A foreign individual entrepreneur in Georgia works with three interlocking legal instruments: the right to conduct entrepreneurial activity, a D1 category immigration visa, and a work residence permit. This page explains how these three elements connect under the Law of Georgia on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons, which income and turnover thresholds apply, and how this route differs from the investment and corporate routes. It is worth saying at the outset: this page is about a self-employed person who lives off his or her own entrepreneurial activity, not an employee working under a contract with an employer.
The right to conduct entrepreneurial activity
Article 28 of the law recognises that an alien may conduct investment and entrepreneurial activity in Georgia in accordance with Georgian legislation. In doing so, the alien has the same rights and bears the same obligations as a citizen of Georgia, unless Georgian legislation provides otherwise. This means that the status of an individual entrepreneur places a foreigner on an equal footing with citizens within the business environment — but the migration status still has to be arranged separately, through a visa and then a residence permit.
The D1 immigration visa for entrepreneurs
The appropriate visa instrument for a prospective entrepreneur is the D1 category immigration visa. Under the law, Georgian visas fall into diplomatic, special, ordinary, immigration and transit categories, and may be short-term or long-term. The D1 category is intended, among others, for persons who conduct entrepreneurial activity in accordance with the Law of Georgia on Entrepreneurs; under the wording in force since 1 March 2026, a D1 visa is issued to an alien who has received the right to carry out labour activity, as well as to an alien coming to Georgia to conduct entrepreneurial activity under the Law on Entrepreneurs. The immigration visa is precisely the bridge that connects a business project planned from abroad with its Georgian legal form.
The work residence permit and the income threshold
A work residence permit is issued to an alien who conducts entrepreneurial activity in Georgia under the procedure established by Georgian legislation. Such a person submits to the Agency a document confirming the conduct of entrepreneurial or labour activity in Georgia, together with a certificate confirming that his or her monthly income from that activity is not less than five times the average consumer subsistence minimum established in Georgia. The wording in force since 1 March 2026 keeps these requirements, with the receipt of the right to labour activity named as the basis for the permit. Documentation of income is therefore the central element of this route: the entrepreneur must show a stable monthly income that is not below five times the subsistence minimum.
Turnover requirements for the employer enterprise
The law also links the work residence permit to turnover thresholds. The rule is as follows: the annual turnover of the employer enterprise — other than an educational or medical institution — must not be less than 50 000 GEL per each alien seeking a work residence permit. Where the employer or founding institution is an educational or medical institution, its annual turnover for these purposes must reach at least 35 000 GEL per each applicant alien. For individual entrepreneurs these norms are read together with situations where the activity is carried out in a corporate format or in relations with an institution.
How this route differs from the alternatives
The entrepreneurial route should not be confused with the investment residence permit, which is granted on the basis of an investment of at least 300 000 US dollars in lari equivalent or ownership of immovable property exceeding that value — that is a separate track for capital investors. A separate instrument is the temporary residence permit for persons employed in the field of information technologies: under the amendment in force since 1 September 2025 it covers, among others, entrepreneur natural persons registered with small business status working in IT, and requires confirmation of at least 2 years of experience and annual remuneration of at least 25 000 US dollars in lari equivalent. We also note that the American H-1B work visa and the green card, like the rules of the Schengen area, do not operate in Georgia — only Georgian legislation applies here.
Frequently asked questions
Below we answer the questions individual entrepreneurs raise most often.
Which visa do I need for entrepreneurial activity?
The D1 category immigration visa — it is intended, among others, for persons coming to Georgia to conduct entrepreneurial activity under the Law on Entrepreneurs, and under the wording in force since 1 March 2026 also for those who have received the right to labour activity.
What income must I document?
Your monthly income from entrepreneurial or labour activity must not be less than five times the average consumer subsistence minimum established in Georgia; this is confirmed by a certificate submitted to the Agency.
What turnover must the employer enterprise show?
The annual turnover of an enterprise — other than an educational or medical institution — must not be less than 50 000 GEL per each applicant alien; for educational and medical institutions the threshold is 35 000 GEL.
Is this the same as the investment permit?
No. The investment residence permit rests on an investment of at least 300 000 US dollars in lari equivalent or immovable property above that value, while the work permit rests on real entrepreneurial activity and the income derived from it.
How We Help on Legal.ge
The Legal.ge team helps entrepreneurs arrange their migration status: we assess which visa and permit category matches your activity, plan the document package — including the income and turnover certificates — and explain every practical step in a written consultation. Contact us through the Legal.ge website before you file the application.