The First Step — the D2 Immigration Visa
For a person of liberal profession planning long-term work in Georgia, the path begins with an immigration visa. Article 7 of the Law of Georgia on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons divides Georgian visas into categories and, among the immigration visas, defines category D2 — for persons coming to Georgia on a scientific, sporting, cultural or educational mission, for persons of liberal profession, as well as for aliens coming for an internship or as volunteers, and for media workers travelling to perform their professional duties.
For a freelancer this means that the law directly names him within the circle of holders of category D2: a person of liberal profession claims this category of immigration visa independently, without the support of an employer. The correct choice of visa category matters, because the grounds and requirements of the subsequent residence permit are built precisely on this initial choice.
The Work Residence Permit and Its Grounds
The next stage of residence is the work residence permit. Under Article 15 of the law, the work residence permit is issued to a work immigrant registered with the ministry of internally displaced persons from the occupied territories, labour, health and social affairs, or to an alien carrying on entrepreneurial activity in Georgia. When applying, the alien submits to the Agency a document confirming the carrying on of entrepreneurial or labour activity, as well as a certificate concerning income.
For a freelancer this construction is particularly significant: a person of liberal profession who carries on individual entrepreneurial activity in his own name claims the permit precisely on this ground — with documentation confirming entrepreneurial activity and a certificate of income. Before applying for residence it is therefore important to put the tax and banking documentation in order: it is precisely these papers that confirm the income criterion established by law.
The Income and Turnover Criteria
Article 15 links the work residence permit to two financial conditions. The first is personal income: the certificate must confirm that the monthly income or remuneration from entrepreneurial or labour activity in Georgia is not less than five times the subsistence minimum for an average consumer established in Georgia. The second is the employer’s turnover: the annual turnover of the employer enterprise must not be less than 50,000 GEL per each alien wishing to obtain the residence permit, while for an educational or medical institution the turnover must not be less than 35,000 GEL per each alien.
Knowing these criteria directly assists in planning the application: for a freelance individual the decisive factor is to exceed the threshold of five times the minimum steadily and to confirm this in documents; and where the alien works in an educational or medical institution, the lower turnover threshold applies accordingly. As a rule, the same criteria are re-verified on repeated applications, so maintaining the income level is the condition of stable residence.
The Validity and Extension of the Permit
Article 16 determines the periods of validity of residence permits. Work residence falls under subpoint „a“ of the first point of the article: temporary residence permits of this group are issued for the first time for a period from 6 months to 1 year. In exceptional cases a temporary residence permit may be issued for the first time for a period of 5 years.
The extension rule is also important: the validity of temporary residence permits may be extended up to 12 years at most, for the period of the alien’s presumed stay in Georgia, under the same conditions as those on which the permit being extended was issued. The extension thus requires the same grounds as the first issue — including the income and turnover criteria — and long-term plans must take into account the overall horizon of 12 years.
Georgia Work Permit for Freelancers: The D2 Route and the Permit
For freelancers the Georgia work permit conversation starts with a visa category, not the permit itself. The D2 immigration category covers, among others, persons of free professions — the legal phrase for independent professionals — alongside those arriving for scientific, sporting, cultural or educational missions. Where a visa is required, entering on the right category matters, because the residence application that follows has to stand on grounds the law recognizes. The residence stage is the work residence permit: it is issued to a labour immigrant registered with the ministry responsible for labour or to a foreigner carrying on entrepreneurial activity in Georgia under the procedure established by Georgian legislation.
The financial test is the part freelancers must plan for. The applicant documents that the monthly income or remuneration from the activity in Georgia is not less than five times the average monthly subsistence minimum established for an average consumer; and the annual turnover of the employing or founded enterprise — other than an educational or medical establishment — must be no less than fifty thousand lari per each foreigner seeking the work residence permit, while for an educational or medical establishment employer the turnover taken into account is no less than thirty-five thousand lari per such foreigner. The permit is first issued for a period from six months to one year, which sets the renewal calendar. Sibling routes — the IT specialist permit, the self-employed permit and the general employee work permit — are compared on their pages, and the status framework is on the residence permit applications page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which visa category belongs to a freelancer?
Under Article 7, persons of liberal profession enter with an immigration visa of category D2; this category also includes persons on a scientific, sporting, cultural or educational mission.
What income is required for work residence?
The monthly income or remuneration must not be less than five times the subsistence minimum of an average consumer, which is established by a certificate.
What is the employer’s turnover threshold?
The annual turnover of the employer enterprise must not be less than 50,000 GEL per alien; for educational and medical institutions the threshold is 35,000 GEL.
For how long is the work residence permit issued?
Under Article 16, it is issued for the first time for a period from 6 months to 1 year, and may be extended up to 12 years at most.
How We Help on Legal.ge
On Legal.ge we assist a freelancer at every stage of residence: we will select the correct visa category, prepare the documentation confirming entrepreneurial activity and income, assess compliance with the fivefold minimum and the turnover criteria, and plan the extension of the permit. Contact our team before applying.