Georgian tax residency for modest HNW.

What you get#

Georgian tax residency status without the 183-day physical-presence requirement, when the three-layer eligibility framework is satisfied. Tax residency in Georgia means access to the Georgian tax regime — territorial taxation on most foreign-source income, 0% on capital gains for individuals on most asset classes, 0% on cryptocurrency gains, 0% on foreign-source dividends, 5% on Georgian-source dividends. The residency certificate issued by the Revenue Service evidences your status to other tax authorities.

The structure has three other clean properties:

No 183-day requirement. The HNW programme is the alternative path to Georgian tax residency for clients whose physical presence pattern doesn't fit the standard 183-day rule. Once the three layers are satisfied, the certificate issues based on the qualifying conditions, not on day-counting.

Annual renewal cycle. Tax residency under the HNW programme is renewed annually, with the renewal demonstrating continued satisfaction of the three layers. Most renewal cycles are clean for clients who maintain the qualifying configuration year-on-year.

Distinct from residency permits. HNW Tax Residency is a tax-status programme, not a residency permit. The two interact — HNW Layer 3 can be satisfied via a Georgian residence permit — but they're separate mechanisms with separate applications. See Residency & Permit for the residency-permit picture.

The combined effect: Georgian tax residency for modestly-wealthy foreign investors who want the Georgian tax regime without committing to spending 183+ days in Georgia.

What we do#

We assess your situation against the three-layer framework before recommending the engagement. The assessment is honest — most readers of this page don't qualify, some do, and we say which you are in the consultation.

If you do qualify, we handle the application end-to-end:

Initial application (requires physical presence in Georgia). The first HNW Tax Residency application is filed at the Revenue Service in Georgia and includes biometric capture and the first certificate collection. Physical presence is required — typically a 2–4 day visit covers the application submission, the biometric capture, and (depending on processing) the first certificate pickup. We schedule the visit, prepare the file before you arrive, accompany you through the Revenue Service interactions, and minimise the time the visit consumes.

Annual renewals (remote via Power of Attorney). Once the initial certificate is in hand, annual renewals are handled remote-via-PoA — we file the renewal documentation, submit the supporting evidence demonstrating continued satisfaction of the three layers, and collect the renewal certificate on your behalf. You don't travel for renewals.

Layer 1, 2, 3 documentation throughout. The three layers each have specific documentation requirements that the Revenue Service expects in standardised forms. We assemble the documentation pack initially and maintain it for renewal cycles, including coordination with banking, brokerage, and any supporting evidence sources.

What's included#

• Three-layer eligibility assessment in the free consultation — honest fit analysis before any commitment
• Initial application file preparation
• Coordination of the physical-presence visit (timing, scheduling, accompanying you through Revenue Service interactions)
• Layer 1 documentation (global wealth or income evidence)
• Layer 2 documentation (USD 500,000 Georgian assets — typically brokerage portfolio, sometimes Georgian real estate or business holdings)
• Layer 3 documentation (Georgian residence permit or GEL 25,000+ Georgian-source income evidence)
• Submission and Revenue Service correspondence
• First certificate collection
• Annual renewal handling via Power of Attorney
• Briefing on what to maintain year-on-year for clean renewals

What you'll need to qualify#

Three layers. All three required. The framework is genuinely strict — the consultation walks through your specific situation honestly.

Layer 1 — Global wealth or income. GEL 3,000,000 in personal assets globally, OR GEL 200,000 in personal income annually for three years. The asset threshold equates roughly to USD 1.1 million; the income threshold equates roughly to USD 75,000 per year. Wealth includes investments, property, and other assets globally — not restricted to Georgian holdings. Income evidence is typically tax returns and supporting documentation from your country of residence.

Layer 2 — Georgian asset footprint. USD 500,000 or more in Georgian assets, with cryptocurrency excluded from qualifying categories. Qualifying asset types are Georgian real estate, Georgian-incorporated business holdings (equity in a Georgian company), and Georgian financial instruments (typically a Georgian brokerage portfolio). For most foreign clients pursuing HNW status, a Georgian brokerage portfolio is the cleanest Layer 2 satisfier — liquid, marketable, doesn't require property management or ongoing business operations. Real estate works but carries setup and maintenance friction; Georgian business holdings require ongoing operational substance.

Layer 3 — Georgian foothold. A Georgian residence permit OR GEL 25,000 (roughly USD 9,000) in Georgian-source income annually. The residence permit path is the more common Layer 3 satisfier for HNW candidates — typically the property residence permit for clients who already hold or plan to hold Georgian real estate, or the investment residence permit for clients with substantial Georgian business or financial-asset commitments. The GEL 25,000 income path is operationally awkward — it typically requires a Georgian-based income source (Georgian employment, Georgian-paid IE, or similar) which doesn't fit the typical HNW investor profile.

We work through all three in the consultation. If your situation satisfies all three cleanly, we proceed. If your situation satisfies one or two, we explain what would need to change for full satisfaction. If your situation doesn't fit, we say so honestly — the HNW programme is genuinely strict and isn't right for clients in the early stages of building Georgian operational footprint.

How HNW interacts with banking, brokerage, and residency#

The three layers map operationally to three Happy Georgia services that often run together for HNW clients.

Layer 2 typically maps to a Georgian brokerage portfolio. A USD 500,000 Georgian brokerage portfolio at Bank of Georgia, TBC Bank, or Galt & Taggart satisfies Layer 2 cleanly without the property-management or business-operations overhead of the alternatives. We coordinate the brokerage setup with the HNW application so the funding flow, valuation documentation, and ongoing Layer 2 maintenance work cleanly together.

Layer 3 often maps to a Georgian residence permit. The property residence permit (USD 150,000+ Georgian property purchase) and the investment residence permit (substantial Georgian business or financial-asset commitments) are the most common Layer 3 satisfiers. The property residence path doubles up — the same Georgian property that grounds the residence permit can also count toward Layer 2 if the value reaches the USD 500,000 threshold. The investment residence permit requires more substantial commitment and isn't the right path for most HNW candidates.

Personal banking is operationally implicit. Most HNW candidates also want a personal bank account at the same Georgian bank where the brokerage portfolio sits, simplifying the operational footprint and the source-of-funds documentation across the three layers.

We coordinate banking, brokerage, residency permit, and HNW Tax Residency engagements so the layers reinforce each other and the documentation is consistent. The free consultation maps the right combination for your specific situation.

When HNW is the right structure#

HNW Tax Residency fits readers who:

• Have global wealth at GEL 3M+ or income at GEL 200,000+ for three years (Layer 1)
• Can establish or already hold USD 500,000+ in Georgian assets, typically through a Georgian brokerage portfolio or property (Layer 2)
• Hold or can obtain a Georgian residence permit, or have GEL 25,000+ Georgian-source income (Layer 3)
• Want Georgian tax residency without the 183-day physical-presence requirement
• Have a stable enough configuration that annual renewals are realistic for the foreseeable future

If you don't satisfy all three layers, the HNW programme isn't the right path. Common alternative configurations:

• Standard 183-day Georgian tax residency. If you spend more than 183 days in Georgia annually, you're a Georgian tax resident automatically without needing HNW. The HNW programme exists precisely for clients who want the tax-residency status without the physical-presence pattern.
• Foreign tax residency that already works. If your existing tax residency in your country of residence works for your situation and the marginal benefit of Georgian tax residency doesn't justify the three-layer commitment, staying with your current setup is often the right answer.
• Building Georgian operational footprint first. If you're in the early stages of building Georgian presence (recently formed an IE or LLC, recently bought property, recently opened banking), the HNW programme can be a 2–3 year forward-looking goal once Layers 2 and 3 mature naturally through the operational build-out.

We assess fit honestly in the consultation. The HNW programme is real but strict — most readers of this page don't currently qualify, and we say so when that's the case.

Why Happy Georgia#

Independent advisory. No tied banks, brokers, or property developers. We recommend the Layer 2 satisfier (brokerage vs property vs business holdings) and the Layer 3 path (which residence permit, or whether the income path applies) based on what fits your situation, not on referral commissions.

Foreign clients only. Our entire practice is foreigners setting up in Georgia. We've worked through the Layer 1 documentation a Berlin software founder needs, the Layer 2 brokerage configuration a Tel Aviv investor pursuing HNW status assembles, the Layer 3 property-residence-permit pathway a London-based asset allocator chooses to combine with Layer 2 satisfier through the same property.

Fixed pricing, no tourist tax. The same rate for foreign and Georgian clients. 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#

Does HNW Tax Residency really avoid the 183-day rule?#

Yes. The HNW programme is the alternative path to Georgian tax residency for clients whose physical presence pattern doesn't reach 183 days. Once the three layers are satisfied and the certificate issues, you hold Georgian tax residency status regardless of how many days you spend in Georgia in any given year. The renewal cycle confirms continued satisfaction of the three layers, not day-counting.

What documentation does Layer 1 need?#

For the asset path (GEL 3M global): documentation evidencing the asset value — typically bank statements, brokerage statements, property valuations, and similar standardised documentation from your country of residence. For the income path (GEL 200,000 annually for three years): typically tax returns or equivalent income documentation from your country of residence. The Revenue Service expects standardised forms; we assemble the file in the form they accept.

Why is crypto excluded from Layer 2?#

Cryptocurrency holdings, regardless of value, don't qualify toward the USD 500,000 Layer 2 threshold under the regulation as currently interpreted. Qualifying Layer 2 asset categories are Georgian real estate, Georgian-incorporated business equity, and Georgian financial instruments (typically brokerage portfolios). Foreign crypto exchanges holding Georgian assets via custody don't satisfy the Layer 2 requirement either. The regulation's intent is Georgian-domiciled qualifying assets; crypto's location-ambiguity makes it a poor fit.

Can I use Georgian property to satisfy both Layer 2 and Layer 3?#

Yes, when the property qualifies for both. A Georgian property valued at USD 500,000+ can count toward Layer 2 (Georgian asset footprint) and ground a property residence permit (USD 150,000+ threshold) which satisfies Layer 3. A single property satisfying both layers is operationally efficient and well-suited to clients who already plan substantial Georgian property exposure.

What does the initial application visit look like?#

Typically a 2–4 day visit to Tbilisi. Day 1 is the Revenue Service appointment for application submission, biometric capture, and the supporting documentation handover — we accompany you through this. Days 2–4 cover any follow-up Revenue Service interactions, banking or brokerage activity that supports Layer 2 documentation, and (depending on processing speed at the time) potentially the first certificate collection. Some clients combine the HNW application visit with property purchase, brokerage account activation, or other operational milestones to make the trip multi-purpose.

How long do renewals take?#

Annual renewals via Power of Attorney typically take 4–6 weeks from documentation submission to renewal certificate issuance. The renewal documentation demonstrates continued satisfaction of the three layers — typically updated brokerage statements for Layer 2, updated income or asset evidence for Layer 1, and confirmation of continued residency permit or Georgian-source income for Layer 3. We handle the renewal entirely on your behalf via PoA; you don't travel.

What happens if my situation changes mid-year?#

The renewal cycle assesses Layer satisfaction at renewal, so mid-year fluctuations within continued substantial satisfaction don't typically affect status. Material changes — selling the brokerage portfolio below USD 500,000, terminating the residence permit without replacement Layer 3 satisfaction, asset value dropping below Layer 1 threshold — can affect renewal eligibility. We brief you on the configuration changes that warrant proactive discussion before they affect status, and structure renewals to be defensible at the renewal review.

How does HNW interact with my home-country tax residency?#

HNW Tax Residency in Georgia doesn't automatically end your home-country tax residency — most countries have their own residency tests (physical presence, centre of vital interests, habitual abode) that need to resolve cleanly. For most HNW candidates, the goal is becoming Georgian tax resident under HNW while ceasing to be tax resident in the country you're leaving, which usually requires actual relocation of life-base elements (not just paperwork). We discuss the home-country side in the consultation but the home-country tax-residency analysis sits in detailed consultation territory rather than body content.

Is the HNW programme actually used, or theoretical?#

Used. The programme has been operating with the three-layer framework for several years; the Revenue Service handles HNW applications routinely for foreign clients meeting the layers. The programme isn't experimental or seldom-used — it's a real path with established processing. The strictness is real, the path is real, and clients who satisfy the layers obtain the certificate.

What about HNW applicants who don't actually relocate to Georgia?#

The programme doesn't require relocation. It requires the three layers — Layer 3 can be satisfied with a residence permit you hold without spending substantial time in Georgia (a property residence permit, for example, doesn't require minimum stay). The intent is foreign investors with meaningful Georgian footprint who want Georgian tax residency status while continuing to live primarily elsewhere. The 183-day-avoidance is the core feature, not a side effect.

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Ready to assess?#

A free consultation maps your situation against the three-layer framework honestly. If you satisfy all three, we plan the engagement and quote a fixed price. If you satisfy two, we explain what would need to change for full satisfaction. If you don't fit, we say so — the HNW programme is genuinely strict and we don't push readers into engagements that won't satisfy at the Revenue Service. Most consultations resolve into a clear yes / not-yet / no within 30 minutes.