Georgian residence permits — four pathways to long-term lawful residence.

What you get#

A Georgian residence permit grants long-term lawful residence with broader rights than the visa-free regime — formal residency status documented on a card you carry, the foundation for the 10-year continuous-residence path toward permanent residence and eventual citizenship application, work authorisation in some categories, and family-reunification pathways. Different pathways ground the permit on different qualifying configurations.

The structure has four other clean properties:

Four primary pathways for foreign founders. Property residence permit (grounded by USD 150,000+ Georgian property purchase), work residence permit (grounded by IE economic activity for foreign clients), investment residence permit (grounded by substantial Georgian business or financial commitments), IT-specialist residence permit (grounded by qualification under Article 15(l) for specific IT activities). The right pathway depends on which configuration you're already in or planning to be in.

Initial application requires physical presence. All residence permit pathways require an initial in-person visit to Georgia for biometric capture and first card collection at the SDA Public Service Hall. Typical duration is a 2–4 day visit covering biometric capture, application submission, and (depending on processing speed) first card pickup. Some pathways combine the residence permit visit with the underlying qualifying activity (property purchase, brokerage account funding for HNW Layer 2 alongside investment residence).

Renewals run remote-via-PoA. Once you hold the first residence permit card, annual renewals (and the eventual conversion to permanent residence after 10 years of continuous residence) run remotely via Power of Attorney. Renewal documentation supports continued satisfaction of the qualifying configuration; we file on your behalf without requiring further travel.

Distinct from work permits and tax residency. A residence permit grants the right to reside in Georgia long-term — separate mechanism from the work permit framework (the right to perform labour activity, which most foreign founders are categorically exempt from per Work Permit) and separate from tax residency (Georgian tax-resident status under the 183-day rule or HNW programme — see Tax Residency). The three can run independently or be coordinated; the consultation maps which combination fits your situation.

What we do#

The first 30 minutes of any residence permit conversation is identifying which pathway actually fits your situation.

Step 1 — Pathway mapping. We work through your specific configuration: existing structures (do you already hold an IE, a Georgian LLC, Georgian property, a Georgian brokerage portfolio, or are these forward-looking?), your goal for the residence permit (long-term presence, foundation for citizenship pathway, Layer 3 of HNW Tax Residency programme, family-residency support), your timeline. The output is a clear pathway recommendation — sometimes one pathway fits cleanly, sometimes two pathways could work and the choice is between operational simplicity and configuration alignment with other goals.

Step 2 — Qualifying configuration setup (when needed). For pathways where the qualifying configuration isn't already in place, we coordinate the setup: property purchase for property residence, IE registration for work residence, investment configuration for investment residence, IT-specialist qualification documentation for the Article 15(l) pathway. The qualifying configuration must be in place before the residence permit application can be filed — sequencing matters.

Step 3 — Residence permit application. With the qualifying configuration documented, we file the residence permit application at the SDA. The initial application requires your physical presence in Georgia for biometric capture (typically 1 day at the Public Service Hall) plus the supporting documentation submission. We accompany you through the SDA interactions, prepare the file before you arrive, and minimise the visit duration.

Step 4 — First card collection and ongoing renewals. First card collection requires another visit to the Public Service Hall (sometimes combined with the initial application visit if processing is fast enough). Annual renewals from year 1 onward run remote-via-PoA — we file the renewal documentation, demonstrate continued satisfaction of the qualifying configuration, and collect the renewal card on your behalf.

What's included#

Across all four pathways:

• Pathway mapping consultation identifying the right residence permit category for your situation
• Qualifying configuration setup coordination (property purchase, IE registration, investment, or IT qualification documentation as needed)
• Residence permit application file preparation
• Coordination of the initial Georgia visit (timing, scheduling, accompanying you through SDA interactions)
• First card collection (during initial visit if processing speed allows, or via separate trip otherwise)
• Annual renewal handling via Power of Attorney from year 1 onward
• Briefing on residence-permit interaction with work permit framework, tax residency, banking, and forward-looking citizenship pathway

Specific pathway engagements (property residence permit, work residence permit, investment residence permit, IT-specialist residence permit) are quoted separately based on which fits your situation.

The four pathways#

Property residence permit. Grounded by Georgian property purchase at USD 150,000 or higher (threshold raised March 2026 from USD 100,000). The most common pathway for foreign clients who already hold or plan to hold Georgian real estate. Annual renewable, no minimum stay requirement, supports HNW Tax Residency Layer 3 satisfaction. Counts toward 10-year permanent residence track. See Property Residence.

Work residence permit. Grounded by Individual Entrepreneur economic activity for foreign clients — the natural pathway for IE founders running a Georgian-registered business serving foreign clients. The IE itself is the qualifying configuration; the residence permit grounds long-term lawful residency in Georgia for the IE holder. Annual renewable, supports the foreign-client-IE configuration most of our typical clients operate under. See Work Residence.

Investment residence permit. Grounded by substantial Georgian business or financial commitments — the pathway for foreign investors making material commitments to Georgian operations rather than just owning property. Higher threshold than property residence; broader operational footprint expected. Five-year accelerated path to permanent residence available via Investment Permit. See Investment Residence.

IT-specialist residence permit. Grounded by qualification under Article 15(l) for specific IT activities (NACE/ISCO code framework). Designed for foreign IT professionals operating under specific qualifying configurations. Narrower fit than the other three pathways — most readers we work with under "IT" framing actually fit better under work residence (IE-grounded) or one of the company-setup-grounded paths rather than Article 15(l) specifically. See IT Residence.

When each pathway fits#

Choose property residence when:

• You already hold or plan to hold Georgian property at USD 150,000+ (the threshold matches the property residence requirement; if your purchase is in this range or higher, property residence is operationally efficient)
• You want long-term Georgian residency with no minimum stay requirement (property residence has no annual presence threshold)
• You're pursuing HNW Tax Residency where Layer 3 satisfaction matters (property residence cleanly satisfies Layer 3; if the property value reaches USD 500,000+, the same property also satisfies Layer 2 for double-up)
• You don't need work authorisation rights beyond the existing visa-free regime + work-permit exemption that most foreign founders already have

Choose work residence when:

• You operate a Georgian Individual Entrepreneur structure serving foreign clients (the typical IE+SBS configuration we set up)
• You want residency grounded in your existing business activity rather than property ownership
• You don't have or don't want USD 150,000+ Georgian real estate exposure
• The IE configuration matches your operational pattern (solo professional, foreign-client revenue, 1% Small Business Status tax)

Choose investment residence when:

• You're making substantial Georgian business commitments (LLC operations with substance, qualifying International Company status, Free Industrial Zone operations) that go beyond passive property ownership
• You want the five-year accelerated permanent residence path (Investment Permit pathway)
• Your operational footprint genuinely is investment-grade rather than founder-individual
• You're coordinating residency with Georgian operational expansion

Choose IT-specialist residence when:

• You meet the specific Article 15(l) qualification criteria (NACE/ISCO code framework)
• Your IT activity fits the regulatory definition narrowly rather than broadly (general "IT-related work" doesn't qualify; specific code-defined activities do)
• The other pathways don't fit your configuration cleanly (most IT founders actually fit work residence via IE+SBS or investment residence via LLC+ICstatus better)

The Residency Scoping engagement walks through which pathway actually fits — sometimes the "obvious" choice (an IT founder choosing IT residence) isn't the right answer because a different pathway suits the configuration better.

Why Happy Georgia#

Independent advisory. No tied immigration or property services. We recommend the residence permit pathway that fits your situation honestly — including pathways like work residence (IE-grounded) where we don't sell expensive add-ons, or scenarios where no residence permit is needed yet (occasional-visitor configurations with visa-free regime).

Foreign clients only. Our entire practice is foreigners setting up in Georgia. We've worked through the residence-permit-mapping conversation across many configurations — Berlin freelancer with foreign-client IE pursuing work residence to ground long-term presence, Tel Aviv investor buying Georgian property at USD 200,000 specifically for the residence permit pathway, Singapore-based founder of a Georgian LLC choosing between property residence and investment residence based on operational profile.

Fixed pricing, no tourist tax. Specific pathway pricing depends on which residence permit fits — property residence permit, work residence permit, investment residence permit, and IT-specialist residence permit are each separately quoted. We quote in EUR, we honor the quote, no surprises later.

Trusted by clients across Western Europe, Israel, the UK, Singapore, and beyond.

Frequently asked questions#

Do I need a residence permit if I'm only visiting Georgia occasionally?#

Almost certainly not. Visa-free entries cover short-trip-and-multiple-re-entry patterns without any residence permit. Residence permits become useful when you want long-term status with broader rights, are pursuing the 10-year permanent residence path toward citizenship, or need Layer 3 satisfaction for HNW Tax Residency. For occasional-visitor configurations, visa-free is the simpler path.

How does residence permit interact with the work permit framework?#

Distinct mechanisms. The residence permit governs the right to reside in Georgia long-term; the work permit governs the right to perform labour activity. Most foreign founders are categorically exempt from the work permit framework under Article 1.3 sub-clauses (k) or (l) regardless of residence permit status — see Work Permit. A residence permit doesn't automatically grant work authorisation beyond what the work permit exemption already provides; it grants residency rights specifically.

Can I switch pathways if my situation changes?#

Yes, in many configurations. Clients sometimes start with property residence (because they bought property first) and later add work residence (after registering an IE for business activity), or shift from IE-grounded work residence to investment residence as the operational footprint grows. The 10-year continuous residence count carries forward across pathway changes as long as the residency itself is continuous and lawful. We brief clients on the configuration changes that warrant pathway review.

What's the timeline from application to first card?#

Typically 4–10 weeks depending on pathway, including the qualifying configuration setup if not already in place. Property residence is on the shorter end (4–6 weeks once the property purchase is complete). Work residence is 6–8 weeks once the IE is registered and operating. Investment residence and IT residence are typically 8–10 weeks. The initial physical visit to Georgia is required for biometrics and first card collection regardless of pathway.

Does the residence permit grant Georgian citizenship?#

No, not directly. A residence permit grants the right to reside in Georgia. After 10 years of continuous lawful residence under residence permits, foreigners can apply for permanent residence (or pursue the 5-year accelerated path via Investment Permit). After permanent residence, the citizenship application becomes available — discretionary, with Article 3(2) default-single-citizenship policy meaning dual citizenship is exceptional. Citizenship is a long-horizon goal, not a near-term outcome of residence permit application.

How does residence permit interact with HNW Tax Residency?#

Residence permit can satisfy Layer 3 of the HNW Tax Residency programme. Most HNW candidates use property residence (USD 150,000+ Georgian property grounding the permit, with the same property potentially also satisfying Layer 2 if value reaches USD 500,000+). Investment residence also satisfies Layer 3. Work residence (IE-grounded) satisfies Layer 3. IT residence satisfies Layer 3. See HNW Tax Residency for the full Layer 3 mechanic.

Can my family come on the same residence permit?#

Family-reunification residence permits are available as a separate category for spouses and minor children of primary residence permit holders. The family member's permit is grounded by their relationship to the primary holder rather than independent qualification. We coordinate family permits alongside the primary application when family relocation is part of the engagement.

What happens at renewal time?#

Annual renewals are filed remotely via Power of Attorney. The renewal documentation demonstrates continued satisfaction of the qualifying configuration (continued property ownership for property residence, continued IE operation for work residence, continued investment substance for investment residence, continued IT qualification for IT residence). Renewals are typically straightforward for stable configurations; we handle the entire flow on your behalf without requiring further travel after the initial application visit.

What if my application is refused?#

Refusals are uncommon for properly prepared applications, but they happen — typically when the qualifying configuration documentation doesn't meet SDA expectations or the immigration policy environment shifts. We minimise refusal risk through file preparation discipline. Refusals can be appealed in some categories; in others, the realistic answer is restructuring the application to address the SDA's concerns or pursuing an alternative pathway entirely.

Ready to map your pathway?#

A free consultation maps your specific configuration against the four residence permit pathways and identifies which fits — or whether the visa-free regime + work-permit exemption is actually the better answer for your near-term situation. For configurations where a residence permit is the right path, we coordinate the qualifying configuration setup and the residence permit application end-to-end. Most consultations resolve the pathway question in 30 minutes.