Georgian visa and entry — which path actually fits your situation.

What you get#

A clear answer about which Georgian visa or entry pathway actually fits your situation. For citizens of the countries on Georgia's one-year visa-free list, the answer is often "you don't need a visa at all, the visa-free regime is operationally better than any application path." For a minority of cases, a C-series visa (tourism with extras, including the 2026 C-5 for remote workers) or a D-series visa (long-term immigration categories) is the right path. We confirm which one applies and handle the application end-to-end if one is needed.

The structure has three other clean properties:

The 1-year visa-free regime is genuinely strong. Citizens of the countries on Georgia's one-year visa-free list can stay up to one year in Georgia without a visa, with no visa application or visa fee. Western European nationals, US, UK, Canada, Israel, Australia, most developed-Asia, and many others qualify. For these passports, no Georgian visa application improves the entry position — the visa-free regime is operationally cleaner than any visa.

C-series and D-series cover specific configurations. The C-series handles short-stay tourism (and tourism-with-extras for the 2026 C-5 remote-worker category). The D-series handles long-term immigration where the foreigner is actually settling — D-1 for work or entrepreneurial activity, D-3 for study or research, D-5 for property owners, others for specific configurations. These aren't alternatives to the visa-free regime for nationals already covered by it; they're pathways for cases where visa-free doesn't apply or where the foreigner wants formalised long-term status.

Visa decisions interact with residency decisions. A foreigner who plans to spend substantial time in Georgia long-term often wants a residence permit rather than a long-stay visa. A foreigner who wants the Georgian tax regime under the HNW programme has Layer 3 residency-permit considerations. The visa-and-entry conversation is rarely fully separable from the broader residency-and-status conversation — we map both together when both are in scope.

What we do#

The first 30 minutes of any visa-and-entry conversation is determining which path actually fits.

Step 1 — Residency Scoping. We map your specific situation: your nationality (which visa-free regime applies, if any), your intended Georgian footprint (visit duration, frequency, work configuration, family component), your reasons for wanting formalised status (predictability, future progression to residency, family travel). The Review identifies the actually-better path — for most readers, this is "use the existing visa-free regime, don't apply for anything." For a minority, it's a specific C-series or D-series path.

Step 2 (only if a visa application is needed) — Application file preparation. For cases where a visa application is actually the right path, we assemble the documentation pack appropriate to the specific visa category: the C-5 for remote workers (evidence that the work is for non-residents, financial evidence, health insurance), D-1 for work or entrepreneurial activity (documents for the activity and, where the labour-migration rules require it, the right to work), D-5 for property owners (property purchase documentation), other D-series as configurations require.

Step 3 (only if a visa application is needed) — Submission and tracking. Visa applications are filed at a Georgian embassy or consulate — the Foreign Ministry's geoconsul.gov.ge consular portal is used to register the application and plan the visit — or, where the category and your nationality allow it, through the Foreign Ministry's e-VISA portal. We submit on your behalf where the channel supports authorised representative submission, otherwise prepare the complete file and brief you for submission. We track the application through consular review and respond to any requests for clarification.

For visa-free entries, no application is needed and no Happy Georgia engagement applies — the Residency Scoping confirms this and you proceed without further service from us.

The pathways#

Visa-free regime — 1-year. Citizens of the countries on Georgia's one-year visa-free list can stay in Georgia for up to one year without a visa. No visa application or visa fee. Western European, US, UK, Canada, Israel, Australia, most developed-Asia nationalities qualify. For these passports, this is operationally the strongest entry path Georgia offers — no Georgian visa application improves on it.

Visa-free entry — 90 days in any 180. A separate rule depends on the document you hold, not your nationality: a valid visa or residence permit issued by one of the countries on a second government list lets you enter Georgia visa-free for 90 days within any 180-day period. This is meaningful for short stays but doesn't support the long-stay patterns the 1-year regime allows. If you rely on this rule and want longer Georgian presence, C-5 (if eligible by nationality) or D-series visas may apply.

Tourists entering Georgia generally need health and accident insurance covering their stay, with at least GEL 30,000 in coverage. Exemptions apply.

C-1 to C-4 — short-stay visas. Standard short-stay categories for nationals of countries without visa-free access. Tourism, business visits, transit. Up to 90 days. Filed at Georgian consulates abroad, or through the e-VISA portal where your nationality is eligible.

C-5 — multiple-entry visa for remote workers (introduced April 2026). Valid 5 years, with a one-year right to stay counted from your first entry on the visa. For tourism plus work carried out only for non-residents, in connection with their activity outside Georgia. Issued only as an e-visa through the Foreign Ministry's e-VISA portal, for nationals of the countries that can use it. For nationals of one-year-visa-free countries, C-5 usually adds little. For nationals of 90/180-regime or no-visa-free countries, C-5 can be a meaningful upgrade. See C-5 Visa for the full picture.

D-series — long-term immigration visas. Aliens Law Art. 7(3)(d) sets the categories: D-1 (work or entrepreneurial activity, tied to the right to work where the labour-migration rules require it), D-2 (scientific, sporting, cultural or educational missions, certain free professions, internships, volunteering and media assignments), D-3 (adults studying or researching at an authorised educational institution or on an international study programme), D-4 (family reunification), D-5 (property owners — Georgian property with a market value above USD 150,000, the same threshold as the property residence permit since 1 March 2026; typically used in conjunction with property residence permit). Designed for foreigners actually settling in Georgia for the visa-defined purpose. Filed through the Foreign Ministry's consular channels; we confirm the right channel for your category at scoping. The D-series is more substantive than the C-series — the application bar is higher, the documentation is more substantial, and the visa supports a path toward residence permits.

Residence permits as the long-term alternative. For foreigners who want formal long-term Georgian status with broader rights (work authorisation in some categories, family residency, path toward permanent residence and citizenship), a residence permit is the right path rather than a long-stay visa. C-5 and the D-series visas address specific configurations; residence permits address the long-term-presence question with more rights and progression.

When you don't need any application#

For nationals of one-year-visa-free countries, the answer to "which Georgian visa do I need?" is often "none — the visa-free regime is the better path." Specifically:

• Western European nationals (EU, UK, Norway, Switzerland, etc.) — 1-year visa-free regime
• US, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand nationals — 1-year visa-free regime
• Israeli, Japanese, South Korean, Singaporean nationals — 1-year visa-free regime
• Most other developed-economy nationals — 1-year visa-free regime

Holders of these passports who want to spend substantial time in Georgia don't need C-5, don't need D-series visas, and (unless they want formal long-term status with progression rights) often don't need residence permits either. The visa-free regime + occasional re-entry + a Georgian operational footprint covers most foreign-founder configurations cleanly.

The Residency Scoping for these clients typically results in "your existing visa-free regime is the better path" with documented confirmation explaining why C-5 or D-series wouldn't improve the position.

When a visa application is the right path#

A visa application is the right path when:

• Your nationality isn't on the one-year visa-free list (including if your only visa-free option is 90 days in 180 on another country's visa or residence permit)
• You want predictability that visa-free regimes don't always provide (regulatory changes, border-crossing variability)
• You're pursuing a configuration the visa-free regime doesn't support (long-term family travel under one status, long-term remote work with non-Georgian employer, formal Georgian-employed work)
• You're pursuing residency-and-citizenship progression where a D-series visa is part of the pathway

For these cases, the Residency Scoping identifies the specific visa category (C-5, D-3, D-5, etc.) and we handle the application end-to-end. Pricing is engagement-specific — Residency Scoping pricing is fixed; Application Support pricing depends on the visa category and complexity.

Why Happy Georgia#

Independent advisory. No tied visa services, no commission for steering you toward an application you don't need. Our recommended path for most readers is "use the existing visa-free regime" — that's the actually-correct answer, and it's the answer we give honestly even when it means no Application Support engagement.

Foreign clients only. Our entire practice is foreigners setting up in or visiting Georgia. Every engagement starts from your own situation: where you live and pay tax, who your clients are, and what you plan to do in Georgia.

Fixed pricing. Residency Scoping pricing is fixed; Application Support pricing depends on the visa category and complexity. We quote in EUR, we honor the quote, no surprises later.

Frequently asked questions#

How do I know which visa-free regime my passport qualifies for?#

The Georgian government maintains an official entry-requirements database at geoconsul.gov.ge that lists each country's regime. Citizens of the countries on the visa-free list can stay up to one year (a few are on shorter terms); holders of a valid visa or residence permit from a country on a second list can enter for 90 days in any 180; other nationalities need a visa. The Residency Scoping confirms your specific entitlement and identifies the right path.

If I have 1-year visa-free entry, why would I ever apply for C-5 or another visa?#

Almost never. The 1-year visa-free regime is operationally better than C-5 for nationals who already have it — up to one year in Georgia without a visa, with no visa application, visa fee or portal submission. C-5 makes sense for nationals without the 1-year regime. For 1-year-visa-free nationals, the only common reasons to apply for a visa are pursuing D-series visas as part of a long-term immigration path (toward residence permits and progression) or specific configurations the visa-free regime doesn't support.

Can my family come on the same regime I use?#

For visa-free entries, each family member's regime depends on their individual nationality — a German father and Georgian-citizen mother and Israeli minor children each have their own entitlement. For C-5, the law extends the visa to the holder's spouse and minor children, each with their own visa. For D-series, family reunification (D-4) is the dedicated category for family members joining a primary applicant, and the D-5 property-owner visa also covers the owner's spouse and children. We can assist with family members' applications on request.

Where do I actually apply for a Georgian visa when I need one?#

Visa applications go through Georgian consulates abroad (the geoconsul.gov.ge consular portal handles registration and visit planning) or the Foreign Ministry's e-VISA portal where the category and nationality allow. The C-5 is issued only as an e-visa through the Foreign Ministry's e-VISA portal, with the decision due on the fifth working day after the application (up to ten working days where further checks are needed). Application channels and processing times are subject to change as Georgian authorities deploy new visa categories; we track the current state of each channel in active engagements.

How long does a typical visa application take?#

Depends on the category and the channel. For the C-5, the decision is due on the fifth working day after the application (up to ten working days where further checks are needed). For other categories, we give you the current expected timeline at scoping. We prepare a complete file so the application isn't held up by missing documents.

What if my nationality doesn't have any visa-free regime?#

Some nationalities require a visa for any entry to Georgia. For these passports, the C-series (short-stay) or D-series (long-term) handles the entry. The Residency Scoping identifies the specific category that fits your purpose for entering — tourism, business, study, work, family reunification, property ownership, etc. We handle the application end-to-end where the engagement makes sense; some configurations are better served by a different jurisdiction's pathway entirely, and we say so when that's the case.

Can I switch from a visa to a residence permit?#

Often, with one legal limit: a residence permit generally can't be issued on the basis of a C-category ordinary visa — which includes the C-5 — or to someone in Georgia under Article 10(3¹) on a third-country visa or residence permit. The exceptions are the investment permit, the special permit, the temporary permit for victims of violence and the IT permit (Aliens Law Art. 14(1³)–(1⁴)). D-series visa holders can go on to residence permits — a D-1 visa for work or entrepreneurial activity can precede a work residence permit, which has its own conditions, including the right to work; the D-5 property-owner visa uses the same property threshold as the property residence permit. The visa and residence permit serve different functions: the visa governs entry; the residence permit governs long-term lawful residence with broader rights. We coordinate visa and residence permit engagements together when both are in scope.

What's the relationship between visa-and-entry and tax residency?#

Independent. Under the standard rule, 183 or more qualifying days within any continuous 12-month period ending in the relevant tax year make you a Georgian tax resident, regardless of which visa or visa-free regime brought you here. C-5's one-year stay allowance, in particular, can take a holder to the 183-day threshold if much of it is used. We brief active engagements on the tax-residency interaction and coordinate with Tax Residency planning when the visa stay length crosses into tax-residency territory.

Ready to assess?#

A free consultation maps your nationality and situation against the visa and visa-free pathways. Where your nationality is on the one-year visa-free list, the answer is often "your existing visa-free regime is the right path — no application needed" and the Residency Scoping documents this in writing. For cases where C-5, D-series, or another application path actually fits, we handle the engagement end-to-end. The free consultation determines which engagement actually applies — most consultations resolve in 30 minutes.