Most nationalities still get 365 days in Georgia with no visa or income test. But since March 2026 a new work-permit regime applies to foreigners working or self-employed there — and how it treats remote work is not fully clear.
Georgia ran a formal "Remotely from Georgia" programme during the pandemic, when borders were mostly closed and countries needed an explicit route for remote workers; it is reported to be no longer active. What has mattered since is simpler: citizens of a long list of countries — including the EU, UK, US and much of the CIS — can enter Georgia and stay for up to 365 days with no visa application, no income threshold and no fee. For years that alone did the job a nomad visa does elsewhere. In 2026 there is an important caveat: Georgia introduced a work-permit regime for foreigners, and anyone planning to actually work from Georgia should understand it before relying on the visa-free year.
The visa-free year
Most countries let tourists stay 90 days or less, so remote workers elsewhere need a special status to stay longer. Georgia's standard visa-free allowance is 365 days for a long list of nationalities, with no income minimum, no visa fee and no renewal process — you enter and your clock starts. Confirm that your specific nationality is on the current visa-free list and which stay length applies, because the list is broad but not universal.
New in 2026: work-permit rules
Under amendments to the labour-migration and foreigners' legal-status laws, plus a government resolution adopted on 20 February 2026, foreigners without permanent residence generally need a formal right to work before taking up employment or self-employment in Georgia. The regime took effect on 1 March 2026, and enforcement against self-employed foreigners already operating in the country was set to begin on 1 May 2026, with a transition deadline of 1 January 2027 for those already registered on the labour-migration portal. Reported details include a state fee of GEL 200 for 30-day processing or GEL 400 for 10 working days, initial permits of around 6 to 12 months, and fines starting at GEL 2,000 for working without a permit.
What is not clear is how this applies to someone who lives in Georgia but works only for a foreign employer or foreign clients. Law-firm summaries state that the rules cover work for a local employer including remote work, and that entirely remote work that does not require entering Georgia is outside the scope; commentators quoted in the local press call the position for foreign-employer remote work done from inside Georgia ambiguous. Visa-free entry no longer implies a right to work, so treat the situation as unresolved until you have confirmed it with a Georgian immigration lawyer or the State Agency for Employment Promotion.
Separately, a Digital Nomad Residency Programme for IT professionals is reported to have started on 1 September 2025: the applicant registers as an individual entrepreneur with small business status, shows at least two years of IT experience and income of not less than US$25,000 a year, and receives a residence permit of up to three years, with a requirement to spend at least 183 days a year in Georgia. These details come from legal-advisory sources rather than the official text, so verify them before relying on them.
What to check before you move
- Whether your nationality is on the current visa-free list and for how long.
- Whether your specific work arrangement needs a Georgian work permit under the 2026 rules, and what transition provisions apply to you.
- The 365-day period is a stay allowance, not residency — a longer-term legal status is a separate process.
- Re-entry rules after the period expires have varied over time; don't assume you can leave and re-enter indefinitely without checking current practice.
Taxation
Georgian tax residents are taxable on income from both Georgian and foreign sources in principle, but foreign-source income of resident individuals is reported by tax advisers to be exempt from personal income tax, so in practice a remote worker earning from services performed abroad generally owes no Georgian personal income tax on it. Georgian-source income is taxed at the standard 20% rate. Tax residency is generally triggered by 183 days in Georgia in a rolling 12-month period, which is a different test from the visa-free stay. Individual entrepreneurs with small business status can pay 1% of turnover up to GEL 500,000 a year on eligible income. These rules have their own conditions, so model your own case with a local tax adviser; this article does not replace our dedicated Georgia tax-residency article.
Connection to property
Georgia places no restriction on foreigners buying residential property (unlike agricultural land, which has real restrictions — see our other Georgia articles), and the low cost of living and property prices in cities like Tbilisi and Batumi make buying practical for people who decide to stay. The visa-free year is also enough time to rent first, look around and make an informed buying decision. Note that tax on residential property sales and rentals follows its own rules, covered in our other Georgia articles.
FAQ
Is the "Remotely from Georgia" programme still something I need to apply for? No — it is reported to be no longer active, and most nationalities can enter visa-free for 365 days anyway. Do I need proof of income to enter visa-free? No — there is no income requirement for the standard visa-free stay. Do I need a work permit if I only work for a foreign employer? Unclear: the 2026 rules cover labour activity and self-employment in Georgia, entirely remote work that does not require entering Georgia is excluded for local employers, and the position of foreign-employer remote work done while physically in Georgia is described as ambiguous — confirm with a Georgian immigration lawyer before relying on it. Does staying 365 days make me a Georgian tax resident automatically? Tax residency has its own test, generally 183 days in a rolling 12-month period, so a long stay will usually trigger it. Can I buy property on a visa-free stay? Yes — Georgia doesn't restrict foreign ownership of residential property regardless of visa status.
How we help
We help remote workers understand how Georgia's visa-free stay, work-permit rules, tax residency and property market fit together, and connect you with local advisers for anything requiring a formal legal opinion. Informational only, not immigration or tax advice — visa-free eligibility, work-permit rules and tax rules vary by nationality and situation and change; confirm current rules for your specific case before relying on them.