Georgia Digital Nomad Visa Renewal Guide 2025

Residency & Citizenship Paths series

Friendly reminder: I’m an immigration lawyer, not your lawyer. Use this guide for orientation, then verify details with the Public Service Hall or an accredited adviser before filing.

Why this renewal season is different

After four years of surprisingly lenient administration, the “Remotely from Georgia” scheme is finally tightening its screws. The Ministry of Economy has:

• indexed the minimum income requirement (spoiler: it’s up by roughly 12 %),
• introduced mandatory outpatient coverage inside Georgia, and
• shortened the “grace period” for late renewals.

If you received your one-year digital-nomad residence in 2023 or early 2024, you must adapt to the 2025 rules laid out below or leave the country after your 365th day. Let’s keep that from happening.

Who actually needs to renew—and when

I get three versions of the same e-mail every week: “I entered on the 360-day visa waiver, then switched to the nomad permit. Do I still have to renew?” So let’s clear the fog.

1. The 365-day trigger

The Georgian residence card attached to the digital nomad scheme is valid for 365 consecutive days from the date of issuance—not from the date of your original entry. If you received the plastic card on 10 May 2024, your renewal deadline is 9 May 2025.

2. Who must renew

You fall into the renewal bucket if you:

• are still working remotely for a foreign employer or your own foreign-registered company, and
• plan to stay in Georgia beyond the expiry date of your current residence card.

You can of course pivot to another legal basis—marriage, study, investment—but that’s outside today’s scope.

3. Opt-out scenarios

You do not need to renew if:

1. You will leave Georgia before the card expires and stay abroad for at least 183 consecutive days; or
2. You will switch to a long-term “entrepreneur” residence after registering as an individual entrepreneur (I.E.)—an attractive option covered in our Tax optimisation guide.

Pull-quote:
“A 48-hour hop to Istanbul does not reset the clock. Continuous residence is measured from your residence-card issuance, not border stamps.”

Updated income and insurance thresholds (2025 edition)

Below is the new baseline adopted in the 3 January 2025 decree (№05/23). Numbers are per main applicant; dependants are extra.

What counts as “income”?

Acceptable proofs include:

• last six pay slips from a non-Georgian employer;
• bank statements showing inflows labelled “salary” or “contract”;
• invoices marked “paid” if you operate a foreign-registered LLC;
• dividend vouchers or crypto-exchange withdrawal statements—yes, still allowed, but be ready to explain fluctuation.

Insurance fine print

Your policy must:

1. Cover outpatient services and hospitalisation;
2. Be valid for the entire requested residence period;
3. Have a Georgian or English policy document. French works half the time; German rarely; Klingon never.

Step-by-step renewal paperwork (no skipped beats)

Below is the procedure I hand to new associates on their first day. Feel free to copy-paste into your Notion.

1. T-1: Prepare digital copies

• Passport bio page (colour, 300 dpi).
• Current Georgian residence card front & back.
• Bank statements or salary slips proving ≥ USD 2,240/month.
• Insurance policy certificate + schedule of benefits.
• 3 × 4 cm biometric photo (Yes: Georgia still loves passport photos).

2. T-0: Submit online pre-application

1. Create/Log in to your My.gov.ge account.
2. Navigate to Services → Residence permits → “Renewal of residence for persons working remotely”.
3. Upload the documents.
4. Choose Service time: Standard (30 calendar days) or Expedited (10).
5. Pay the state fee (GEL 300 standard; GEL 540 expedited) with any Georgian bank card.

A PDF confirmation (Document №–21/xxx) is emailed instantly. Print it; some Public Service Hall clerks still ask for the hard copy.

3. T+2: Biometrics appointment

Within two business days you’ll receive a push notification inviting you to any branch of the Public Service Hall (PSH). Bring:

• Original passport;
• Printed confirmation;
• Receipt of fee payment (if the card is not in your name).

They take fingerprints and a fresh photo. Ten minutes total—shorter than the coffee queue downstairs.

4. T+30 or T+10: Decision & card pick-up

You’ll receive an SMS reading “Your residence permit is approved. Collect card at PSH Tbilisi, Booth 14.” Bring your passport and the paper receipt. Check spellings on the card—particularly if your name has the exotic letters č, ł, or ə.

Dependants

File their renewals after the principal applicant’s permit is approved; the system won’t accept parallel requests. Dependants now pay GEL 150 each (was 0).

Call-out block
Tip: If your income fluctuates—common for SaaS founders—park USD 26,880 in a Georgian bank 24 hours before you download your statement. Bank of Georgia’s e-statement shows a “current balance” that examiners love.

Processing times, hidden costs & realistic budgeting

Official vs. real-world timelines

Delays spike in late April and early October (academic intakes). File in February if you can.

Compulsory fees

• State fee: GEL 300 or 540.
• Card issuance fee: GEL 30 (paid at pick-up, cash or POS).
• Translation/Notarisation (if your documents aren’t in English): ~ GEL 40/page.
• Insurance premium: USD 420–800/year depending on age and deductible.

Optional but wise

• Power of attorney for your lawyer: GEL 50.
• Courier delivery if you’re outside Tbilisi: GEL 25.

Total ballpark for a solo nomad

USD 700–950 all-in, excluding professional fees.

Frequently asked questions (straight from my inbox)

“Can I renew if I spent five months outside Georgia this year?”

Yes—as long as you hold a valid residence card and apply before its expiry, temporary absences do not break eligibility. The 183-day tax rule is separate and only affects residency for tax purposes. (More in our Georgia vs Serbia: best base for low-tax nomads comparison.)

“My income is in crypto. Do you accept screenshot statements?”

The PSH prefers formal statements from regulated exchanges (Kraken, Coinbase). Wallet screenshots can work if they show your legal name and transaction IDs, but you’ll likely be summoned for an interview. Convert to fiat one month before applying to simplify life.

“What if my insurance starts two weeks after filing—okay?”

No. Coverage must overlap the entire period you’re asking for. Start the policy on your application date or one day earlier.

“Can my Portuguese startup pay me in EUR and still meet the USD threshold?”

Absolutely. The ministry converts foreign currencies using the National Bank of Georgia daily rate on the application day. Pad by 5 % to offset volatility. (For inspiration on cross-border founders, see how the entrepreneurs in Solo female founders building startups in Lisbon structure their salaries.)

“I missed the deadline. How doomed am I?”

You have a 30-day grace window to leave Georgia without overstay fines, but you can’t renew in-country. Your only fix is to exit, re-enter visa-exempt, and restart the whole process. Each year three procrastinating clients learn this the hard way.

Final cross-check list (print-friendly)

1. Passport valid ≥ 6 months.
2. Current residence card valid today.
3. Income ≥ USD 2,240/month, proved with 6 statements.
4. Health insurance covering Georgia for full requested period.
5. Digital copies uploaded, physical originals packed.
6. PSH appointment booked.
7. Fee paid.
8. Patience mode activated.

What happens after renewal?

Your new card is again valid for 365 days. You may renew a second time, but on the third year expect the migration office to nudge you toward a longer-term residence or permanent status—especially if you’ve paid Georgian taxes. Options include the permanent residence (five consecutive years) or the short-stream investment permit (USD 300k in qualified assets).

Ready to secure your 2025 stay?

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