HNWI and Golden Visa — property-based residency
Trust L1Updated Dec 23, 2025
Tbilisi
Contract checks and legal onboarding essentials.
Most newcomers assume they can start work without paperwork, but Georgian labour law requires a written contract for any fixed-term job or if the employee asks, with a maximum six-month probation and at least 24calendar days of paid leave. If you want to run your own venture, setting up a Georgian LLC (Shpk) is straightforward: you need a local address and, since 2021, just one shareholder-there's no minimum share capital, and the registration fee is about200GEL. Any property purchase, LLC formation, or power-of-attorney must go through a public notary (you'll find offices near Freedom Square and Vake), and the deed is then recorded at the National Agency of Public Registry (NAPR) - the Public Service Hall. For residency, buying a $100,000 property in Saburtalo qualifies you for a one-year Temporary Residence Permit, and Georgia's flat20% personal income tax and 15% corporate tax on profit distribution make it expat-friendly; remember to check the double-tax treaty with your home country (e.g., Germany, UK, France, China).Today, visit the NAPR website to download the property registration checklist and book a notary appointment.
Ranked by contributor trust level and quality score.
Saburtalo · Experience date Feb 16, 2026
Buying property in Georgia (minimum value $100,000 for some programs, originally $35,000 for residence permit) can qualify for a Temporary Residence Permit (TRP). The property-based TRP: valid for 1 year, renewable, requires the property to remain in your ownership. Benefits: official resident status, ability to open accounts as a resident, easier subsequent permanent residency application. The Georgian Golden Visa equivalent: invest $300,000 in Georgian property for fast-tracked residency and eventual citizenship path. Citizenship: 10 years legal residence OR $300,000 investment route. Georgian citizenship allows travel to 112 countries visa-free including Schengen.
Freedom Square · Experience date Nov 14, 2025
Georgia has double taxation treaties (DTTs) with: Germany, France, UK, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, China, India, and many others (40+ countries). These treaties determine where you pay tax on specific income types. For expats: a DTT can mean: you pay tax only in Georgia (lower rates) rather than your home country on Georgian-sourced income. Complexity: home country tax residency rules may mean you owe tax there regardless. UK example: if you remain a UK tax resident while working from Georgia, HMRC still taxes your worldwide income. Breaking home-country tax residency is a separate (complex) step before Georgian territorial taxation fully applies.
Fabrika · Experience date Jan 11, 2026
Setting up a Georgian LLC (Shpk — Shromilebuli Pasuxismgeblobis Kompania, equivalent to UK Ltd): Required: 2 shareholders minimum (or 1 since 2021), minimum share capital (no minimum), company address (can use a registered agent address). Registration at the Public Service Hall: $150–300 for legal and registration fees, takes 1–3 days. Georgian LLC: suitable for scaling businesses, hiring Georgian employees, and EU B2B contracts where a limited company is preferred over an IE. Most small freelancers: IE registration is sufficient and simpler. Georgian LLC is used when raising investment or contracting with large Western companies that require a limited liability entity.
Rustaveli · Experience date Mar 25, 2026
Georgia's VAT (Damatebuli Ghirebuleba) is 18%. Registration threshold: 100,000 GEL/year turnover. If your Georgian IE or LLC exceeds this: VAT registration is mandatory. Below 100,000 GEL: VAT registration optional. Most digital nomads and small freelancers stay below this threshold. Once VAT-registered: charge 18% VAT on Georgian client invoices, file monthly VAT returns via the Revenue Service portal. VAT on imports: paid at customs. Foreign services (software, SaaS subscriptions): reverse charge VAT mechanism applies for VAT-registered Georgian businesses. Consult a Georgian accountant if your turnover approaches the threshold.
Vera · Experience date Mar 10, 2026
Tbilisi for digital nomads in 2024: visa-free 365 days, no income tax on foreign-source income (with IE registration and proper structuring), 100–200 Mbps home internet for $10–15/month, co-working from $80–150/month, Bolt taxi anywhere for $2–4, khinkali dinner for $5, Georgian wine by the glass for $4–6. The combination of low costs, complete internet freedom (no blocks, no VPN needed), warm hospitality, excellent food and wine, and a large international community makes Tbilisi uniquely compelling. Main downsides: language barrier (Georgian script is opaque), cold winters in under-heated buildings, and political instability risks (monitor situation). Overall: excellent base for location-independent workers.
Rustaveli · Experience date Dec 6, 2025
If you want to work for a Georgian employer as a foreigner: no work permit required for most nationalities with a valid Georgian visa. EU, US, UK, and many other nationality holders can work for Georgian employers without additional authorization. Employment contract: standard Georgian Labour Code applies. Georgian Labour Code is relatively employee-friendly: 24 days annual leave, clear termination rules, mandatory social security contributions. Salary in Georgia: for international roles at Tbilisi tech companies, $1,000–3,000/month is typical. For local-market roles: 500–1,500 GEL/month. Georgia has a growing tech sector — many Georgian startups hire international talent.
Vake · Experience date Dec 10, 2025
Georgia's constitution and legal system provide foreigners with similar legal rights to Georgian citizens in most civil matters. Key protections: property rights fully enforceable (Georgia has one of the world's most secure property rights systems by international indices), contract rights fully enforceable in Georgian courts, right to open businesses, access to the court system. Rule of law: improving significantly — Georgia ranks 41st globally in the Rule of Law Index (2023), higher than several EU member states. Courts: functional but slow for complex disputes. Georgian legal system uses civil law tradition — similar to European continental law. For major transactions, use a licensed Georgian lawyer.
Rustaveli · Experience date Mar 3, 2026
For legal matters in Georgia: several Tbilisi law firms specialise in expat and foreign business clients. English-speaking Georgian lawyers: available at firms in the Rustaveli and Vake areas. Services: company registration ($150–400), property purchase review ($200–500), visa and residency applications ($200–600), general legal advice ($60–150/hour). Finding a lawyer: expat Facebook groups ('Tbilisi Expats', 'Digital Nomads Georgia') have referrals. Georgian Bar Association lists registered lawyers. Always verify bar registration before engaging. For routine IE registration and simple property purchases: may not need a lawyer at all — the House of Justice process is designed to be self-service.
Vera · Experience date Nov 11, 2025
Georgian notaries (notariusi) are required for: property purchases, company formation and changes, some contract authentications, power of attorney, and document certification. Public notary offices: throughout central Tbilisi, appointment usually available same-day or next-day. Cost: 20–100 GEL for most standard notarisations. Unlike Western countries: Georgian notary appointments are informal and quick — 15–30 minutes for most documents. Documents in foreign languages: need certified translation into Georgian first (translation agencies near Freedom Square, 30–80 GEL per page). For property purchase: your real estate agent will guide you through the notary step — it's standard procedure.
Vake · Experience date Mar 19, 2026
Georgia offers visa-free entry for citizens of most Western countries (US, EU, UK, Canada, Australia, and many others) for up to 365 days per visit. This is one of the world's most generous visa-free policies. To reset: leave and re-enter — but technically you're entitled to a full new 365-day period on re-entry (border officers use discretion for very frequent entry-exit patterns). No work permit required for freelancers and remote workers earning from foreign clients. Georgia's visa policy makes it a default first choice for digital nomads who want maximum flexibility without bureaucratic burden.