Residence Permit and TRC in Tbilisi, Georgia

 

Foreign nationals who wish to live and work in Georgia for a longer period may need not only a Temporary Residence Permit, but also, under the new 2026 rules, a work permit. At ResidencePermits.ge, we assist clients in Tbilisi and across Georgia with the full process of obtaining a Georgian residence permit, Temporary Residence Card (TRC), document preparation, translations, legal representation, and related immigration support.

Georgia remains one of the most attractive countries for entrepreneurs, IT specialists, freelancers, investors, employees, and family members seeking legal stay and business opportunities. However, from 1 March 2026, foreign nationals working in Georgia must pay increased attention to the connection between their immigration status and labour law compliance.

 

Temporary Residence Permit in Georgia

A Temporary Residence Permit (TRP) in Georgia gives a foreign national the legal right to stay in the country for an extended period on a specific legal ground. Depending on the case, residence permits may be granted based on employment, entrepreneurial activity, company ownership, family reunification, study, property ownership, or investment.

After the residence permit is approved, the applicant must obtain a Temporary Residence Card (TRC), which serves as the official Georgian residence identification document.

 

Important 2026 Update: Work Permit and Residence Permit Are Now Linked

Under Georgia’s new labour migration rules effective from 1 March 2026, many foreign nationals who work in Georgia must first obtain a work permit from the competent labour authority. This is a major legal change, because Georgia previously had no general work permit system for foreign nationals.

A work permit alone is not enough. In most cases, the foreign national must also hold a valid immigration basis to remain in Georgia, which means either:

• a D1 immigration visa, if applying from abroad, or
• a work residence permit or another relevant residence permit, if already in Georgia.

If you are already in Georgia and your work permit is approved, you generally must apply for the relevant residence permit within 10 days. If you are outside Georgia when the work permit is issued, you generally must apply for the D1 visa within 30 days.

 

Who May Need a Work Permit in Georgia from 2026?

The new rules affect a broad range of foreign nationals who do not hold permanent residence in Georgia, including:

• foreign employees working for Georgian companies under employment contracts,
• self-employed individuals and freelancers carrying out income-generating activities in Georgia,
• registered Individual Entrepreneurs,
• foreign founders, directors, and active managers of Georgian companies.

This means that many foreigners who opened a Georgian LLC, registered as an Individual Entrepreneur, or actively manage their own company from Georgia may also fall under the new work permit regime.

 

Who Is Exempt?

Certain categories may be exempt from the work permit requirement, including persons with permanent residence in Georgia, refugees, asylum seekers, diplomatic staff, some representatives of international organisations, accredited journalists, and holders of investment residence permits. The exact legal status should always be reviewed individually before filing.

 

How to Obtain a Georgian Temporary Residence Permit

To apply for a temporary residence permit in Georgia, the applicant must generally satisfy the following conditions:

1. Your passport, visa, entry stamp, or current document proving legal stay in Georgia must remain valid for at least 40 days at the time of application.
2. First-time residence permit applications must usually be submitted while the applicant is physically present in Georgia. After submission, representation by power of attorney may be possible for certain follow-up actions.
3. The application must be supported by a valid legal basis, such as employment, business activity, entrepreneurship, family relationship, study, or property ownership.

 

Required Documents for a Work Residence Permit in Georgia

The exact list of documents depends on the legal ground of application, but in employment and business-related cases the following are commonly required:

• completed application form,
• valid passport or travel document,
• biometric or electronic photograph,
• document confirming legal stay in Georgia,
• employment contract, company registration extract, or Individual Entrepreneur registration document,
• proof of monthly income or sufficient financial means,
• bank statement, where applicable,
• supporting documents from the employer or company,
• certified Georgian translations of foreign-language documents when required.

 

Financial and Employer Requirements

For many employment-based residence permit applications, the applicant must demonstrate income at the level required by Georgian law. In practice, this usually means proving monthly income of at least five times the subsistence minimum in Georgia.

In addition, for foreign employees, the employing company may need to prove sufficient turnover. As a general rule, the company’s annual turnover should exceed 50,000 GEL per employed foreigner. For educational or medical activities, this threshold may be lower, typically 35,000 GEL per foreign employee.

 

Application Process for Residence Permit in Georgia

1. Document review and preparation – we check your passport, legal basis, income documents, company or employment documents, and translations.
2. Submission in Georgia – first-time applicants usually submit while physically present in Georgia through the Public Service Hall.
3. Authority review – the authority may request additional documents or clarification.
4. Residence permit approval – once approved, the applicant proceeds to receive the TRC card.

 

State Fees for Residence Permit Applications

Government processing fees for residence permit applications typically depend on the speed of review:

• 300 GEL – standard review,
• 450 GEL – faster review,
• 600 GEL – urgent review.

The exact processing track and timing should always be confirmed before submission.

 

How to Apply for a Work Permit in Georgia

For foreign nationals who need a work permit under the new 2026 rules, the process differs depending on whether the person is self-employed or employed by a Georgian company.

Self-Employed Persons, Freelancers and Individual Entrepreneurs

Self-employed foreign nationals generally apply personally through the labour migration electronic system. The application may require professional history, education details, description of activity, supporting business documentation, and in some cases a business plan. The procedure may also include a video interview with the authority.

For foreigners already active in Georgia as self-employed persons, a very important compliance deadline applies: 1 May 2026.

Employees of Georgian Companies

If the foreign national works under an employment contract with a Georgian employer, the work permit procedure is generally initiated by the employer. Before filing, the position may need to be advertised through the state labour system, and the authority may first assess whether a Georgian candidate is available for the role.

For foreign employees already registered in the labour system, the key transition deadline is 1 January 2027.

 

Validity of Work Permits

Under the new system, a work permit is generally granted for six months to one year. In the IT sector, more favourable rules may apply, with initial permits and renewals potentially available for up to three years.

If the holder changes employer, changes sector, or materially changes the legal basis of work, a new application or update may be required.

 

Restricted Sectors and Quotas

For 2026, Georgia introduced sector-based quotas for foreign workers. In some sectors the quota is effectively zero, which means foreign nationals without permanent residence may not be able to obtain work permits in those fields. These restrictions make individual legal review especially important before relocation or business planning.

 

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Working in Georgia without the required permit may lead to significant administrative fines. These fines can affect not only the foreign national, but also the employer or self-employed person operating without proper legal status. Repeated violations may lead to substantially higher penalties.

 

Temporary Residence Card (TRC) in Georgia

After your residence permit is approved, you must obtain the Temporary Residence Card (TRC). This card is the official biometric proof of lawful residence in Georgia and is commonly required for identification before authorities, banks, and other institutions.

 

Important Practical Note for Foreign Entrepreneurs and Company Directors

Many foreigners register a company in Georgia and assume that company ownership alone automatically allows them to live and work in the country. This is not always the case. Under the new rules, if you are a foreign founder, director, or active manager of a Georgian company and you perform real work activity in Georgia, you may need both:

• a valid work permit, and
• the correct residence permit or immigration status.

This is especially important for LLC owners, directors, IT entrepreneurs, consultants, and registered Individual Entrepreneurs operating from Tbilisi or elsewhere in Georgia.

 

How We Can Help

At ResidencePermits.ge, we assist foreign nationals with:

• temporary residence permit applications in Georgia,
• TRC card procedures,
• work residence permit strategy,
• document collection and legal review,
• certified translations,
• power of attorney representation,
• company registration and Individual Entrepreneur setup,
• legal address and business support in Tbilisi.

If you are planning to relocate to Georgia, work remotely, register an Individual Entrepreneur, open a company, or regularise your immigration status under the new 2026 labour rules, we can help you prepare the correct legal pathway.

 

A residence permit in Georgia is no longer just an immigration matter. From 2026, many foreign nationals must review both their labour law status and their residence status together. Whether you are an employee, freelancer, Individual Entrepreneur, or director of a Georgian company, proper planning is now essential to stay compliant in Georgia.