Work residence permit, grounded by Individual Entrepreneur economic activity.

What you get#

A Georgian residence permit grounded by your Individual Entrepreneur economic activity. The permit grants long-term lawful residence in Georgia, renewable annually, with the IE structure as the qualifying configuration. For foreign-client freelancers, IT contractors, and consultants running Georgian-registered IE+SBS structures, work residence is typically the natural pathway — your existing IE configuration grounds the residence permit cleanly without requiring property purchase or substantial investment commitments.

The structure has four other clean properties:

Article 15(a) framework. The work residence permit operates under Article 15(a) of the Georgian residence permit framework — IE economic activity as the qualifying configuration. The IE itself must be operating, generating income, and meeting Georgian tax compliance (typically the 1% Small Business Status filings). The residence permit grounds in the operational IE; the IE doesn't need to be substantial in revenue scale, but it does need to be genuinely operating.

Annual renewal cycle, remote-via-PoA. First card collection at SDA Public Service Hall during the initial physical visit; from year 1 onward, annual renewals run remotely via Power of Attorney. The renewal documentation demonstrates continued IE operation (NAPR registration current, tax filings current, business activity continued) — straightforward for stable IE configurations.

Counts toward 10-year permanent residence track. Years held under the work residence permit count toward the 10-year continuous lawful residence requirement for permanent residence application. The IE-grounded pathway is operationally simpler than property purchase or substantial investment, making it the most accessible long-term residency pathway for foreign-client freelancers building Georgian footprint.

Cleanly compatible with IE+SBS configuration. The work residence permit reinforces the IE+SBS configuration that's the most common company-setup structure we deliver — 1% turnover tax up to 500,000 GEL/year, foreign-client revenue, simple Georgian tax compliance. IE+SBS plus work residence plus Georgian banking covers the typical foreign-freelancer Georgian footprint cleanly. See Individual Entrepreneur for the IE+SBS setup.

The combined effect: a residence permit grounded in your existing business activity, operationally efficient for foreign-client freelancers, and integrated with the Georgian IE structure most of our typical clients operate under.

What we do#

We coordinate IE setup and residence permit application as a single coordinated engagement when both are in scope. For clients who already operate a Georgian IE, we handle the residence permit application alone. The IE itself is the qualifying configuration; the residence permit is built on top.

Step 1 — IE setup or verification. If you don't already operate a Georgian IE+SBS, we coordinate the IE setup as the prerequisite — IE registration with the National Agency of Public Registry, Small Business Status application with the Revenue Service, Georgian banking account opening. The IE setup itself runs via Power of Attorney; you don't travel for the IE registration. See Individual Entrepreneur for the IE+SBS setup mechanics. For clients who already operate an IE, we verify the configuration meets the residence permit application requirements (current NAPR registration, current tax filings, demonstrable economic activity).

Step 2 — Residence permit application file preparation. With the IE configuration confirmed, we prepare the residence permit application file under Article 15(a): IE registration documentation, tax filings demonstrating ongoing economic activity, supporting documentation, the standard SDA application pack. We file the application through the SDA channel.

Step 3 — Initial physical visit to Georgia. The residence permit application requires your physical presence at the SDA Public Service Hall for biometric capture and supporting documentation submission. Typical visit duration is 2–4 days, covering the SDA appointment plus first card collection (depending on processing speed). Some clients combine the residence permit visit with IE-related operational milestones (banking activation, business meetings, property viewings) to make the trip multi-purpose.

Step 4 — First card collection and ongoing renewals. First card collection at the Public Service Hall typically happens during the initial visit if processing is fast enough. Annual renewals from year 1 onward run remote-via-PoA — we file the renewal documentation demonstrating continued IE operation, submit through the SDA channel, and collect the renewal card on your behalf.

What's included#

• Pathway confirmation in the consultation (work residence vs property, investment, IT residence)
• IE setup coordination if not already in place (IE registration, Small Business Status application, Georgian banking) — see Individual Entrepreneur for IE setup details
• IE configuration verification for clients with existing IEs (NAPR current, tax filings current, economic activity demonstrable)
• Power of Attorney drafting and notarisation coordination for the residence permit application
• Residence permit application file preparation under Article 15(a)
• 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 work-residence interaction with the work permit framework (typically exempt under sub-clause (k)), HNW Tax Residency Layer 3 satisfaction, and the 10-year permanent residence pathway

What you'll need to qualify#

Three things. We confirm all three before recommending the structure.

An operating Georgian IE with Small Business Status. The IE must be registered with NAPR, have valid Small Business Status, and demonstrate ongoing economic activity through monthly tax filings. New IE setups satisfy this naturally during the engagement; existing IEs need to be verified for current compliance. The IE doesn't need to generate substantial revenue — Small Business Status is for solo professionals at the lower end of turnover — but it does need to be genuinely operating with documented foreign-client work.

Genuine foreign-client business activity. The IE's qualifying activity is foreign-client work — services or products provided to non-Georgian clients. This is the same configuration that grounds Small Business Status itself (1% turnover tax for solo professionals serving foreign clients) and aligns with the Article 1.3 sub-clause (k) work permit exemption. IEs with predominantly Georgian-domestic clients fit a different residence permit pathway.

Valid passport and supporting documentation. Standard SDA documentation pack — passport with adequate remaining validity, IE-related documentation (NAPR registration, tax filings, foreign-client documentation), and the application materials specific to the work residence category.

We work through all three in the consultation and confirm the application is solid before submission.

How work residence interacts with the broader structure#

Work residence permit is one piece of the typical foreign-client-freelancer Georgian footprint. Three other pieces typically run alongside:

The IE+SBS itself. The IE is the operational structure (1% turnover tax up to 500,000 GEL/year on foreign-client work) and the qualifying configuration for the residence permit. Setting up the IE first or alongside the residence permit makes operational sense; running the IE in isolation without residence permit is also possible (the IE doesn't require a residence permit to operate). See Individual Entrepreneur.

Work permit exemption under sub-clause (k). Foreign-client freelancers operating IEs are categorically exempt from the 2026 work permit framework under Article 1.3 sub-clause (k) — labour activity in favour of non-resident persons. The work residence permit doesn't grant work authorisation by itself; the sub-clause (k) exemption is what permits the actual labour activity. Residency Scoping confirms the exemption with documentation in hand. See Work Permit.

Georgian banking. Personal and corporate banking for the IE operations — typically opened via Power of Attorney at Bank of Georgia or TBC Bank as part of the IE setup. The corporate account handles foreign-client revenue, Georgian tax payments, and operational expenses. See Personal Account and Corporate Account.

Tax residency. Work residence permit grounds Layer 3 of HNW Tax Residency programme if you're pursuing HNW. For clients reaching 183 days in Georgia organically through their work residence stay, standard tax residency applies via the 183-day rule. Work residence doesn't make you a tax resident automatically; it grounds the residency status from which tax residency planning proceeds.

The four pieces together — IE+SBS, work residence permit, work permit exemption confirmation, Georgian banking — cover the typical Berlin/Tel Aviv/Singapore foreign-client-freelancer Georgian configuration cleanly.

When work residence is the right pathway#

Work residence fits readers who:

• Operate (or plan to operate) a Georgian IE with Small Business Status for foreign-client work
• Want long-term Georgian residency grounded in their existing business activity rather than property purchase
• Don't have or don't want USD 150,000+ Georgian real estate exposure (the property residence threshold)
• Have or will have demonstrable IE economic activity as the qualifying configuration

If you want residency grounded in property ownership rather than business activity, Property Residence is the alternative pathway. If your operations are LLC-scale rather than IE-scale (employees, substantial Georgian operational footprint, partnership structures), Investment Residence may fit better. If you only need short-term presence with visa-free entry adequate, no residence permit is needed at all.

Why Happy Georgia#

Independent advisory. We coordinate IE setup and residence permit as a single engagement focused on what fits your situation. No tied immigration services, no upsell pressure toward more substantial residency engagements when work residence is the actually-correct answer for your configuration.

Foreign clients only. Our entire practice is foreigners setting up in Georgia. We've worked through the work residence engagement for a Berlin freelancer registering an IE for foreign software development clients, a Tel Aviv contractor running an IE for international consulting work, a Singapore-based designer with an IE serving European agencies — different audiences, same structural pathway.

Fixed pricing, no tourist tax. IE setup + work residence engagement quoted as a coordinated package or as separate engagements depending on scope. 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#

Can I get the work residence permit if my IE is brand new?#

Yes, with the standard sequence. We coordinate IE registration first (typically 2 weeks for the IE registration and Small Business Status), then file the residence permit application once the IE is operating with at least one or two months of demonstrable economic activity. The residence permit application doesn't require years of operating history — it requires genuine ongoing operation, documented by NAPR registration, tax filings, and foreign-client work evidence.

Do I need to spend minimum time in Georgia under work residence?#

No. The work residence permit doesn't carry a minimum stay requirement — you can hold the residence permit while spending most of the year elsewhere working remotely. The qualifying configuration is the IE operation, not your physical presence. Many foreign-client freelancers we work with hold work residence permits while living primarily in their home countries and visiting Georgia occasionally.

How does work residence interact with the work permit?#

Distinct mechanisms. Work residence governs your right to reside in Georgia long-term as an IE operator. The work permit framework governs the right to perform labour activity in Georgia — most IE+SBS holders serving foreign clients are categorically exempt under Article 1.3 sub-clause (k) regardless of residence permit status. Work residence permit doesn't grant work authorisation by itself; the sub-clause (k) exemption is the operative permission for foreign-client work. See Work Permit for the exemption framework.

What if my IE income is under SBS thresholds — does it still ground work residence?#

Yes. Small Business Status thresholds (1% on turnover up to 500,000 GEL/year) describe the tax treatment, not the residence permit qualification. An IE with modest turnover that satisfies SBS criteria operationally grounds the work residence permit — the SDA's interest is in the genuine ongoing business activity, not its scale. IEs at the lower end of SBS turnover are common among our typical client base.

Can I switch from work residence to property residence later?#

Yes. Clients who start with work residence (because they registered an IE first) and later add Georgian property at qualifying value (USD 150,000+) can switch to property residence at the next renewal cycle, or hold both pathways' qualifying configurations in parallel for additional flexibility. The 10-year continuous residence count carries forward across pathway changes as long as residency itself is continuous and lawful.

What happens if I close the IE while holding the residence permit?#

The qualifying configuration must be maintained for renewal. Closing the IE without replacement means the renewal documentation can't demonstrate continued economic activity, and the residence permit lapses at renewal time. Clients planning IE closure (often when graduating to LLC structure for software companies) should brief us before the change so we can coordinate continuity — typically through pathway switch (to investment residence grounded in the new LLC), not through residence permit lapse.

Does work residence permit grant Georgian tax residency?#

Not automatically. Work residence permit grants residency rights; tax residency is a separate determination based on either physical presence (183-day rule) or HNW programme three-layer satisfaction. Work residence holders who don't reach 183 days don't become tax residents through residency alone. For tax residency planning, see Tax Residency.

How long does the full setup take?#

For new IE + residence permit engagements: typically 4–6 weeks for IE setup (registration + SBS + Georgian banking), then 4–6 weeks for residence permit application + first card collection. Total from engagement start to residence permit card in hand: typically 8–12 weeks, including the home-country apostille chain and the 2–4 day Georgia visit for biometrics. For clients with existing IEs: typically 4–6 weeks for residence permit application alone.

Can my family come on the work residence permit?#

Family members typically need their own residence permits via family-reunification category (separate framework, grounded by their relationship to the primary holder). We coordinate family permits alongside the primary work residence application when family relocation is part of the engagement. The primary IE's economic activity grounds the primary holder's permit; the family members' permits ground in family relationship to the primary holder.

What about home-country tax interaction?#

Work residence permit doesn't change your home-country tax residency directly. Your tax residency in your country of residence depends on that country's residency tests (physical presence, centre of vital interests, habitual abode), which are independent of the Georgian residence permit. Foreign-client freelancers operating Georgian IEs typically need to consider their home-country tax position alongside Georgian-side compliance — this sits in detailed consultation territory rather than body content.

Ready to set up?#

A free consultation maps whether work residence fits your situation, the IE setup scope (new registration vs existing IE), and the residence permit timeline. The IE setup runs via Power of Attorney while you stay in your country; the residence permit application requires a 2–4 day visit to Georgia for biometrics and first card collection. Renewals from year 1 onward run remote-via-PoA. Pricing follows the engagement scope — typically IE setup + residence permit engagement quoted as a coordinated package, or residence permit alone if your IE is already operating.