner with a residence permit and/or a person who has been given the status of stateless person in Georgia are granted a residence permit for family reunification. A spouse, child, or parent is considered a family member.

Property Ownership Residence Permit

To be eligible for a short-term residency permit, you will need to purchase real estate worth $100,000 or more, such as an apartment, house, development land, or any other residential or commercial property. Note that foreigners are not allowed to buy agricultural land. 

Investor Residence Permit

An investment residence permit is granted to a foreigner who has invested at least GEL 300,000 in Georgia in accordance with Georgia's Investment Promotion and Guarantees Law. The direct family members of an investor are also eligible to obtain a resident permit. 

A residence permit is issued by the Public Service development agency within 30 days after receiving a complete set of required documents. However, the permits can be issued in an accelerated manner; for detailed information on the fast-track service visit the websites: www.sda.gov.ge; www.psh.gov.ge.

To conclude, there are several more options to get a residence permit that you can find on the above-mentioned websites. I Hope it was helpful and we wish you luck in moving to Georgia!