Hiring an alien to work in Georgia does not depend on his or her personal visa application alone — the decisive role belongs to the documents the employer issues, which become the foundation of both the visa and the permit process. This page explains which documents may be required from the employer, where they fit within the statutory steps, within what timelines the application is examined, and what turnover thresholds apply to the enterprise itself. The page is written from the employer's perspective — not the alien's.
The employer's role in the visa process
The law writes the visa process in several stages, and the employer's documents attach to it in two places. The first is the invitation: in the cases prescribed by Georgian legislation, an alien is required to submit an invitation, which is issued precisely by the receiving party — including an employer. The second is the documentation accompanying the application: the circumstances that must be confirmed to obtain a Georgian visa, and the documents that must be attached to the visa application, are determined by a decree of the Government of Georgia — and it is within the frame of that decree that the certificates issued by the employer arise. Moreover, the procedure for issuing, extending and terminating a visa is established by the Government, so the format of the employer's documentation is also bounded by that procedure.
The form of the application and the channels of submission
To obtain a Georgian visa, the alien completes a visa application in the form established by a normative act of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For the issuance of an electronic visa, the application is completed on the Ministry's special website — except where a D category immigration electronic visa is issued to an alien lawfully present in Georgia. In the latter case the decision is made by the Ministry, while the acceptance of documentation and the affixing of the visa are ensured by Justice Houses and the Public Service Development Agency — or by the Ministry; the Agency's competence may also be transferred to a municipality under a delegation agreement. The visa-issuing authority may also invite the applicant or his or her representative to an interview.
The timelines within which the application is examined
The examination calendar is critical for an employer. A decision on issuing a short-term Georgian visa is taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a diplomatic representation abroad or a consular post within 10 calendar days of the submission of the application. An electronic visa is issued no later than 5 working days from submission. Where further verification of the application is needed, the decision period may be extended by 30 calendar days; conversely, in cases defined by government decree the period may be reduced to 5 working days or even less. A decision on a D category (other than D5) long-term visa is taken within 30 calendar days of submission, and for the D5 category — within 10 calendar days. Factor these timelines into your project planning.
Residence permit certificates and turnover thresholds
After the visa stage, the employer's documents are needed again: an alien seeking a work residence permit submits to the Agency a document confirming the activity and a certificate confirming that his or her monthly income is not less than five times the average consumer subsistence minimum, while the annual turnover of the employer enterprise must reach at least 50 000 GEL per each applicant alien. Where the employer is an educational or medical institution, the threshold is 35 000 GEL. This means that an employer's "sponsorship" translates on paper into numerical criteria, and the enterprise's financial indicators become part of the process.
How the Georgian model differs from other countries
Clients often ask whether Georgia has an analogue of the American model, where the employer runs a separate petition process. The answer is no: the United States H-1B petition institution, and the American sponsorship model generally, do not exist in Georgia, any more than the analogous mechanisms of the Schengen area. In the Georgian model the application is prepared by the alien personally, while the employer's role is defined by the law and by government decree — through the invitation, the attached documents and the residence permit certificates. That is precisely why it matters that the employer knows exactly which document to issue at which stage.
Frequently asked questions
Below we answer the questions employers ask most often.
Is the employer obliged to issue an invitation?
In the cases prescribed by Georgian legislation the alien is required to submit an invitation — and an invitation is issued by the receiving party, including an employer. The specific cases are defined by government decree.
How long is the visa application examined?
A short-term visa decision — 10 calendar days; an electronic visa — no later than 5 working days, with a possible extension of 30 calendar days for verification; D category — 30 calendar days, except D5, which is decided within 10 calendar days.
What turnover does my enterprise need to employ an alien?
With a work residence permit in view — an annual turnover of at least 50 000 GEL per each applicant alien; for an educational or medical institution — 35 000 GEL.
Must I, the employer, file the visa application?
No — the alien completes the application in the Ministry's form; your role is to issue the invitation, the attached documents and the permit certificates in the format established by law and government decree.
How We Help on Legal.ge
The Legal.ge team helps employers define the full cycle: which document to issue as an invitation, what to attach to the application, how to plan the timelines and how to satisfy the turnover threshold. In a written consultation you receive a stage-by-stage plan tailored to your enterprise and the specific employee. Contact us through the Legal.ge website.