Self-Employed Work Permits

Who is a work residence permit issued to?

To a foreigner carrying out entrepreneurial or labor activity in Georgia. An individual entrepreneur submits to the agency a document confirming the activity and a certificate of income.

What income and turnover are required?

Monthly income must not be less than five times the average consumer subsistence minimum, and the enterprise's annual turnover not less than 50 000 lari per foreigner. For educational and medical institutions — 35 000 lari.

For how long is the permit issued?

First for 6 months to 1 year, thereafter extendable up to a maximum of 12 years under the same conditions.

Is there a fixed examination deadline?

The aliens law does not itself fix the examination period; the issue is considered and decided under the procedure established by the Government of Georgia, and the agency may re-verify the information in the submitted documents when checking the existence of grounds.

How do foreigners get a work permit in Georgia through self-employment?

By applying for a work residence permit on the ground of entrepreneurial activity: document monthly income from the activity at not less than five times the average monthly subsistence minimum, show annual enterprise turnover of no less than fifty thousand lari per foreigner seeking the permit — thirty-five thousand lari for educational or medical establishment employers — and file with the agency personally or through an authorized representative, with documents admissible in electronic form. The first permit runs six months to one year.

7 min·8 Feb 2026

What a Work Residence Permit for the Self-Employed Is

Article 15 of the Georgian Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons defines the types of residence permit, of which the work residence permit is decisive for the self-employed. It is issued to a foreigner who carries out entrepreneurial or labor activity in Georgia under the procedure established by legislation. An individual entrepreneur registered in Georgia and running their own business obtains the right of residence precisely through this permit. Particular emphasis must be placed on the fact that the permit rests on real, documented activity rather than formal registration: the agency verifies how the submitted documentation corresponds to actual income and turnover. Therefore the application is best planned in advance — a first refusal complicates subsequent applications as well. Careful preparation of income and turnover evidence before filing is what distinguishes a successful application.

Updated: 18 Oct 2026

Legal basis:

Self-Employed Work Permits

Who is a work residence permit issued to?

To a foreigner carrying out entrepreneurial or labor activity in Georgia. An individual entrepreneur submits to the agency a document confirming the activity and a certificate of income.

What income and turnover are required?

For how long is the permit issued?

First for 6 months to 1 year, thereafter extendable up to a maximum of 12 years under the same conditions.

Is there a fixed examination deadline?

How do foreigners get a work permit in Georgia through self-employment?

7 min·8 Feb 2026

What a Work Residence Permit for the Self-Employed Is