Documents for a Georgian residence permit: checklist by permit type

The rules come from Article 17 of the Aliens Law and from Government Ordinance No 520 of 2014, as amended in 2025 and 2026. The current consolidated text of Ordinance 520 is not freely published, so the lists below come from the free texts of the amending ordinances and from the Public Service Development Agency (PSDA) page.

Rules that apply to every permit

Apostille or legalisation

Foreign documents must be legalised or apostilled, unless an international treaty says otherwise (Ordinance 520, Article 4(3)). An apostille is a certificate that the issuing country attaches to a public document to confirm it is genuine. Legalisation is the longer chain of certification through the issuing country's authorities and a Georgian consulate, used where an apostille is not available. Which one you need depends on the country that issued the document. Ask the authority that issues apostilles in that country before you order anything.

Certified Georgian translation

The application and the documents must be in Georgian (Aliens Law Article 17(6)). Foreign documents go in with a Georgian translation "certified as prescribed by law". The passport is the one exception, if its data is in Latin script.

Certified copies and originals

Copies must be certified (Ordinance 520, Article 4(4)). The work permit list asks for a passport copy, so the PSDA expects copies of some documents.

Criminal record and health

The Agency checks your criminal record with Georgian authorities itself, within 3 days of filing (Ordinance 389 of 27 August 2025, Article 13(5)). The residence ordinances do not require a foreign police certificate for most permit types. A health certificate can be requested when a dangerous disease is spreading abroad (Ordinance 520, Article 4(1)).

Checklist by permit type

Work residence permit

Ordinance 520, Article 5(1), as amended by Ordinance No 146 of 2 April 2026:

• application with the unique code from the State Employment Support Agency;
• passport copy and proof of lawful stay in Georgia;
• employment contract, or proof of business activity;
• the right-to-work decision (see the work permit page);
• proof that monthly income is at least 5 times the subsistence minimum for an average consumer, or a bank balance that covers the same for the permit term;
• a Revenue Service document showing the employer's or your company's annual turnover is at least GEL 50,000 per foreign applicant (GEL 35,000 for educational or medical institutions);
• a certificate of the number of foreigners applying;
• photo and fee receipt.

Ordinance No 317 of 9 July 2026 exempts a company that is no more than 3 months old, with no more than 3 foreign employees, from the turnover proof for its first work permit. The permit is then issued for 6 months. A foreigner exempt from the right to work files proof of the exempt activity instead. A manager of a category 1 to 3 enterprise files a size-category certificate from reportal.ge.

IT residence permit

You need the right to work, at least 2 years of IT experience, and annual pay of at least USD 25,000 equivalent in GEL, received at least twice in the last year and at least 30 days apart (Ordinance 389, Articles 12⁴ and 12⁵). Employees must work under ISCO-08 code 25. Individual entrepreneurs need small business status and one of the listed NACE codes.

Family reunification

Proof of the family relationship, and bank funds of twice the subsistence minimum per month (PSDA). The sponsor's own permit must have more than 6 months left (Ordinance 389).

Spouse of a Georgian citizen

Proof of the marriage. An interagency commission reviews the file and may interview both spouses and inspect the home (Aliens Law Article 16¹).

Short-term permit for property owners

Proof of ownership of property (not agricultural land) worth more than USD 150,000 equivalent in GEL, and a valuation by a certified valuer of a body accredited by the Georgian Accreditation Centre (Aliens Law Article 15(j)). See the property permit page.

Investment residence permit

An audited proof of an investment of at least USD 300,000, or title and valuation for property above USD 300,000, plus a recommendation from a Government member or from three Georgian citizens who represent a Georgia-based business (PSDA). See the investment permit page.

Permanent residence permit

Proof of kinship, or proof of 10 years of residence, and proof of legal income. A bank balance not lower than the state pension amount is accepted (Ordinance 416 of 26 August 2026, Article 10).

Order of work

1. Confirm your permit type and its list.
2. Order civil and other documents in the issuing country.
3. Apostille or legalise each foreign document there.
4. Have each one translated into Georgian and certified in Georgia.
5. Certify copies, then file. The application process page covers what happens next.