Couriers: documents and parcels

Who this is for

Guests who need to send a document or parcel within the city or abroad.

Also business visitors and people living in Georgia who send and receive shipments often.

Our role

We choose the courier, check the rules, prepare the shipment and follow it up to delivery.

You pay the courier directly, and we never hold your money. We take no commission from courier companies, and our fee is agreed in advance.

What we send

Documents, contracts, gifts, souvenirs and small parcels.

Within the city, to other Georgian cities and abroad.

We also help you receive online orders, parcels from abroad and apartment keys.

City couriers

In Tbilisi, Batumi and Kutaisi a courier often delivers a small item within a few hours.

A courier on foot or by bike is sometimes faster than a car in traffic.

For a large or heavy item we call a courier with a car.

Urgent delivery

If a document must arrive within an hour, we send a city express courier or a driver directly.

In that case we allow in advance for distance, traffic and the recipient's working hours.

Urgent delivery costs more than standard, and we tell you so before sending.

Between cities

From Tbilisi to Batumi, Kutaisi or another city, a shipment usually takes a day or two.

We choose a courier company that works reliably in the receiving city.

Delivery to a village sometimes takes extra time, and we tell you in advance.

Sending by minibus

In Georgia, parcels are sometimes handed to a marshrutka driver to pass on to someone in another city.

It is fast but informal, with no receipt and no liability.

We do not recommend it for valuables, documents or important items.

International express

International express couriers ship from Georgia to Europe, Asia and the Americas within a few days.

The rate and time depend on weight, size, country and speed of service.

The company sets the rate, and you pay them directly.

Postal shipments

Sending through the national post is often cheaper but slower.

The post can suit a non-urgent, lower-value shipment.

We send important documents with a tracking number and signature.

Choosing a courier

We choose a courier by deadline, type of shipment, destination country and our past experience.

One company may be fast to some countries and slow to others, and we allow for that.

We offer two or three options with timings and terms, and the choice is yours.

Documents to notaries and institutions

Delivering a document to a notary, the public registry or a Public Service Hall can sometimes be done by courier.

Some institutions accept documents only in person or by power of attorney, and we check in advance.

We ask for a receipt or stamp confirming receipt.

Embassies

The rules for delivering documents to an embassy vary by country.

Some embassies accept courier deliveries, others only by appointment.

We check the embassy's requirements in advance so the document is not sent back.

Visa documents

Some guests send documents from Georgia to a consulate or visa centre for another country's visa.

In that case we check the centre's requirements, format and receiving rules in advance.

Before sending, we go over the document list with you once more.

Original documents

We send original documents only with a reliable courier and against a signed receipt.

Before sending, keep a copy or photo of every page.

For a very important original it is sometimes better to deliver it yourself or with us.

Passports

We do not send passports by courier unless a specific institution requires it.

Some embassies return passports by courier after a visa, and that is their official procedure.

Abroad, your passport is your most valuable item, so always keep it with you.

Documents going abroad

A signed contract, a certified translation or an apostilled document is sent abroad by express.

Put the document in a waterproof envelope and a stiff folder so it does not crease.

Send the tracking number to the recipient too.

Documents coming from abroad

For marriage, residency or business, an original certificate often has to come from your home country.

We send the sender the exact address, recipient's name and phone number in Georgian and Latin script.

We track the shipment until it arrives and tell you as soon as it is received.

Customs declarations

When sending an item abroad, you state its contents and value on the declaration.

A wrong or vague description leads to the shipment being held or returned at customs.

We help you fill in the declaration and describe the item correctly.

Personal and commercial shipments

A gift or personal item and goods for sale are processed differently at customs.

A commercial shipment needs an invoice and sometimes an extra permit.

Declare the type of shipment honestly, as a false declaration leads to fines.

Prohibited items

We do not send drugs, weapons, explosives, counterfeit goods or cash by courier.

Some items, such as batteries, nail polish or perfume, need special handling.

If in doubt, we ask the courier company in advance.

Medicines

Sending medicines abroad is restricted or banned in many countries.

Prescription and strong medicines have especially strict rules.

Before sending, we check the rules of the destination country and the courier.

Food and wine

Churchkhela, honey, tea and spices can often be sent, subject to the destination country's rules.

Sending wine and alcohol requires a separate licence and rules.

We write about shipping wine in detail in the shopping section.

Packing

We put documents in an envelope, and items in a sturdy box with filling inside.

The courier company often offers packing itself.

For an item damaged because of poor packing, the company's liability is limited.

Fragile shipments

We send a fragile item double-boxed, with bubble wrap and a fragile label.

We sometimes have the craftsperson pack ceramics, enamel or glass, as they know how.

We send a valuable fragile item with insurance.

Large and heavy shipments

Furniture, a carpet or several large boxes are usually sent as freight, not by courier.

A freight company arranges such a shipment, with packing, customs and delivery.

Freight times and rates differ from a courier's, and we compare them in advance.

Insurance and declared value

A courier's standard liability for a valuable item is often low.

For a valuable shipment you declare its value or buy extra insurance.

Keep a receipt proving the item's value.

Tracking

The courier company gives you a tracking number, and you follow the shipment online.

We also follow the delivery status and contact the company if there is a delay.

A hold at customs often needs an extra document, and we prepare it quickly.

Addresses in Georgian

In Georgia a street number is sometimes not enough: the entrance, floor and door code matter.

We write the address in Georgian and Latin script, with a map pin and phone number.

That way the courier does not waste time and arrives without calling.

Phone numbers

The courier usually calls the recipient before arriving.

So a correct, reachable number for the recipient is essential.

If the recipient does not speak Georgian, we give the courier our number so we can translate if needed.

Delivery to a hotel

When sending to a hotel, the guest's name on the parcel is written exactly as on the booking.

We tell reception in advance whose name the parcel is in and when it will arrive.

At night or on holidays we check that reception is open and where parcels are kept.

Delivery against signature

An important shipment is received against the recipient's signature or ID.

We send you the delivery confirmation, a photo or a copy of the signature.

With contactless delivery the courier takes a photo at the door.

Gifts and flowers

We send a gift or flowers to an address, with a card and at the time you want.

For a surprise we ask the courier not to call the recipient in advance, where possible.

We also cover flowers and gifts on the main concierge page.

Food and grocery delivery

In cities, delivery from restaurants and supermarkets through apps is widespread.

Some apps need a local number or card, and we help with registration.

You pay for orders from delivery services yourself.

Pharmacy delivery

Some pharmacies sell medicines with delivery to your home or hotel.

A prescription medicine still needs a prescription when delivered.

We give no medical advice, and you buy medicines as prescribed by a doctor.

Receiving online orders

When ordering online, give the exact hotel or apartment address and a local number.

We warn the hotel in advance to accept the parcel.

If the parcel might not arrive before you leave, we check the delivery time in advance.

Parcels from abroad

A parcel ordered from abroad is subject to customs duty above a certain threshold.

Some parcels need customs clearance and additional documents.

We help with the declaration and collecting the parcel, and you pay the duty.

Returns

Returning an item bought online from Georgia is sometimes difficult and expensive.

Check the return terms with the seller in advance.

We prepare the return shipment by courier and keep the receipt.

Handing over keys

Apartment keys are sometimes passed to a landlord or cleaner by courier.

We send keys in a sealed envelope with no address written on it.

We confirm receipt of the keys with the recipient.

Art and antiques

Sending a painting, an old object or a cultural item abroad sometimes requires a permit.

Without a permit such a shipment may be held or confiscated at customs.

We write about exporting art and antiques in the shopping section.

Luggage

Sending a whole suitcase is a separate subject with different rules.

We write about storing and forwarding luggage on a separate page.

A courier will take a small bag across the city without any trouble.

Business documents

On a business visit, exchanging contracts by courier often happens within a day.

We arrange the exchange of signed copies between both parties and keep the receipts.

We write about business services in the business section.

Samples and goods

Sending product samples abroad often needs a commercial invoice.

Some samples, such as food or cosmetics, need a certificate or permit.

We connect you with a customs broker if needed.

Timings

Delivery within the city often happens the same day, and to another city in a day or two.

International express usually takes a few working days, and the post longer.

Customs and holidays add time, and we allow for that in advance.

Weekends and holidays

Some courier companies work limited hours or not at all at weekends.

On major holidays deliveries are often delayed.

We plan urgent shipments around these days in advance.

Ways to pay

You pay the courier by card, transfer or cash on the spot, according to the company's rules.

Some city couriers can also take payment on delivery.

We do not pay on your behalf with our own money.

Cash on delivery

Items bought from an online shop are sometimes paid for to the courier on delivery.

Hand over money only after checking the item, if the rules allow.

We do not take or carry the money.

Confidentiality

We give the shipment's contents and the recipient's details only to the courier.

We never open a closed or sealed shipment.

We send a sensitive document only with a reliable courier working against signed receipts.

Delivery problems

If a shipment is late, damaged or lost, we contact the courier company at once.

We write the claim with the receipt, photos and tracking number.

We follow it through to the end, though we cannot promise the company's decision.

Living here longer

For people living in Georgia, online orders and parcels are part of daily life.

We set up the apartment address, entrance and code correctly once, and after that every courier finds you without trouble.

We write about relocation in a separate section.

Older guests

For older guests, a courier calling in Georgian is often confusing.

In such cases we give the courier our number and arrange the delivery ourselves.

The parcel is left at hotel reception if that is more convenient.

Events and groups

For a conference, printed materials, badges and gifts must arrive at the venue in advance.

We agree the delivery day and time with the venue's management so someone is there to receive it.

We write about organising events in a separate section.

What we do not do

We do not send prohibited items, cash or parcels from strangers.

We do not pay the rate on your behalf or carry money for the courier.

We never open a closed shipment or change its contents.

Common mistakes

Sending an original without making a copy first.

An incomplete address without the entrance, floor and phone number.

A vague description on the customs declaration.

What we need from you

What you are sending, how big it is and what it is worth.

The recipient's name, full address and phone number.

The deadline, and whether delivery needs a signature or insurance.

Cost

The courier company sets the shipping rate, and you pay them directly.

We take no commission from couriers and add nothing to their prices.

Our fee for preparation and follow-up is separate and agreed in advance.