Temporary Residence Permit in Georgia: grounds and acquisition procedure
February 15, 2024
Anna Davidson, Founder and Managing Partner of JUST Advisors
The Law of Georgia "On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons in Georgia" provides for two types of residence permits in Georgia: temporary (including short-term) and permanent (including indefinite). Here, we will try to describe as fully and briefly as possible all the grounds for obtaining a temporary residence permit, the documents required for this, as well as the costs (temporary and financial) for each procedure.
Attention — the article discusses direct expenses related to obtaining a residence permit, not the cost of services provided by the company JUST Advisors. You can handle everything yourself, and we explain below how, or you can take advantage of the professionalism and experience of our lawyers, saving time and increasing the chances of a positive decision.
Grounds 1. Business in Georgia (or Residence Permit through Individual Entrepreneurship)
Type of Residence Permit: Temporary
Validity Period: Initially 6 months/1 year, renewable for up to 10 years.
Grounds:
1) Operating Individual Entrepreneurship (with or without small business status).
2) Turnover of at least 50,000 GEL (approximately 19,000 USD at the article's publication date).
Documents:
— Application form;
— Notarized copy and translation of passport;
— Certificate of funds availability in a personal account;
— VAT certificate;
— Certificate of the number of employed foreigners;
— Business turnover statement;
— Applicant's photo.
Processing Time and Cost:
Validity Period: Initially 6 months/1 year, renewable for up to 10 years.
Grounds:
1) Operating Individual Entrepreneurship (with or without small business status).
2) Turnover of at least 50,000 GEL (approximately 19,000 USD at the article's publication date).
Documents:
— Application form;
— Notarized copy and translation of passport;
— Certificate of funds availability in a personal account;
— VAT certificate;
— Certificate of the number of employed foreigners;
— Business turnover statement;
— Applicant's photo.
Processing Time and Cost:
- Residence Permit (30 days/300 GEL; 20 days/450 GEL; 10 days/600 GEL).
- Obtaining Binadrobis (registration and ID) (10 working days – 60 GEL, 5 working days – 80 GEL, 3 working days – 100 GEL, within 24 hours – 120 GEL, same-day application – 150 GEL).
Grounds 2. Employment relationship with a Georgian company (Work Residence Permit)
Type of Residence Permit: Temporary
Validity Period: Initially 6 months/1 year, renewable for up to 10 years, but not exceeding the duration of the employment contract.
Grounds:
1) Valid employment contract with a Georgian company.
2) Company turnover of at least 50,000 GEL (approximately 19,000 USD at the article's publication date) per each employed foreigner.
Documents:
— Application form;
— Notarized copy and translation of passport;
— Employment contract;
— Confirmation of foreign employee registration on the Ministry of Health portal;
— Confirmation of employee income of at least 1500 GEL (net)/or bank statement confirming funds in a personal account;
— Company turnover certificate;
— Certificate of the number of employed foreigners;
— Applicant's photo.
Founders and directors of the company may NOT be Georgian citizens. Individuals applying for a residence permit may be directors or founders of the company, but must also work in the company under an employment contract.
Procedure and Timeframes/Cost:
Signing an employment contract with a Georgian company. In this case: the salary of the foreign specialist must be at least 5 times the established minimum subsistence level for an average consumer (currently around 300 GEL), i.e., 1500 GEL net (1875 GEL, including income tax); the annual turnover of the employer company must be at least 50,000 GEL per year per foreign specialist (for medical and educational institutions, the turnover per foreign specialist is set at 35,000 GEL per year). That is, if the company has 2 specialists - 100,000 GEL (regardless of how many specialists apply for a residence permit).
Validity Period: Initially 6 months/1 year, renewable for up to 10 years, but not exceeding the duration of the employment contract.
Grounds:
1) Valid employment contract with a Georgian company.
2) Company turnover of at least 50,000 GEL (approximately 19,000 USD at the article's publication date) per each employed foreigner.
Documents:
— Application form;
— Notarized copy and translation of passport;
— Employment contract;
— Confirmation of foreign employee registration on the Ministry of Health portal;
— Confirmation of employee income of at least 1500 GEL (net)/or bank statement confirming funds in a personal account;
— Company turnover certificate;
— Certificate of the number of employed foreigners;
— Applicant's photo.
Founders and directors of the company may NOT be Georgian citizens. Individuals applying for a residence permit may be directors or founders of the company, but must also work in the company under an employment contract.
Procedure and Timeframes/Cost:
Signing an employment contract with a Georgian company. In this case: the salary of the foreign specialist must be at least 5 times the established minimum subsistence level for an average consumer (currently around 300 GEL), i.e., 1500 GEL net (1875 GEL, including income tax); the annual turnover of the employer company must be at least 50,000 GEL per year per foreign specialist (for medical and educational institutions, the turnover per foreign specialist is set at 35,000 GEL per year). That is, if the company has 2 specialists - 100,000 GEL (regardless of how many specialists apply for a residence permit).
- Obtaining a Residence Permit (30 days/300 GEL; 20 days/450 GEL; 10 days/600 GEL).
- Obtaining Binadrobis (registration and ID) (10 working days - 60 GEL, 5 working days - 80 GEL, 3 working days - 100 GEL, within 24 hours - 120 GEL, same-day application - 150 GEL).
Grounds 3. Acquisition of Real Estate in Georgia (from $ 100,000 USD)
Residence Permit Type: Short-term residence permit (1 year).
Procedure, Timeframes/Cost:
Real estate registration in the House of Justice (1 day/225 lari).
Object evaluation (certified appraiser) (2 days/300 lari (price approximate and depends on the object).
Basis:
1) Ownership right to real estate valued at least 100,000 USD.
Documents:
— Application form;
— Notarized copy and translation of passport;
— Evaluation/report from a certified appraiser;
— Applicant's photo.
Procedure, Timeframes/Cost:
Real estate registration in the House of Justice (1 day/225 lari).
Object evaluation (certified appraiser) (2 days/300 lari (price approximate and depends on the object).
Basis:
1) Ownership right to real estate valued at least 100,000 USD.
Documents:
— Application form;
— Notarized copy and translation of passport;
— Evaluation/report from a certified appraiser;
— Applicant's photo.
- Residence Permit Acquisition (30 days/300 lari; 20 days/450 lari; 10 days/600 lari).
- Receiving Binadrob (registration and ID) (10 working days/60 lari, 5 working days/80 lari, 3 working days/100 lari, within 24 hours/120 lari, on the day of application submission/150 lari).
Grounds 4. Making Investments in the Economy of Georgia in the Amount of $300,000 USD
Type of Residence Permit: Temporary residence permit for investment purposes (5 years) — further indefinite.
Procedure and Timeline/Cost:
Acquisition of real estate amounting to at least 300,000 US dollars or investment (including acquiring shares/interests in the statutory capital of a Georgian company) amounting to 300,000 US dollars.
Registration of real estate deeds/shares/interests or a new company at the House of Justice (1 day/225 lari).
Evaluation of the property/shares/interests (certified appraiser and/or auditor) (3 days/500 lari, price approximate and subject to the object).
Documents:
— Application form;
— Notarized copy and translation of passport;
— Evaluation/report from a certified appraiser and/or auditor;
— Applicant's photograph.
Annually for 5 years, the Investor must demonstrate business activity and confirm the turnover of the company in which they invested: in the first year — the turnover of their investments must be at least 50,000 US dollars, in the second — at least 100,000 US dollars, in years 3-5 — at least 120,000 US dollars. If investments were made in real estate, the composition of the property may change).
After 5 years, obtaining indefinite residency permit.
Procedure and Timeline/Cost:
Acquisition of real estate amounting to at least 300,000 US dollars or investment (including acquiring shares/interests in the statutory capital of a Georgian company) amounting to 300,000 US dollars.
Registration of real estate deeds/shares/interests or a new company at the House of Justice (1 day/225 lari).
Evaluation of the property/shares/interests (certified appraiser and/or auditor) (3 days/500 lari, price approximate and subject to the object).
Documents:
— Application form;
— Notarized copy and translation of passport;
— Evaluation/report from a certified appraiser and/or auditor;
— Applicant's photograph.
- Obtaining Residence Permit (30 days/300 lari; 20 days/450 lari; 10 days/600 lari).
- Obtaining identification documents (residence registration and ID) (10 business days/60 lari, 5 business days/80 lari, 3 business days/100 lari, within 24 hours/120 lari, on the day of application/150 lari).
Annually for 5 years, the Investor must demonstrate business activity and confirm the turnover of the company in which they invested: in the first year — the turnover of their investments must be at least 50,000 US dollars, in the second — at least 100,000 US dollars, in years 3-5 — at least 120,000 US dollars. If investments were made in real estate, the composition of the property may change).
After 5 years, obtaining indefinite residency permit.
Grounds 5. "Student" Residence Permit (for studying at an authorized educational institution in Georgia)
Residence Permit Type: Temporary residence permit for the purpose of education (typically for 1 year).
Procedure and Timeline/Cost:
1. Obtaining a certificate from an authorized educational institution confirming the applicant's status as a school student or student.
Documents:
— Completed application form.
— Notarized copy and translation of passport.
— Notarized copy and translation of birth certificate.
— Certificate from the educational institution.
— Bank statement confirming the availability of funds in the applicant's personal account (for underage applicants, a statement from the parent's account).
— Applicant's photo.
Procedure and Timeline/Cost:
1. Obtaining a certificate from an authorized educational institution confirming the applicant's status as a school student or student.
Documents:
— Completed application form.
— Notarized copy and translation of passport.
— Notarized copy and translation of birth certificate.
— Certificate from the educational institution.
— Bank statement confirming the availability of funds in the applicant's personal account (for underage applicants, a statement from the parent's account).
— Applicant's photo.
- Obtaining Residence Permit: The timeline and cost may vary depending on the processing time of the application and any associated fees set by the immigration authorities.
- Obtaining Binadrobis (registration and ID) (10 working days: 60 lari; 5 working days: 80 lari; 3 working days: 100 lari; Within 24 hours: 120 lari; Same-day application: 150 lari)
Grounds 6. Family reunification (in case any family member has previously obtained any residence permit based on grounds 1-6).
Residence permit type: Same as that of the family member with whom the applicant is reuniting.
Documents:
— Application form;
— Notarized copy and translation of passport;
— Notarized translation of the document confirming the relationship with the family member who has a residence permit;
— Bank statement;
— Applicant's photo.
The bank statement should confirm the availability of funds, which must be at least twice the established subsistence minimum per capita per month, taking into account the duration of the residence permit (on average 5,500-6,000 lari per person). The statement must be obtained by the applicant. If the applicant is a minor, it can be obtained by either parent.
Procedure and timelines/cost:
Documents:
— Application form;
— Notarized copy and translation of passport;
— Notarized translation of the document confirming the relationship with the family member who has a residence permit;
— Bank statement;
— Applicant's photo.
The bank statement should confirm the availability of funds, which must be at least twice the established subsistence minimum per capita per month, taking into account the duration of the residence permit (on average 5,500-6,000 lari per person). The statement must be obtained by the applicant. If the applicant is a minor, it can be obtained by either parent.
Procedure and timelines/cost:
- Obtaining the residence permit (30 days/300 lari; 20 days/450 lari; 10 days/600 lari).
- Obtaining the "binadrobis" (registration and ID) (10 working days - 60 lari, 5 working days - 80 lari, 3 working days - 100 lari, within 24 hours - 120 lari, on the day of application - 150 lari).
The procedure for submitting documents
When obtaining any temporary residence permit, the following documents are required (in addition to those mentioned above):
— Notarized translation of the identity document.
— Application form (filled out at the Justice House in Russian),
— Photo (provided by the Justice House).
To obtain the binadrobe you need to register your place of residence by providing a notarized consent from the owner of the real estate property or ensuring their personal presence at the Justice House when submitting the documents.
— Notarized translation of the identity document.
— Application form (filled out at the Justice House in Russian),
— Photo (provided by the Justice House).
To obtain the binadrobe you need to register your place of residence by providing a notarized consent from the owner of the real estate property or ensuring their personal presence at the Justice House when submitting the documents.
1. The initial application for obtaining a temporary residence permit can be submitted in person or through a representative. However, at the time of application, the Applicant MUST be present in Georgia and must have at least 40 days remaining until the end of their lawful stay in the country.
2. Application for the extension of the residence permit can be submitted in person or remotely through a representative under the following conditions:
3. When submitting the application through a representative, it is NOT REQUIRED for the Applicant to be present in Georgia.
4. The document package required for the extension of the residence permit is the same as that for obtaining the initial residence permit.
5. When submitting the application through a representative, a notarized power of attorney will be required.
2. Application for the extension of the residence permit can be submitted in person or remotely through a representative under the following conditions:
- There are 7 calendar days remaining until the end of the investment residence permit or residence permit based on real estate.
- There are 40 calendar days remaining until the end of the validity period of any other temporary residence permit.
3. When submitting the application through a representative, it is NOT REQUIRED for the Applicant to be present in Georgia.
4. The document package required for the extension of the residence permit is the same as that for obtaining the initial residence permit.
5. When submitting the application through a representative, a notarized power of attorney will be required.
If you are already eligible to obtain a residence permit in Georgia, please leave your application, and we will be happy to assist you!
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MARIA GUSEINOVA
Leading Manager of Commercial Department
Leading Manager of Commercial Department