From February 2022 to November 2023, the Ministry of Justice of Georgia received 15,506 applications for residence permits from Russian citizens. Information about this was published in Georgian News, citing the department. Of these, 9,021 Russians received residence permits, including 1,530 for work, 1,336 for short-term, 1,378 for study, 1,455 for family reunification, and 168 for investment. However, many are refused: 2881 for work residence permits, 1302 for short-term, 27 for study, 366 for family and 43 for investment. In social networks and forums, they sometimes claim that the process of obtaining a residence permit for Russians has become more difficult. Of the seven people we interviewed, five were refused.

Let's look at the advantages of Residence permit in Georgia and important points for those planning to apply for it.

How long can you stay in Georgia without a visa and residence permit

Russian citizens can stay in Georgia without a visa and residence permit for a year. However, many tourists use a "visa run" - they go to Turkey to reset the period of stay. For example, two of our colleagues went to Istanbul and did not encounter any problems upon returning. But the decision on entry is always made by a specific border guard.

While in the country under a visa-free regime, Russians can work and study without the need to obtain a residence permit.

During the pandemic, the "Remotely from Georgia" program was in effect, allowing freelancers and employees of foreign companies to live and work in the country for up to a year. But after the restrictions were lifted, the program lost its relevance, and Russians can stay in Georgia for a year without a visa.

What you should know before traveling

To travel to Georgia, you only need a foreign passport. Direct flights can be found from various Russian cities, such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, Yekaterinburg and Mineralnye Vody, to Tbilisi and Batumi. You can also use the land route through the Verkhniy Lars checkpoint.

Please note that entry rules may change.

What opportunities does a residence permit in Georgia provide?

A residence permit in Georgia allows you to legally stay in the country for a long time. However, a residence permit is not equal to citizenship, does not include an obligation to serve in the army, and does not grant the right to vote in elections, own agricultural land, or enter EU countries without a visa. Only citizens of Georgia have these rights.

However, a residence permit opens up a number of opportunities for citizens of Russia:

• Stay in Georgia without having to leave the country every year.
• Apply for Schengen and other visas at local consulates, which ordinary tourists cannot do, having to apply in Russia.
• Invite relatives to obtain a visa and then apply for a residence permit for them.
• Subsequently obtain a permanent residence permit in Georgia and, subject to certain conditions, citizenship.
• Enjoy full access to electronic government services and the ability to issue powers of attorney to notaries in Georgian and Russian, valid in Russia.
• In some cases, holders of a residence permit can receive discounts on tickets to national parks and museums.

Types of Residence Permits in Georgia

Depending on the purpose of obtaining, there are several categories of residence permits:

• Short-term: for owners of real estate worth at least $100,000. Family members may also apply for this residence permit.
• Employment: for individual entrepreneurs and employees of Georgian companies. The minimum monthly income must be at least three times the subsistence minimum.
• Educational: for students and schoolchildren enrolled in authorized institutions.
• Family reunification: for relatives of a person with a residence permit.
• Investment: for those who have invested at least $300,000 in the Georgian economy or purchased real estate of that value. Family members can also obtain this residence permit.
• Permanent residence permit: is offered to foreigners who have lived in Georgia on an investment residence permit for 5 years.
• Temporary: for victims of domestic violence.
• Special: for victims of human trafficking and other categories.

The validity period and document requirements depend on the type of residence permit. For example, work and study residence permits are issued for a period of 6 months to 1 year with the possibility of extension.

It is important to remember that Russian citizens who have received a residence permit in Georgia are required to notify the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs within 60 days of receiving the residence permit if they are in Russia, or within 60 days of their first entry into Russia.

The process of obtaining a residence permit in Georgia

To apply for a residence permit you You must be in Georgia and do so no later than 40 days before the end of the visa-free year. You can extend your residence permit remotely from any country.

There are three ways to submit an application - in person, remotely or through a representative.

Required documents for submitting an application:

• A completed application form.
• A copy of your passport and a notarized translation into Georgian.
• A copy of a document confirming your legal stay in Georgia.
• A color photograph in electronic form.
• Additional documents that depend on the purpose of obtaining a residence permit.

Documents issued in Russia are valid in Georgia without legalization, but require translation into Georgian and notarization.

The cost of registering a residence permit varies depending on the type and terms processing:

1. Special residence permit — no fees, review up to 10 days.
2. Permanent and unlimited residence permit — 350 GEL for 30 days, 500 GEL for 20 days.
3. Other types — 300 GEL for 30 days, 450 GEL for 20 days, 600 GEL for 10 days.

If necessary, the House of Justice may request additional documents, which may increase the application review period.

How to submit documents in person: you must visit the Agency for the Development of Public Services or the House of Justice, fill out the form, submit documents and pay the fee.

How to submit documents remotely: you can do this through the website of the Agency for the Development of Public Services or the House of Justice, following the instructions on the website. However, you will then need to provide printed documents.

To apply for a residence permit (RP) in Georgia remotely, follow these steps:

1. Filling out the form. You need to fill out an online form on the website of the House of Justice or the Agency for the Development of Public Services. Available languages: Georgian, English and Russian.
2. Uploading documents. Prepare and upload all the necessary documents.
3. Video interview. Complete an interview with a remote service operator via Skype. Make sure you have a webcam, headphones and a microphone. If the operator has doubts about your identity, the application will not be considered. Operators speak Georgian, English and Russian.
4. Application confirmation. After submitting, you will receive confirmation that your application has been accepted. A unique code for tracking the status on the House of Justice website will be sent to your email.
5. Payment of the fee. Pay the fee for reviewing your application via the website or at any bank in Georgia.
6. Submission of documents. Print and submit the documents to the House of Justice or the Agency for the Development of Public Services.

What to do after approval of the residence permit

After a positive decision on your residence permit, within 30 days you must obtain an identity card with a number - a binadroba. To do this, you need to contact the Agency for the Development of Public Services or the House of Justice. You will need:

• Conclusion on the issuance of a residence permit.
• For stateless persons and refugees - the corresponding conclusion on status.
• Photographs. The Agency's website states that you need to provide two photographs, while the House of Justice website - one. You can take a photo at the Agency's branch or at the Justice House for 5 GEL.
• An identity document, usually a passport.

Applicants must register their place of residence in Georgia. This will require a written consent from the owner of the property and an extract about the owner from the National Agency of Public Registry. Alternatively, you can provide written confirmation from two witnesses that the foreigner has lived at the specified address for a month. Witnesses must be able to read and write in Georgian and are warned of criminal liability for false testimony.

There are discrepancies in the information about the cost of issuing a binadoroba. The Justice House website states that a temporary residence certificate is free for everyone except stateless persons. However, the Agency for the Development of Public Services reported that the rules have changed - all applicants must pay a fee. For example, for a temporary residence permit, such as a work permit, the fee is 60 GEL, and the application will be processed in 10 working days.

According to the House of Justice, recipients of a permanent residence permit can also pay 60 GEL and receive a binadroba in 10 days, or choose urgent processing to receive the document on the same day for 150 GEL.

Some categories may qualify for discounts. For example, students pay 10 GEL less for the first application and 5 GEL less for a repeat application, but discounts are only provided if they have a status in the database of the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia.

If a foreigner does not receive a resident card within 6 months, the residence permit will be cancelled.

The fees for processing a binadroba after approval permanent residence permit:

1. Same day: 150 GEL.
2. After 2 days: 120 GEL.
3. After 3 days: 100 GEL.
4. After 5 days: 80 GEL.
5. After 10 days: 60 GEL.

Employment residence permit

Who can get it

Individual entrepreneurs and employees of Georgian companies can get a work residence permit. Their monthly income must be at least five times the average monthly consumer subsistence minimum in Georgia, which in 2024 will be GEL 1,137.5.

The annual turnover of an educational or medical institution where a foreign employee works must be at least GEL 35,000 per foreigner. For other enterprises - from GEL 50,000. For example, if a company employs two foreigners, the annual turnover must be twice as much.

Validity

The initial residence permit is issued for a period of 6 months to 1 year, after which it can be extended for a maximum of 12 years.

Required documents

• Employment contract or document confirming employment in Georgia. For entrepreneurs — an extract on the registration of an individual entrepreneur.
• A certificate that the monthly income meets the required level. If confirmation of income is impossible, a bank statement with an amount not less than five times the subsistence minimum can be presented.
• A document on the annual turnover of the enterprise where the applicant works or is a founder — from 35,000 to 50,000 GEL for each foreigner, depending on the type of company. This document is obtained from the revenue service.
• A certificate on the number of foreign employees in the company applying for a work residence permit.

The application for a residence permit must indicate a unique code that is assigned to a foreign employee by the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons, Labor, Health and Social Protection. If the code cannot confirm the data, a registration document may be required.