Most foreign founders don't need C-5. We confirm yours, or handle the application.

What you get#

Two distinct outcomes, depending on your situation.

If you already have the 1-year visa-free regime — and most readers of this page do — you get clarity that C-5 doesn't add value for you. A Residency Scoping walks through your nationality's visa-free entitlement and confirms whether C-5 would actually improve your position. For foreigners from Western Europe, the US, UK, Canada, Israel, Australia, and the other 90+ countries with 1-year visa-free entry to Georgia, the answer is almost always no — the visa-free regime is operationally simpler and longer-term than C-5's per-visit limits. Documented confirmation of this in your file matters more than an unnecessary visa application.

If C-5 is genuinely the right path, you get the application handled end-to-end. We prepare the documentation pack (proof of remote work for non-resident employers, financial evidence, health insurance, valid passport), troubleshoot eligibility against the "safe country" list, and submit through the Georgian government portal once the application channel is live. State retains discretion to refuse with no appeal, so the file preparation is the substance of what we deliver — getting the documentation right before submission is what separates accepted applications from refused ones.

The combined effect: certainty about your visa position before you commit to an application that may not improve your situation, and execution capability for the cases where C-5 is the right answer.

What we do#

The first 30 minutes of any C-5 conversation is determining whether C-5 actually fits your situation versus the alternatives.

Step 1 — Residency Scoping. We map your specific situation: your nationality (which visa-free regime applies), your physical-presence pattern in Georgia, your income source (remote work for non-resident employers, or income flowing through a Georgian structure), your reasons for wanting formalised status. Most readers we work with already have the 1-year visa-free regime — for them, C-5 is operationally worse, not better. The Review documents which path actually fits.

Step 2 (only if C-5 fits) — Application file preparation. For the minority of cases where C-5 is the right answer, we assemble the required documentation pack: proof of remote work for non-resident employers, financial documentation demonstrating capacity to support the stay, health insurance valid for Georgia, valid passport with adequate remaining validity. The bar for documentation completeness is high — incomplete submissions are rejected immediately with no second chances.

Step 3 (only if C-5 fits) — Submission and tracking. Once the application portal is live, submission happens through the official Georgian government channel (standard or e-visa option, with the e-visa expected to process in approximately 5 working days). We submit on your behalf where the portal supports authorised representative submission, otherwise prepare the complete file and brief you for portal submission. We track the application through the consular review process and respond to any requests for clarification.

The application portal launch and exact processing details are not yet finalised at the time of this writing — the C-5 framework is on the books from April 2026 but the implementation infrastructure is still being deployed by Georgian authorities. Residency Scoping can be delivered immediately; Application Support engagement starts once the portal accepts submissions.

What's included#

Residency Scoping (the standalone engagement):

• Mapping your visa-free entitlement by nationality against C-5 eligibility
• Comparison of C-5 against your current visa or visa-free status
• Identification of the actually-better path for your situation (visa-free, C-5, residence permit, founder/director exemption pathways)
• Written confirmation document explaining the recommended path and reasoning
• Brief on what to keep on file regarding visa status and any future configuration changes

C-5 Application Support (when C-5 is the right path):

• Full application file preparation
• Proof-of-remote-work documentation assembly for non-resident employer evidence
• Financial documentation pack
• Health insurance verification and arrangement assistance if needed
• Application submission via the official portal once live
• Application tracking and consular correspondence handling
• Brief on operating under the C-5 status post-issuance

What you'll need to qualify#

Three things. We confirm all three before recommending C-5.

Your nationality is on the eligible "safe country" list. Georgia restricts C-5 eligibility to nationals of countries the government treats as "safe" for entry — the specific list is being finalised by Georgian authorities. The Residency Scoping confirms whether your nationality is included. Most Western European, North American, and developed-Asian nationalities are expected to be eligible; some other nationalities may not be.

Your work is genuinely remote, for non-resident employers, with no Georgian client base. C-5 is for tourism with remote work for foreign employers operating outside Georgia. Working for Georgian companies, serving Georgian clients, or otherwise entering the Georgian labour market disqualifies you from C-5 eligibility (and is grounds for status revocation if discovered post-issuance). For foreign-client freelancers, IT contractors serving overseas businesses, employees of foreign companies — the configuration fits cleanly. For mixed-market or Georgia-based work — C-5 doesn't apply and a different path is needed.

Your documentation supports the application. Proof of remote work (employment contract with a non-resident employer, freelance contracts with foreign clients, business documentation for own foreign-revenue business), financial documentation supporting your capacity to fund the stay, valid health insurance, and a passport with adequate remaining validity. Incomplete submissions are rejected immediately.

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

How C-5 compares to alternatives#

For most foreign clients we serve, C-5 isn't the right path because better alternatives exist. The Residency Scoping walks through which alternative actually fits your situation.

1-year visa-free regime. Foreigners from 90+ countries (Western Europe, US, UK, Canada, Israel, Australia, and many others) can already enter Georgia visa-free for up to 365 days per entry under the existing regime. This is operationally better than C-5 for those nationalities — no application paperwork, no fee, no portal-submission friction, no "safe country" list dependency, and the same 1-year stay capacity per entry. C-5 doesn't improve on this for these nationalities. The most common Residency Scoping outcome for our typical client base is "your existing visa-free regime is the better path."

Founder/director exemptions. Foreign founders, directors, and board members of Georgian legal entities (LLC, Virtual Zone, International Company, FIZ) are categorically exempt from work permit requirements and have established pathways to residence permits if they want long-term status. For foreigners running Georgian companies, the founder/director route is structurally cleaner than C-5 — see Work Permit for the exemption framework and Residency & Permit for the residence permit options.

Residence permits. For foreigners who want longer-term presence in Georgia with a formal status that allows broader activity (including potentially Georgian-employer work), a residence permit is the right path. Property residence permit (USD 150,000+ Georgian property), work residence permit (foreign-client IE economic activity), investment residence permit, and IT-specialist residence permit each fit different configurations. C-5 isn't a residence permit — it's a long-stay visa, structurally lighter than residency. Most readers wanting long-term Georgian presence are better served by a residence permit than by C-5.

D-series immigration visas. For nationals of countries that need a visa for any Georgian entry, the D-series visa categories address specific configurations (D-3 for foreign workers, D-5 for property owners requiring USD 150,000+ Georgian property, etc.). C-5 fills a different gap — short-stay multiple-entry tourism for remote workers, not long-term immigration.

When C-5 is the right structure#

C-5 fits readers who:

• Are nationals of countries with the 90/180-day visa-free regime (or no visa-free regime), not the 1-year regime
• Spend substantial time in Georgia annually but don't want to commit to a residence permit
• Work entirely remotely for non-resident employers with no Georgian client base
• Want predictable long-stay status without immigration commitment
• Travel as a family with spouse and/or minor children

If you're a national of a 1-year-visa-free country, C-5 is almost certainly not the right path — your existing entitlement is operationally better. If you're a foreign founder, director, or operator of a Georgian company, founder/director exemptions are structurally cleaner. If you want long-term Georgian presence with broader rights, a residence permit is the right path.

We say so honestly in the Residency Scoping when C-5 isn't the right answer for your situation.

Why Happy Georgia#

Independent advisory. No tied visa services, no commission for steering you toward an application you don't actually need. We confirm the actually-better path — which for most readers we serve is the existing 1-year visa-free regime rather than C-5.

Foreign clients only. Our entire practice is foreigners setting up in or visiting Georgia. We've worked through the visa-comparison conversation for a German freelancer comparing C-5 against 1-year visa-free, the founder-exemption analysis for a Tel Aviv founder of a Georgian VZ LLC, the residence-permit-vs-C-5 question for a Singapore-based investor planning long-term Georgian presence.

Fixed pricing, no tourist tax. Residency Scoping and C-5 Application Support pricing on request — most consultations resolve the right-path question in 30 minutes, and pricing follows once the actual engagement is identified. 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#

What is the C-5 visa exactly?#

A multiple-entry Georgian visa introduced in April 2026, valid for 5 years, allowing up to 12 consecutive months of stay per visit. Designed for foreign nationals coming to Georgia for tourism while working remotely for non-resident employers operating outside Georgia. Spouses and minor children can accompany the C-5 holder.

How does C-5 compare to the 1-year visa-free regime?#

For nationals of the 90+ countries with 1-year visa-free entry to Georgia (Western Europe, US, UK, Canada, Israel, Australia, and others), the visa-free regime is operationally better than C-5 — same 1-year stay capacity per entry, no application paperwork, no fee, no portal friction. C-5's value is primarily for nationals of countries with the 90/180-day regime or no visa-free entry, where C-5 represents a meaningful upgrade in stay duration and predictability.

Who is C-5 actually designed for?#

Foreign nationals from countries Georgia treats as "safe" for entry, who don't have access to the 1-year visa-free regime, and who want to spend substantial time in Georgia working remotely for foreign employers. The typical fit is a national of a country with shorter visa-free entitlement (or none), working remotely for foreign clients or a foreign employer, who wants predictable long-stay status without applying for a residence permit.

Can I work in Georgia with a C-5 visa?#

You can work remotely for non-resident employers — foreign clients, foreign companies that employ you remotely, your own non-Georgian business. You cannot work for Georgian companies, serve Georgian clients, or enter the Georgian labour market in any capacity while on C-5. Doing so is grounds for status revocation. The framework is "tourism plus remote work for foreign sources" — not a labour-market entry visa.

What documents does the application need?#

Proof of remote work (employment contract with non-resident employer, or freelance/business documentation showing foreign-source income), financial documentation demonstrating capacity to support the stay in Georgia, valid health insurance covering the period of stay, and a valid passport with adequate remaining validity. Incomplete submissions are rejected immediately with no second chances — file completeness matters more than wishful thinking.

When is the application portal actually live?#

The C-5 framework was introduced in April 2026 but the application portal and exact processing details are still being deployed by Georgian authorities at the time of writing. Residency Scoping can be delivered immediately; Application Support engagement starts once the portal accepts submissions. We track portal availability and will brief active engagements when the channel opens.

What if my application is refused?#

Georgian authorities retain wide discretion to refuse C-5 applications for immigration-policy reasons, and there is no appeal mechanism for refusals. This makes file completeness and configuration alignment with the regulation critical at the application stage — a refusal closes the C-5 path for that application cycle. We minimise refusal risk by assembling defensible files for genuinely eligible candidates, and we don't push readers toward applications where the eligibility is marginal.

Can my family come with me on C-5?#

Yes. Spouses and minor children are eligible for C-5 status alongside the primary applicant. This is one of C-5's distinguishing features versus other long-stay tourist visa categories — the family component is built into the framework rather than treated as a separate immigration question. The family members' applications are typically processed alongside the primary application.

Does C-5 lead to residence permits or citizenship?#

No, not directly. C-5 is a long-stay tourist visa, not an immigration status. It doesn't accumulate toward the 10-year continuous residence requirement for permanent residence or citizenship, and it doesn't carry the rights of a residence permit (broader work authorisation, social benefits, etc.). For foreigners who want a path toward long-term Georgian presence with progression rights, a residence permit is the right starting point — see Residency & Permit.

How does C-5 interact with Georgian tax residency?#

Spending more than 183 days in Georgia in a calendar year makes you a Georgian tax resident under the standard rule, regardless of your visa status. C-5 doesn't change the tax-residency analysis — if you stay 12 months on C-5 (the maximum per visit), you cross 183 days and become a Georgian tax resident, with all that implies for your home-country tax position. Most C-5 holders who plan extended stays should also assess their Georgian tax residency position. See Tax Residency for the framework.

Ready to assess?#

If you hold a passport with the 1-year visa-free regime, C-5 likely doesn't add value for your situation — Residency Scoping confirms this in writing. If you're from a country with shorter visa-free entitlement and want the predictable long-stay status, C-5 may be the right path and we handle the application end-to-end once the portal is live. The free consultation determines which engagement actually fits your situation.