Living in Georgia

This guide sets out essential information for British citizens moving to or living in Georgia. Read about how British Embassy Tbilisi can help.

This information is provided as a guide only. You should get definitive information from the Georgian authorities. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is not liable for any inaccuracies in this information.

Support for British Nationals Abroad: A Guide sets out how British nationals can stay safe abroad and how the FCDO can help if you do get into difficulty.

Read general guidance on moving or retiring abroad.

To stay up to date: follow the British Embassy Tbilisi on Facebook and Twitter.

Before you go

See our Georgia travel advice for up-to-date information on entry requirements, local laws and customs, safety and emergencies.

If you are planning to commission surrogacy arrangements in Georgia, see Surrogacy section in our Georgia Travel Advice

Coronavirus

Follow the advice of the Georgian government and your local authority. You should also read the Georgia travel advice.

As of 15 June 2022, foreign citizens no longer need to provide proof of vaccination or a negative test result to enter Georgia.

Visas and residency

Check the entry requirements for Georgia in our travel advice.

British nationals can enter Georgia as visitors, visa-free for up to 365 days. However,This ifis youthe arecase movingwhether toentering Georgia for work,tourism businessor for work or study,study.

If you needwill towork applyor forstudy thein relevantGeorgia, visaafter andentering subsequently,the residencecountry permit.you Youshould can apply for athe temporaryrelevant orpermit permanentat residencethe permitnearest fromPublic Service Hall, , which provides the services of the Public Service Development Agency ofunder the Ministry of Justice of Georgia through Public Service Hall.

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Passports and travel

You can apply for or renew your British passport from Georgia.

Check the Georgia Travel Advice for passport validity requirements.

Your British passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your intended stay in Georgia. An additional period of validity beyond this is not required. Read more information on entry and residence requirements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.

Healthcare in Georgia

There is no reciprocal healthcare agreement between Georgia and United Kingdom.

You cannot register for the national healthcare system in Georgia whether you are visiting or residing in Georgia, therefore you must ensure you have private healthcare cover.

Find a list of medical facilities in Georgia.

If you are planning to commission surrogacy arrangements in Georgia, see the Surrogacy section of our Georgia travel advice

Medicine

If you are on any prescription medication you should ensure you have a supply of it,it or are able to obtain it when in Georgia. Certain medicines may not be available in Georgia (including major brands readily available in the UK), and you may be prohibited from taking them into the country. You should consult your GP before travelling to Georgia to find out about any alternative medication.

Read the guidance if you need to travel with medicines.

Working in Georgia

If you are planning to move to Georgia andfor work, you maycan needenter aGeorgia visa.without Applicationsa forvisa work-relatedbut residenceshould permitsapply arefor submittedwork throughpermit at the Servicenearest DevelopmentPublic Agency.Service SeeHall. alsoInformation theabout Ordinancework onpermits Approvingis Proceduresgiven forin ReviewingArticle and5 Decidingof the GrantingGovernment of GeorgianGeorgia ResidenceOrdinance Permits.

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ToBefore obtainmaking ayour workapplication permitplease forcheck businessat orthe employmentPublic activityService inHall Georgia,what supporting documents you maywill need to provide:provide.

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  To copyapply offor the travel document

• a copyjob ofyou themay documentneed evidencingto theprovide lawful stay in Georgia (immigration visa D1/D2)
• a documentUK evidencingpolice employment or business activity
• a certificate of professional activity

Read more information from the Georgian authorities about obtaining work permits.

You can can read information about labour and employment policy in Georgia from from the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia.

Read Read guidance on recognition of education and professional qualifications.

Studying in Georgia

If you planare planning to studymove into Georgia,Georgia to study, you mustcan meetenter allGeorgia without a visa requirementsbut beforeshould youapply travel.for a study permit at the nearest Public Service Hall. Information about study permits is given in Article 6 of the Government of Georgia Ordinance on Residence Permits. 

Contact the relevant higher education provider in Georgia to check what fees you have to pay and get detailed information about the selected study programmes.

Tax

ReadIf guidanceyou onare obtainingin visa

ReadGeorgia guidancefor onmore obtainingthan residence183 permitdays and take up any form of paid employment with a Georgian company or organisation, you are automatically liable for income tax. Information about taxes in Georgia can be obtained from the Revenue Service of Georgia.

Tax

The UK has a a double taxation agreement with Georgia so so that you do not pay tax onin the sameUK on income in bothGeorgia countries.that Askyou thehave relevantalready paid tax authorityon. yourThe questionsRevenue aboutService doubleof taxationGeorgia relief.and HM Revenue and Customs can provide more information.

YouIf shouldyou getneed professional professional advice on paying tax in Georgia.Georgia, Findfind an an English-speaking lawyer in Georgia.

Read guidance on:

• tax if you leave the UK to live abroad
• tax on your UK income if you live abroad
• tax if you get a pension and live abroad
• paying National Insurance while abroad to protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances

If you are in Georgia for more than 183 days and take up any form of paid employment, you are automatically liable for income tax. Information about taxes in Georgia can be obtained from the Revenue Service of Georgia website.

Benefits

Check which UK benefits you can claim while abroad and how to claim them.

Many income-related benefits such as Pension Credit and Housing Benefit cannot be paid if you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks.

Pensions

ReadIf you retire in Georgia, you can claim your UK State Pension or new UK State Pension. Contact the International Pension Centre for further information.

Read State Pension guidance if you have lived in Australia, Canada or New Zealand and and you are claiming or waiting to claim your UK State Pension.

If you retire in Georgia, you can claim your UK State Pension or new UK State Pension. Contact the International Pension Centre for further information.

If you are a man over 65 or a woman over 60 and have lived in Georgia for more than 10 years on the basis of a residence permit, you are eligible for a pension in Georgia. You must provide evidence that you are not receiving a pension from the UK.

Life certificates for UK State Pensions

If you get a a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you must respond as soon as possible. Your payments may be suspended if you do not.

Money and banking

It is generally straightforward for British citizens canto open a bank account in anyGeorgia. GeorgianYou should go to a bank byin providingperson photographicwith identification.your passport (and work or study permit, if held) and complete an application form. At some banks and in some circumstances you might be asked to pay an application service fee. Applications are considered within 5 working days. The bank may request additional documents from you as part of the application process. Banks have discretion to refuse applications.

The currency in Georgia is the Georgian Lari,Lari but youbank mayaccounts opencan abe multi-currencyopened accountin other currencies (GBP, USD, EUR).EUR) too.

Accommodation and buying property

See buying a property abroad.

Georgian legislation allows foreign nationals to buy property and land except for agricultural land.

Driving in Georgia

Read the our guidance on whatdriving youabroad mustand doadvice toon driveroad legallysafety in Georgia.

Read ourthe Georgian guidancelaw on driving abroad.

Iflegally you are asked for a letter authenticating, certifying or validating your UK driver’s licence, you should contact the DVLA.

Read guidance for travelling by road in Georgia.

If you wish to takebring your own vehicle to Georgia with you, see see taking a vehicle out of the UK.

Driving licence rules in Georgia if you live there

You can drive in Georgia with a valid UK driving licence for up to one year from your last entry into the country. Beyond this, you will either need an an International Driving Permit (IDP), or to apply for a Georgian licence. This is a straightforward process through an application to the the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Holders of a valid UK driving licence do not need to sit a driving exam as part of the application.

If you are asked for a letter authenticating, certifying or validating your UK driver’s licence, you should contact the DVLA.

Disabled drivers

If you have a UK Blue Badge and live in Georgia, you must return it to the original UK issuing authority.

Voting

You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:

• check if you are able to vote
• register as an overseas voter

Births, deaths, marriage and civil partnership

Births

If your child is born in Georgia you should register the birth with the local authorities.

If your child has  British nationality and you wish to do so, you can then register the birth online with the UK authorities and apply for aa UK UK birth certificate.certificate.

IfIt youris child has British nationality, you do not neednecessary to register the birth with the UK authorities toin order to apply for a British passport. The birth certificate issued by the Georgian authorities is sufficient.

Deaths

If a British citizen dies in Georgia read our guidance on:

• what to do if someone dies abroad
• bereavement guidance for Georgia
• find finding English-speaking funeral directors in Georgia

Marriage and civil partnership

Find out how you you can get married or get a civil partnership abroad.

You can register youra marriage marriage in Georgia at any branch ofof the Service Development Agency or  or Public Service Hall.

Georgia does not recognise same-sex marriages and only heterosexual couples can legally marry. Civil partnership is not recognised by Georgian law.

Pets

You may bring pets into Georgia as long as they are healthy, vaccinated and accompanied by a veterinary certificate or a pet passport.

Detailed information about transporting pets into Georgia is available onfrom the Revenue ServicesService web-pageof Georgia.

Please also see see information on taking pets overseas from the UK, or returning with pets to the UK from overseas.

Emergencies

Dial 112 for the police, ambulance or fire brigade,brigade. orEnglish tospeaking reportoperators aare missing childavailable.

If youyou’re have been the victim of a rapecrime, orhave sexualbeen assaultarrested, inor Georgia,are readaffected the informationby fora victimscrisis, contact ofthe rapeBritish andEmbassy sexual assaultTbilisi.

YouIf canyou alsohave findbeen English-speaking lawyers in Georgia.

If you’re the victim of a crime,rape haveor beensexual arrested,assault orin areGeorgia, read affectedthe information byfor avictims crisis,of contactrape theand Britishsexual Embassy Tbilisiassault.

Read the the guidance on international parental child abduction if if your child may be at risk of this.

If you need legal support in any emergency circumstance you can find English-speaking lawyers in Georgia.

Returning to the UK

Read the guidance on returning to the UK permanently which includes information on bringing family members, tax and access to services.

Disclaimer

This information is provided as a general guide and is based upon information provided to the embassy by the relevant local authorities and may be subject to change at any time with little or no notice. The FCDO and the British Embassy will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information. British nationals wishing to obtain any further information must contact the relevant local authority.