Visas and visa-free entry

Who this page is for

For anyone planning to come to Georgia who does not know whether they need a visa.

And for anyone already here whose permitted period is nearing its end.

Our role

Decisions on visas and entry are made by the state: the consulate, the portal and the border officer.

We check the current rule, prepare the documents and the application and, in complex cases, bring in a licensed lawyer.

Three situations

First: you do not need a visa at all and enter on your passport.

Second: you need a visa, but can get it online.

Third: the visa is issued at a consulate. Your situation depends on citizenship and purpose.

Visa-free entry

Citizens of many countries enter Georgia on their passport, without applying in advance.

For some the permitted period is very long, for others short.

We always check the period in an official source, because it changes from time to time.

Counting the period

The period counts from the day of entry, and the days of entry and exit are often both counted.

In some cases the period counts the days spent within a certain window, not a single trip.

We write the dates in a table, so that you know your last day exactly.

Another country's visa or residence

In some cases a valid visa or residence permit of another country lets you enter Georgia without a Georgian visa.

This rule applies only to certain countries and for a limited period.

The foreign visa must be valid on the day you travel - we always check this.

The electronic visa

Citizens of many countries can apply on the official visa portal, without going to a consulate.

The electronic visa is mainly for short trips: tourism, visits, short business.

For a long-term purpose - work, study, family - another route is often needed.

Application steps

On the portal you fill in a form, upload your passport, a photo and supporting documents, and pay the fee.

The decision arrives by email, and the approved visa should be carried as a printed copy.

The details in the form must match your passport exactly.

Photos and scans

The most common technical mistake is a poor-quality scan or a photo of the wrong size.

The photo should be recent, on a neutral background, and the passport page must be shown in full and clearly.

We check the files before uploading, so that the application is not returned for a technical reason.

Single and multiple entry

A visa can allow one entry or several within its validity.

With a single-entry visa, coming back after leaving needs a new visa, even if days remain.

If you plan to travel to neighbouring countries, we ask for a multiple-entry visa from the start.

The visa's validity window

A visa shows two things: the dates between which you may enter, and how many days you may stay.

You cannot enter before the visa's validity begins, and staying past the last date is a violation.

We check the flight dates before requesting the visa, so that the dates match.

A mistake in the visa

The name, passport number and dates on the issued visa must match the passport exactly.

A visa issued with a mistake causes problems at the border, even if the mistake is small.

We check the visa as soon as it arrives and, if there is a mistake, ask for a correction before you travel.

The consular visa

If the electronic visa is not available to you, or the purpose is long-term, the visa is issued at a Georgian consulate.

The consulate may need an interview or an extra document.

Appointment waits are often long, so we start the application well before the trip.

Visa categories

Georgian visas come in several categories by purpose: tourism, business, work, study, family and others.

The category must match the purpose - working on a tourist visa is not lawful.

We choose the right category for your plans.

Short-term and long-term

A short-term visa is for travel and allows a limited number of days.

A long-term visa is for immigration purposes and is often the step before a residence application.

If you want to live in Georgia, the right visa from day one makes the next steps easier.

Invitations

Some visas need an invitation: from a company, a university, an organisation or a private person.

The person inviting often submits their own documents as well.

The invitation must be genuine: the purpose of the visit and the host may be checked at the border too.

What an invitation says

A good invitation states who is inviting whom, for what, on which dates and who covers the costs.

The host's contact details and signature are essential.

We prepare the invitation in two languages, together with the host.

Proof of accommodation

When applying for a visa, and sometimes at the border, you may be asked where you will stay.

A hotel booking, a lease or the host's invitation confirms this.

The booking should be real - a cancelled booking leaves a poor impression if checked.

Financial means

Sometimes you are asked to show that you can cover the costs of your stay.

A bank statement, a card or a letter from your employer closes this question.

The statement should be in your name and show a recent period.

Insurance

When applying for a visa, and in some cases on entry, insurance may be required.

The insurance rules have been changing recently, so we check the current requirement each time.

The policy must be valid in Georgia and cover the whole trip.

The return ticket

At the border you are sometimes asked when and how you plan to leave.

A return ticket, or one onward to another country, answers this most simply.

If you plan a long stay, have the explanation and a document ready in advance.

At the border

The border officer checks the passport, the visa if one is needed, and may ask about the purpose.

Answers should be short and accurate, and should match the documents.

A visa is not in itself a guarantee of entry - the final decision is made at the border.

Refusal of entry

Refusal of entry is rare, but it happens, sometimes without a detailed explanation.

If refused, you are usually given a document that should be kept.

Before the next attempt we analyse the reason with a lawyer and prepare the documents.

Children

A child needs their own passport and, where required, their own visa.

When a child travels with one parent, consent from the other parent may be requested.

The consent is best notarised and translated, so that no question arises at the border.

Visiting family

To visit a family member living in Georgia, a visa often needs an invitation and a document proving the relationship.

A birth or marriage certificate shows that you are visiting family.

If the family member plans to stay here, it is better to think about residence from the start.

Business visits

For meetings, a conference or negotiations a short-term visa or visa-free entry is often enough.

An invitation from a Georgian company confirms the purpose of the visit.

A business visit is different from working: working under a contract needs another status.

Group travel

For a tourist group the visa applications are often prepared together, with the tour operator's invitation.

Each traveller still has their own application and documents.

We state the group's itinerary and hotels precisely in the invitation, so that every application looks the same.

Visiting for treatment

If you are coming to Georgia for medical treatment, a letter from the clinic confirms the purpose of the visit.

The letter should state the expected length of treatment, so that the length of stay matches.

A companion needs a separate application, and we prepare them together.

Work and visas

Working in Georgia on a tourist visa or a business visit is not lawful.

If a Georgian company invites you to work, you need the right visa or residence.

Working remotely for a foreign employer is a separate question, which we discuss on its own.

Students

On enrolling at a Georgian university you often need the appropriate visa or residence for study.

The university usually provides an invitation letter and an enrolment document.

Arranging the visa takes time before studies begin, so we start as soon as you enrol.

Transit

When changing planes at a Georgian airport without leaving the transit zone, you often do not need a visa.

If you want to go into the city, the general entry rule applies.

We check transit in advance, especially for overnight connections.

Extending your visit

If your plans change and you want to stay longer, the permitted period does not extend by itself.

In some cases the lawful route is a residence application, in others leaving and getting a new visa.

The sooner you tell us, the more options remain, and the lower the risk of a fine.

Land borders

Georgia has land borders with Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia.

The entry rules at land borders are the same, but queues and procedure can differ.

When travelling by car, the vehicle's documents are checked too, and we explain this in the transport section.

The occupied territories

Under Georgian law, Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region may be entered only by the route the law sets out.

Entering them from Russia is a violation of Georgian law and will later block your entry into Georgia.

If your travel history includes such a visit, we check the situation with a lawyer in advance.

Overstaying

Overstaying the permitted period brings a fine on departure, the amount often depending on the number of days.

A long or repeated overstay makes later entry harder.

If the period has been overstayed, we assess whether leaving at once or another lawful step is better.

Leaving and coming back

Some people think that leaving the country and coming back always restarts the period.

That is not always so: in some cases the days are added up within a certain window.

Frequent exits and returns whose only aim is to renew the period draw questions at the border.

From visa to residence

If you decide to stay in Georgia, the residence application must go in before the permitted period runs out.

For that the documents - apostilles, translations, certificates - often have to be brought from your own country.

So we draw up the plan before you arrive, not at the end of your period.

Passport requirements

The passport should be valid for the whole trip, and often a blank page is needed.

A damaged passport causes problems at the border.

If your passport expires soon, it is better to renew it before travelling.

Two passports

If you have two citizenships, you should enter and leave the country on the same passport.

The period is counted on the passport you entered with.

We choose which passport is better according to the period and the visa rule.

Visa refusal

An electronic or consular visa may be refused because of a missing document or an unclear purpose.

The fee is usually not refunded if the visa is refused.

We prepare a new application that fixes the gap that caused the refusal.

Timing

An electronic visa takes a few days to review, a consular visa often longer.

In the tourist season and around holidays the wait can grow.

So we write the application at least a few weeks before the trip.

Changing rules

Georgia's visa and entry rules change from time to time: the list, the period, the requirements.

Old information stays on blogs and forums for a long time.

We rely only on official sources and note the date we checked.

Common mistakes

Miscounting the period. Working on a tourist visa. A cancelled booking.

A poor-quality scan. Another country's visa that expires during the trip.

Thinking about residence only in the last week of the period.

What we need from you

Your citizenship and passport expiry date. The purpose and dates of the trip.

Whether you hold a valid visa or residence permit of another country.

If you are already in Georgia - your date of entry.

Price

The visa fee is official and is paid directly.

Translation, preparing an invitation and the lawyer are separate lines.

Our help is agreed in advance, and we add nothing to our partners' prices.