Georgia has quietly become one of the most competitive remote-work destinations in the world. In early 2025, a Euronews roundup of the year’s top digital-nomad destinations featured Tbilisi alongside Lisbon and Budapest, citing a Lonely Planet ranking that placed Georgia eighth among leading remote-work destinations. Since 2022, around 42,000 foreigners have been registered as employed, while unofficial estimates of foreign residents working here reach roughly 200,000. In April 2026, the Georgian parliament adopted the C5 visa — a dedicated digital nomad category that finally gives remote workers formal legal status without making them go through the full labour migration route.
One thing many nomads don’t sort out until they arrive: how to convert crypto to GEL. Whether you need cash for an apartment deposit or want to transfer to a Georgian bank account, you need a licensed, compliant exchanger — not a P2P deal. Werty is a licensed crypto exchange service with a VASP license from the National Bank of Georgia, with offices in Tbilisi (Vera district), Batumi, and Rustavi. Online orders are also processed for anyone in Georgia via bank transfer. To get a rate and start the process, leave a request at werty.tech or message the manager on Telegram.
Which Visa to Choose: Five Options in One Table
Georgia’s visa landscape changed significantly in 2025–2026. The old answer (‘just fly in visa-free’) is still true for most nationalities — but now there are more formal options, and one of them is new enough that most guides haven’t caught up yet.
| Option | For Who | Period | Key condition |
| Visa-free entry | Citizens of 95+ countries | Up to 365 days | Valid passport only |
| C5 (digital nomad visa) | Remote workers working for foreign companies | Up to 12 months of stay; visa is valid for up to 5 years | Income from non-residents; list of “safe countries”; $20–500 |
| Remotely from Georgia | Freelancers and entrepreneurs 2020-2025 | Up to 12 months | Income of $2,000/month or $24,000 in savings + insurance |
| Sole proprietor + residence permit | Long-term residents, 1% tax | From 1 year | 183+ days, registration of sole proprietor in Revenue Service |
| D1 visa + work permit (PTD) | Employees, sole proprietors without residence permit (from 03/01/2026) | Before the residence permit | PTD permit from the Ministry of Labor; D1 visa for entry from abroad |
Visa-free entry — the default for most people
Citizens of 95+ countries (US, EU, UK, Canada, Australia, and more) can enter without a visa and stay up to 365 days. No application, no income threshold, no fees. This is what the vast majority of nomads use. The catch: it’s technically a tourist status, and since March 1, 2026, working in Georgia on visa-free entry without a permit or registered IE is formally illegal.
C5 visa — the actual digital nomad visa, introduced April 2026
On April 16, 2026, the Georgian parliament approved the C5 visa in its third and final reading. This is a multiple-entry short-stay visa: you can stay up to 12 months continuously, and the visa itself is valid for up to 5 years — so you can leave and re-enter without re-applying. It’s aimed at remote workers who earn income from non-Georgian (foreign) companies and don’t enter the local labour market. Family members (spouse + minor children) are covered too.
The fee is $20–500 depending on processing speed (standard vs. fast-track). The exact document list is in subordinate legislation that was still being published as of May 2026 — track updates at mfa.gov.ge and matsne.gov.ge.
⚠️ One clause to know: the law allows refusals based on ‘state migration policy’ with no appeal. In practice this gives authorities discretionary power with no explanation required. This won’t affect most applicants, but it’s worth knowing before you plan around the C5.
‘Remotely from Georgia’ — relevant background, not the current solution
This program launched in 2020 and was Georgia’s first attempt at formalizing remote worker stays. Requirements: $2,000/month income or $24,000 in savings, health insurance, proof of remote work outside Georgia. The application was online and free. It technically still exists, but hasn’t been updated since 2022 and isn’t widely recommended — the C5 visa replaces its purpose more cleanly.
IE + residency permit — for long-term tax residents
If you plan to stay 183+ days and want to access the 1% tax scheme, you register as an Individual Entrepreneur (IE) and apply for a residency permit. Since March 2026, this also requires a work permit (PTD) from the Ministry of Labour. More on that below.
D1 visa + work permit (PTD) — for IE holders entering from abroad after March 2026
Since March 1, 2026, foreign nationals who work in Georgia — including IEs with foreign clients — need a PTD. Those already in Georgia with a valid residency permit can apply in-country. Those entering from abroad need a D1 visa first. If your situation is hybrid or unclear, get a lawyer.
What Changed in 2026 — and What It Means for You
2025–2026 marks the end of Georgia’s ‘anything goes’ era for remote workers. Three things happened in quick succession:
- March 1, 2026: Working on visa-free entry without a permit or IE status became formally illegal. Fines: 2,000 GEL.
- March–May 2026: Transition period for existing IE holders to obtain work permits (PTD).
- April 16, 2026: C5 visa adopted — creating a separate, clean legal path for those who work for foreign companies only.
The clarification that came with the C5 law is also important: the labour migration rules explicitly don’t apply to people who work remotely for foreign companies and don’t touch the Georgian labour market. This resolves a lot of earlier uncertainty about whether nomads needed permits at all.
ℹ️ If you work exclusively for foreign clients and don’t have Georgian IE status — the C5 visa is designed for you. If you have IE status in Georgia, you need a PTD regardless of where your clients are.
The 1% Tax Scheme: How It Actually Works
Georgia’s tax system remains one of the country’s biggest advantages for entrepreneurs. Individual Entrepreneurs with Small Business Status pay just 1% tax on gross turnover up to 500,000 GEL (~$189,000) per year. If turnover exceeds that threshold during the year, the 3% rate applies to all turnover from the month the limit is crossed through year-end; exceeding 500,000 GEL in two consecutive years leads to automatic loss of Small Business Status the following year. Reporting is simplified, and most entrepreneurs serving foreign clients never need to register for VAT — that obligation only arises if taxable turnover exceeds 100,000 GEL in any rolling 12-month period (B2B services to non-residents are exempt and don’t count toward it).
Step 1: Register as an Individual Entrepreneur
Do this at a Public Service Hall (several in Tbilisi) or online at rs.ge. Takes 1–3 business days. You get a Georgian tax ID. Foreigners register exactly like citizens.
Step 2: Apply for Small Business Status
Separate application through rs.ge. Issued within ~15 working days. Once approved: 1% of gross turnover, not profit. If you invoice $90,000 in a year, your Georgian tax bill is $900.
Step 3: Monthly declarations + work permit (PTD) from 2026
You submit a simple income declaration by the 15th of each month. Missing deadlines creates complications. Most nomads handle this via the portal themselves or pay a local bookkeeper $20–50/month. Since March 2026, you also need to have obtained a PTD to legally work as an IE in Georgia.
⚠️ US citizens: the 1% Georgian rate doesn’t replace your IRS filing obligations. Georgia taxes Georgia-sourced income; the US taxes your worldwide income. A cross-border tax advisor is not optional.
The 1% rate applies to Georgian-source income and, under current Revenue Service practice, does not require 183-day Georgian tax residency. The key question is whether the income qualifies as Georgian-sourced — for service businesses, this generally means the work is performed while the entrepreneur is physically in Georgia. Tax residency still matters separately: it affects whether Georgia treats you as taxable on worldwide income, whether you can obtain a Georgian tax-residency certificate, and how double-tax treaty issues are handled.
Cost of Living in Tbilisi: Real Numbers for 2026
Prices have risen 20–40% since 2022, driven largely by the wave of Russian and Ukrainian relocators pushing up rental demand. Tbilisi is no longer the bargain it once was — but it still comes in significantly cheaper than most European capitals.
| Expense item | Budget ($800–1 000/month) | Comfortable ($1 200–1,500/month) |
| 1-bedroom rental | $350–450 (residential areas ) | $500–650 (Vera, Vake) |
| Food | $150–200 (cooking at home) | $250–350 (cafes and restaurants) |
| Coworking space | $0–80 (cafe with Wi-Fi) | $80–150 (Impact Hub, Terminal) |
| Transport | $20–30 (Metro + Bolt) | $30–50 |
| Mobile communication | $10–15 (unlimited 4G) | $10–15 |
| Insurance | $50–80 | $80–130 |
| Total | ~$800–1 000 | ~$1,200–1,500 |
The best neighbourhoods for nomads: Vera (central, walkable, cafes everywhere), Vake (quieter, greener, slightly pricier), Saburtalo (best value, less atmosphere). Batumi on the Black Sea runs 15–25% cheaper and is popular as a summer base.
Internet and coworking
Fiber at 100–200 Mbps is standard in most central apartments and usually already installed. Mobile data through Magti or Silknet costs $10–15/month for unlimited 4G. For coworking: Impact Hub Tbilisi (most established, events, meeting rooms), Terminal (quieter), Fabrika (casual, in a repurposed Soviet factory). Many nomads work from cafes — Stamba Hotel lobby and Leila are reliably good.
Banking and Crypto: How to Move Money Once You’re There
Opening a Georgian bank account has gotten harder since 2022. Bank of Georgia and TBC both require additional documentation from foreigners, and some applications are declined without explanation. Wise and Revolut work well as primary tools for most day-to-day spending and GEL withdrawals from ATMs.
For crypto — whether you’re converting USDT to pay rent, cashing out BTC after a profitable run, or just arriving with savings in ETH — you need a licensed exchanger, not a P2P deal.
A real exchange: what the process looks like
One of Werty’s clients — a UX designer from Berlin who’d been in Tbilisi for six months — needed to convert a larger USDT sum to cover a rental deposit. He’d looked at P2P options but was concerned about where the incoming GEL funds were originating; a friend had had their Georgian bank account flagged after a P2P transfer from an unknown individual.
At Werty, the process was: request submitted at werty.tech, KYC verification online (passport upload + selfie + short questionnaire, about 5 minutes), appointment confirmed with the manager, then he came to the Vera office. In the secured armored exchange booth, the cash was checked via Magner and Hitachi machines. Total time in the office: under 15 minutes. He got a clean transaction he could show to his landlord, traceable through Georgian banking infrastructure.
ℹ️ P2P exposes you to receiving funds from accounts flagged for fraud — which can trigger questions from Georgian banks and block your account. Licensed exchangers like Werty transact from their own legal entity, cooperate directly with major Georgian banks, and keep your transaction record clean.
You can exchange with cash in Tbilisi, Batumi and Rustavi. Leave a request at werty.tech or message on Telegram before your first exchange.
Three Things That Work Differently Than You’ve Read
1. “The 1% tax is available to non-residents.” Not exactly. You can register as an Individual Entrepreneur and obtain Small Business Status without spending 183 days a year in Georgia. The key requirement is that the income qualifies as Georgian-source income under Georgian tax rules. For most freelancers and consultants, this generally means the services are performed while they are physically in Georgia. Tax residency still matters, but for different reasons: it determines whether your worldwide income is taxable in Georgia, whether you can obtain a Georgian tax residency certificate, and how double tax treaties apply.
2. “Remotely from Georgia is still the thing to do.” That was true a few years ago, but not anymore. The “Remotely from Georgia” initiative is now largely obsolete in practice. Since the introduction of the C5 visa in 2026, most remote employees working for foreign companies have a more suitable immigration pathway, while freelancers and independent professionals typically benefit more from registering as an Individual Entrepreneur with Small Business Status if they plan to live and work from Georgia.
3. “Opening a Georgian bank account is easy.” Many older guides still describe the process that way, but banking has become significantly more compliance-driven since 2022. Foreign applicants are often asked for additional documents explaining the source of funds, employment, business activity, or ties to Georgia, and applications may occasionally be declined without explanation. If you already use an international fintech such as Wise or Revolut in your home country, it can be useful during relocation, but don’t assume it can fully replace a Georgian bank account if you intend to live or do business in the country.
Pre-Move Checklist for Digital Nomads
- Check your country is on Georgia’s visa-free list: mfa.gov.ge.
- Arrange international health insurance before arrival.
- Decide your path: C5 visa (foreign clients, no Georgian IE) or IE + PTD (want 1% tax).
- If going the IE route: plan to spend 183+ days and start the PTD application early.
- Set up Wise or Revolut before departure — local bank account not guaranteed.
- Identify a licensed crypto exchanger before you arrive if you’re bringing savings in crypto.
- Book accommodation in Vera or Vake for the first 2–3 weeks, then assess in person.
- Track C5 visa subordinate regulations at mfa.gov.ge and matsne.gov.ge — document list pending as of May 2026.
Georgia remains one of the most genuinely accessible countries for remote workers — but the rules are evolving faster than most guides keep up with. The C5 visa is a meaningful improvement for those who work with foreign clients. The 1% tax scheme works well when set up correctly. And the lifestyle — Caucasus mountains, cheap Georgian wine, $10 khinkali dinners — is real. If you’re bringing crypto and need to convert it to GEL, use a licensed exchanger: leave a request at werty.tech or message Werty’s manager on Telegram, and they’ll walk you through the process before you commit to anything.