The Government of Georgia adopted Resolution No. 317 dated July 9, 2026, which introduces significant changes to the procedure for issuing residence permits (residence visa) to foreigners. The new document supplements and modifies the rules established back in 2014 and is aimed at simplifying the process of obtaining a residence visa for foreign entrepreneurs.
Prior to the implementation of the new rules, a foreigner had to go through a two-stage process: first obtain a work permit, and then apply for a residence visa. However, without a valid residence visa, the issued work permit could be annulled. The key obstacle for new entrepreneurs was the requirement to confirm an annual turnover of at least 50,000 lari, which was impossible for recently registered companies that simply could not have such turnover.
The new resolution introduces an important exception: foreign entrepreneurs are exempted from the minimum turnover requirement under certain conditions. First, this applies to companies that employ no more than three foreigners. Second, the exception applies if no more than three months have passed since the company's registration and this residence visa is being issued for the first time. In these cases, the residence visa will be issued for a period of 6 months.
According to the amendments, the relief applies to foreign entrepreneurs registered within the last three months from the date the resolution takes effect. However, at present, there is no practical experience in applying these new rules, so it is not yet clear exactly how they will work in real conditions when citizens interact with government authorities.