Author: Ani Kakuria

Many people dream of living in another country for a certain period of time. This creates new opportunities and opens the door to new lifestyle and career choices. If one day you decide that this is what you need, then let me explain why Georgia should be your first choice. I shall also explain the procedures for obtaining a residence permit in our country.

Let us start by briefly explaining what a residence permit is. This is one of the documents which forms the basis for foreign nationals to legally enter and remain in Georgia. It can be temporary or permanent. Temporary residence permits are issued to those who come to Georgia to study at authorised educational institutions, or to conduct entrepreneurial or labour activities. You can also obtain an investor’s residence permit, which is issued to foreign nationals who invest at least USD 300,000 (equivalent in GEL) in Georgia in accordance with the Law of Georgia on Promotion and Guarantees of Investment Activity.

However, even if the aforementioned issues do not apply to you, do not worry, as you can still obtain a short-term residence permit. For this you must own non-agricultural real estate with a value of at least $100,000 (equivalent in GEL). Residence permits are initially issued for a period of at least 6 months, and for up to 1 year. They can then be extended by up to 5 years.

If you believe that this length of time is not enough, and you wish to remain in Georgia for a longer period, then you will have to obtain a permanent residence permit. A residence permit for indefinite stay is given to a foreign national and his/her family members who holds an investment residence permit issued on the basis of making an investment of $300,000 (equivalent in GEL) or more, and who has posted an annual turnover received from the entrepreneurial activity for the minimum amounts of:

• $50,000 (equivalent in GEL) for the first year;
• $100,000 for the second year.
• $120,000 for the third, fourth and fifth years from receiving an investment residence permit.

If you do not meet the aforementioned requirements, you still have another alternative – namely, to own real estate worth at least $300,000 (equivalent in GEL), and to have had an ownership right to this property for at least 5 years.

As you can see, the procedures are quite simple. The main thing is to make a decision, choose the option that is best for you, and submit the application at any branch of the Public Service Hall or the Public Service Development Agency (PSDA), if you are already in Georgia. If applying from abroad, you can fill out an online application form on the PSDA website. You will receive a response within 10 to 30 days after paying the application fee, after which you will be able to start a new stage in your life.