Georgia self-employed and business residence permit

The new rules cover foreigners who carry out entrepreneurial or labour activity for economic gain on their own account: partners and owners of companies, individual entrepreneurs, independent contractors and other self-employed people. Company directors and board members of certain enterprise categories under the Law on Entrepreneurs, and people who work only for a non-resident person on activities outside Georgia, are excluded from the labour migration law.

The work residence permit is issued to foreigners who run a business in Georgia when the enterprise shows annual turnover of at least GEL 50,000 per foreigner applying (GEL 35,000 for educational or medical institutions). Businesses that are not VAT payers may prove turnover with other certificates covering 12 months. The applicant must also show monthly income of at least five times the subsistence minimum, or equivalent bank funds.

The right-to-work fee depends on processing speed and is capped by law at GEL 500. The work residence permit costs GEL 300 (30 days), GEL 450 (20 days) or GEL 600 (10 days).

A self-employed foreigner applies directly, not through an employer, on the labourmigration.moh.gov.ge system, uploads the documents the rules require and pays the fee personally. The decision, issued within 30 calendar days, states the specialty and the field of business. The ministry may ask for corrections or extra information during the review. Self-employed people already active on 1 March 2026 came under the regime on 1 May 2026.

Spouses and children can apply for family reunification permits. Founders who invest at least USD 300,000 may prefer the investment residence permit, whose holders are outside the right-to-work requirement. IT entrepreneurs registered under the IT activity codes can use the IT residence permit.