FAQ

Depending on the purpose of your travel to Georgia, there are different categories of visas that will apply to the occasion. Whether you are planning to go on a visit, study or work and reside there permanently, you will have to apply for a different Georgian Visa, accordingly.The fastest and easiest way to check whether you need a visa to enter and/or stay in Georgia, or transit the territory of Georgia is to click on “DO I NEED VISA” button and process step by step with simple online application.

Before applying, you should first decide which kind of visa (and status of residence) to apply for according to the purpose of your visit in Georgia. The category of visa you must obtain is defined by Georgian immigration law, and relates to the purpose of your travel. A Georgian is divided into the following categories:

• Diplomatic (A)
• Special (B)
• Ordinary (C)
• Immigration (D)
• Transit (T)

To obtain a Georgian visa you may submit the documentation as through E-Application System as via e-Visa Portal depending on the purpose of the travel. The documentation required for application differs depending on which category of visa (and status of residence) you wish to obtain.

E-VISA PORTAL – the easiest way to get a permit of entry into and travel within the territory of Georgia for the purpose of short stay. You have a possibility to obtain the short-term visa without visiting the Georgian Embassy or Consular Office.

E-APPLICATION SYSTEM – through this system you can apply for any category of visa. The system allows to submit e-application for booking time for submission of visa application at the appropriate consular office. Unlike the e-VISA PORTAL, after the visa application is submitted through E-Application System, hard copies of the signed visa application and all other documents necessary to issue a visa shall be submitted to the visa issuing authority by submitting them directly to the visa issuing authority or other body authorised to accept the documents; And in the case of diplomatic and special visas – by directly submitting them to the visa issuing authority, or by post..

Based on the documents submitted and the material obtained by a visa issuing authority, the visa issuing authority shall make the decision to issue or refuse to issue a visa. The decision to issue a visa is made within the following time limits after a visa application is submitted:

• Short-term visa – 10 calendar days
• Short-term visa (if visa application is submitted through the e-VISA PORTAL) – 5 working days
• Long-term visa – 30 calendar days
• D5 immigration visa – 10 calendar days

Residence Permit is one of the main grounds for a foreigner for legal stay in Georgia. Based upon the appropriate grounds, Residence Permit shall be issued with the right of temporary or permanent residence. More information about residence permit can be found at the Public Service Hall, well known for its ”one-stop-shop” services.

In order to obtain residence permit, you can apply to any territorial branch of the Public Service Hall, or register an online application. In this case you need to fill in an electronic application form, upload necessary documents electronically, contact Remote Service Operator and express your will online to get a residence permit.

The following types of residence permit are issued in Georgia:

Labor residence permit

Educational residence permit

Residence permit with the purpose of family reunification

Residence permit of a former citizen of Georgia

Residence permit of a stateless person

Investment residence permit

Temporary residence permit

Short term residence permit

Special Residence Permit

Any person who has been granted a residence permit, shall obtain a residence card and register living address, i.e. place of residence at a corresponding branch of the Public Service Hall. It is compulsory to complete address registration within a month after entry into Georgia. More about address registration see here

A temporary residence card is issued to temporary residence permit holders, refugees and holders of humanitarian status. A permanent residence card is issued to persons who are awarded permanent residence permits on the basis of the Agency’s conclusion.

• Conclusion on granting a temporary residence
• Two biometric photos
• Identity document of foreign citizen;
• Birth certificate (in case of a minor).

• Conclusion on granting a permanent residence permit or/and status of a stateless person;
• Two biometric photos
• Ground of registration
• Identity document (ID card or passport of foreign citizens, birth certificate, et cetera);
• Receipt certifying the payment of service fee.

• Copy of a foreigner’s travel document;
• Copy of a document evidencing lawful stay in Georgia;
• Document evidencing labour and entrepreneurial activity (labour contract or other document evidencing employment); if legal income of a foreigner cannot be proven by the aforementioned documents, monthly amount deposited on the personal bank account (including a bank statement) of the foreigner at least fivefold amount of minimum subsistence defined in Georgia, considering the duration of the labour residence permit, shall also be considered as income;
• Certificate proving that monthly income earned by them from entrepreneurial or labour activities in Georgia / labour remuneration is not less than fivefold amount of minimum subsistence defined in Georgia and a document issued by the Revenue Service proving that annual turnover of an enterprise that employs them / enterprise founded by them (except educational or medical institution) is not less than 50,000 GEL for each foreigner applying for residence permit for employment purposes and in case of educational or medical institution, the annual turnover shall be at least 35,000 GEL for each foreigner applying for residence permit for employment purposes;
• 3/4 cm photo.

If you have a serious accident or suffer from a health condition that comes on suddenly call the toll-free telephone number 112.

112 is the Emergency and Operative Response Center that receives emergency calls from all over Georgia via a unified emergency number - 1-1-2 during 24-hours and 7 days per week. The 112 Operator, regarding the call type, receives, processes and analyses incoming calls and transfers them to the relevant services. These services are:

• Police
• Fire/Rescue
• Ambulance

Emergency and Operative Response Center ensures processing of received calls and transferring them to the relevant services.

More information see at 112

Based on your needs and health condition, your doctor or an emergency service refers you at a clinic or hospital. You can also decide where to receive medical care without a referral from your doctor or emergency service.

List of clinics and hospitals

List of dental clinics

Health insurance in Georgia includes public and private health care insurance.

Public health insurance in Georgia is provided by the universal health care (UHC) system under which the state funds medical treatment. Responsibility for purchasing publicly financed health services lies with the Social Service Agency (SSA). There are handful private insurance companies in Georgia. These companies offer different types of insurance, including health care insurance.

Beneficiaries of the Universal health care programme are persons holding document certifying Georgian citizenship, persons with neutral ID cards or neutral travelling documents. Also stateless persons with status, refugees or persons with humanitarian status seeking for asylum.

If you wish to continue studying or researcher career in Georgia, your education document must be recognised and regarded as equivalent to a diploma issued by an authorised Georgian institution. National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement is an authority which verifies authenticity of an education document issued by a foreign institution and compatibility of the qualification and accomplishments contained in this document with qualification recognised in Georgia.

• Recognition of general, vocational or higher education received abroad for persons pursuing career in Georgia.
• Recognition of education of refugees, internally displaced people and persons who cannot prove their education or qualification as they had studied at institutions, which were liquidated or ceased educational activities.
• Recognition of education received on occupied territories of Georgia.