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How long can you stay in Georgia without a visa?

The visa-free period, the insurance you need at the border and what to do if you want to stay longer.

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Short answer

Citizens of the US, the UK, EU countries, Canada, Australia and about 90 other countries can enter Georgia visa-free and stay for one full year. The period starts on the day you enter. To live in Georgia longer, you need a residence permit: leaving and coming back does not guarantee a new visa-free year, as the decision to admit you is made at the border each time. Since 2026 you also need health insurance to enter.

Georgia entry rules faq-cover-visa-and-border

Why

  1. The list of visa-free countries is set by Government of Georgia Ordinance No 255, and their citizens may stay in Georgia for one full year.
  2. The period runs from your date of entry, which is stamped in your passport at the border.
  3. Each entry is assessed by the border service: Georgia's Law on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons lists grounds for refusal, such as having no insurance or insufficient funds, giving false information about the purpose of the trip, or reasonable doubt that the person will stay unlawfully.
  4. Under Government of Georgia Resolution No 602, since January 1, 2026 every foreign tourist must have health and accident insurance for the whole trip, with at least 30,000 GEL of cover.

Details

A visa-free year lets you stay in Georgia and travel around the country without a visa, while working is regulated separately by labour migration law. If you want to live in Georgia longer, you need a residence permit, which is issued on the basis of work, study, business or property. Border officers may ask about the purpose of your trip and to see your insurance, so keep the policy handy, on paper or on your phone.

Tip

Before you go, check your country on the Georgian Foreign Ministry's list: for some nationalities the limit is shorter than a year.

What may differ

Citizens of countries that are not on the main list may get a shorter visa-free stay or need an e-visa. Separate rules also apply to holders of a visa or residence permit from the EU, the US, the UK and several other countries.

Common misconception

You have to leave Georgia and come back every 90 days.

What actually happens

For citizens of visa-free countries the limit is one full year, so there is no need to leave sooner.

People also ask

  • How long can I stay in Georgia as a tourist?
  • Do I need a visa for Georgia?
  • Can I stay in Georgia for a year without a visa?
  • Georgia visa-free stay: how many days?

Sources

This answer is for reference only. Entry decisions are made by the Georgian border service and the rules may change, so check official sources before you travel.

Georgia entry rules

  • Who needs a visa for Georgia, and how do you get one?

    You need a visa for Georgia only if your country is not on the Georgian government's visa-free list, while citizens of the US, the UK, EU countries, Canada and about 90 other countries travel visa-free.

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  • How much cash can you bring into or take out of Georgia?

    There is no limit on how much cash you can bring in or take out, but if your cash, cheques and securities together exceed 30,000 GEL or the equivalent, you must declare them at customs.

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  • What can't you bring into Georgia?

    You cannot bring drugs, explosives, counterfeit money or counterfeit goods into Georgia, and weapons or ammunition only with a government permit.

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  • Can you enter Georgia after visiting Abkhazia?

    Yes, if you entered Abkhazia from the Georgian side, through the Enguri crossing in Zugdidi Municipality.

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