Georgia: a full year visa-free for remote workers

Working remotely from Georgia in 2026: 365 days visa-free for 90+ nationalities, 1% small-business tax, Tbilisi costs, and the fine print.

Key takeaways

  • Citizens of 90+ countries get a full 365 days visa-free on arrival, no application, no income proof.
  • Georgia's Individual Entrepreneur status taxes qualifying turnover at 1% up to ~500,000 GEL/year.
  • Tbilisi all-in budgets run $1,100–$1,800/month, among the best value anywhere with this level of freedom.

While other countries built application portals, Georgia just left the door open: citizens of more than 90 countries, including the EU, US, UK, and most of the OECD, get 365 days on arrival, renewable by a border run. There is no income test because there is no application. Add the famous 1% small-business tax regime and Tbilisi's costs, and Georgia remains the purest arbitrage on the nomad map. Official context lives at geoconsul.gov.ge and the Remotely from Georgia program page.

How the visa-free year works

Eligible passports are stamped in for a full year, and the clock resets on exit and re-entry, in practice, many remote workers live in Georgia for years on consecutive visa-free stays. It is policy generosity, not a loophole, but border officers retain discretion, so keep evidence of means and onward plans handy after multiple resets.

The 1% tax regime

Register as an Individual Entrepreneur with Small Business Status and qualifying service turnover is taxed at 1% up to roughly 500,000 GEL (~$185,000) a year.

  • Registration takes days and costs little; banks open freelancer accounts readily.
  • The regime covers most consulting, development, and creative services invoiced abroad.
  • Stay 183+ days and you become Georgian tax resident, usually a feature here, not a bug.
  • US citizens still file with the IRS; the FEIE typically shelters the income from US tax up to the exclusion cap.

Tbilisi in practice

Vera and Vake are the remote-work neighbourhoods: leafy, café-dense, with one-bedrooms at $400–$800. The old town charms and Airbnbs cluster there; long-stayers move uphill. Food and wine are a genuine draw, Georgia has been making wine for 8,000 years and prices it like it is in a hurry. All-in single budgets: $1,100–$1,800. Batumi adds a Black Sea summer option.

The trade-offs

Air quality dips in winter, sidewalks and driving standards test patience, and the political situation carries more volatility than an EU base. Healthcare is affordable and adequate for routine needs; complex care means Istanbul or Western Europe. Internet is solid in cities (fibre at $10–$15/month) and patchy in the mountains.

Georgia vs the formal nomad visas

Every formal program, Spain, Portugal, Greece, asks income proof, fees, and paperwork for one to two years of certainty. Georgia asks nothing and gives one year at a time with a 1% tax rate attached. The catch is direction: nomad visas in the EU build toward residence and citizenship; Georgian visa-free years build toward nothing but more Georgian years. Choose by whether you are optimising the next two years or the next ten.

Score Tbilisi for your profile

Jonzy runs Tbilisi and Batumi against Istanbul, Yerevan, and Eastern Europe with your income and passport, cost, tax, internet, safety, to show exactly what the arbitrage is worth in your case.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa to work remotely from Georgia?

Citizens of 90+ countries (EU, US, UK, and most OECD members) need no visa at all: you get 365 days on arrival, and remote work for foreign employers is fine during it.

What is Georgia's 1% tax and who qualifies?

Individual Entrepreneurs with Small Business Status pay 1% on qualifying service turnover up to about 500,000 GEL a year. Registration is fast and open to foreigners; most remote consulting and development income qualifies.

Can I stay in Georgia longer than a year?

Yes in practice: exiting and re-entering resets the 365-day clock, and many remote workers live in Georgia for years this way. Border discretion applies, so keep evidence of self-sufficiency handy.

How cheap is Tbilisi?

All-in single budgets run $1,100–$1,800 a month, with one-bedrooms in good neighbourhoods at $400–$800. Combined with 1% tax, take-home value is arguably the best on the nomad map.

Official sources