Migration Legislation Reform in Georgia - 2025

What Changes for Foreigners Starting September 1, 2025?

It is already widely known that in July 2025, amendments were introduced to the Georgian laws "On the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons" and "On Labor Migration". These amendments are quite extensive. In addition to clarifying certain issues and procedures, they modify specific conditions, introduce entirely new types of permits, establish procedures for obtaining them, set up monitoring systems, tighten penalties for violations of the law, and expand the scope of responsible parties.

The changes will come into effect gradually from September 1, 2025, to January 1, 2027. This period is considered a transitional phase during which foreign nationals and stateless persons legally residing in Georgia will be required to bring their status into compliance with the new legislation.

I. Additional Requirements for Short-Term and Labor Residence Permits

According to the amendments to the Law of Georgia "On the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons," the D5 category visa, as well as the short-term residence permit issued to a foreigner who legally owns real estate (except agricultural land) in Georgia, along with their spouse and children, will, starting March 1, 2026, be granted only if the market value of the real estate exceeds USD 150,000, instead of the current USD 100,000.

Significant changes have also been made to labor-related matters, specifically the D1 category visa and labor residence permits, under the amendments to the Law of Georgia "On Labor Migration." These include:

• Engaging in labor activities based on an ordinary ("tourist") visa is prohibited;
• All local employers are required to register each foreign employee on the labor migration electronic portal;
• All self-employed foreigners (individual entrepreneurs) must register on the labor migration electronic portal;
• Based on registration on the labor migration electronic portal, the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health, and Social Affairs will review the documents of registered individuals and decide whether to grant or deny the right to engage in labor activities;
• The review process for granting the right to engage in labor activities is subject to a fee, with the service fee, including expedited administrative procedures, set at no more than GEL 500.

If the right to engage in labor activities is granted, the employee/self-employed individual (if not already in Georgia) must apply to the relevant consular authority for a D1 category visa. If already in Georgia, they must apply to the National Agency of Public Registry for a labor residence permit and submit the following documents:

• A document confirming entrepreneurial or labor activities in Georgia;
• A certificate proving that the monthly income/remuneration from entrepreneurial or labor activities in Georgia is not less than five times the subsistence minimum for an average consumer in Georgia (approximately GEL 1,500–2,000 per month);
• For enterprises (except educational or medical institutions) employing the applicant, the annual turnover per foreign employee must not be less than GEL 50,000 (or GEL 35,000 for educational or medical institutions).

These changes will take effect from March 1, 2026, and, in summary, mean the following: To engage in labor activities in Georgia, regardless of whether a person is legally present in the country, two conditions must be met simultaneously:

1. Obtaining the right to engage in labor activities;
2. Obtaining a labor residence permit.

During the transitional period, foreign employees and entrepreneurs who have already registered on the migration electronic portal and have an "active" status as of March 1, 2026, will have until January 1, 2027, to obtain a residence permit under the new rules.

II. Stricter Penalties

It is important to note that penalties for violations of the above requirements have been tightened. Specifically, engaging in activities without the right to labor activities by a labor migrant, their employer, or a self-employed foreigner, as well as receiving services from a person without such a right, incurs fines for each party individually (the foreigner, employer, or service recipient) as follows: GEL 2,000 for the first offense, GEL 4,000 for the second, and GEL 12,000 for each subsequent offense.

Additionally, the right to engage in labor activities is tied to the specific activity for which the foreigner is registered. Changing the activity requires obtaining a new right to engage in labor activities, with a fine of GEL 2,000 for non-compliance.

III. New Type of Residence Permit – Temporary Residence Permit for Persons Employed in the Information Technology (IT) Sector

A significant innovation in the legislation is the introduction of a temporary residence permit for persons employed in the information technology (IT) sector. Starting September 1, 2025, foreigners and stateless persons employed in this sector will have the opportunity to obtain a new, long-term labor residence permit (work visa).

The temporary residence permit for persons employed in the IT sector is issued for a period of 3 years (compared to the standard labor residence permit, which is issued for 6 months to 1 year). This permit is a variation of the so-called Digital Nomad Visa and can be extended three additional times, each for 3 years, up to a maximum of 12 years. Furthermore, this permit is issued not only to the IT professional but also to their family members.

The temporary residence permit for persons employed in the IT sector is granted to both employed and self-employed (entrepreneurial) foreigners who meet the following requirements:

• Are registered on the migrant electronic portal and have obtained the right to engage in labor activities in professions related to the IT sector;
• Have at least 2 years of experience in the relevant field;
• The annual remuneration from labor or economic activities in the IT sector is not less than the equivalent of USD 25,000 in GEL.

As noted above, the temporary residence permit for persons employed in the IT sector will take effect from September 1, 2025. Applications submitted by September 1, 2026, must be processed within 90 days from the submission of all required documents to the Public Service Development Agency.

It is noteworthy that, in addition to the general grounds for terminating a temporary residence permit, the permit for IT professionals will also be terminated if the holder is absent from Georgia for 183 days or more during any continuous 12-month period (except for absences due to medical treatment, which are counted as time spent in Georgia).

IV. Expanded Competencies of State Authorities

A significant innovation in the Law of Georgia "On the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons" is the creation of a database of foreigners who are or have been illegally present in Georgia, for the purposes of state security, public safety, and/or maintaining public order. This database will be administered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. Additionally, foreigners are required to cooperate with authorized employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, provide explanations, contact details, and other personal information, including biometric data (photographs, fingerprints, and palm prints). These changes related to the database and information provision will take effect from October 1, 2025.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ authority in the monitoring process has been expanded:

• Communication with foreigners is conducted by posting relevant notifications on the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ website. Any notification or decision issued by the Ministry’s authorized body is considered delivered to the foreigner the day after it is posted on the website. This change takes effect from October 1, 2025.
• The Ministry’s authorized body has the right to inspect a foreigner’s place of residence or work, or other private property/possession, to identify foreigners illegally present in Georgia, verify their place of residence or work, or locate their travel documents, based on a district (city) court judge’s order. The consent of a co-owner of the private property or the employer at the workplace is sufficient to conduct such an inspection without a court order. This change is already in effect.

Another critical innovation in the Law of Georgia "On the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons" is that appealing a refusal to issue a residence permit or other decisions related to a foreigner (including deportation decisions) does not suspend the enforcement of the appealed act. This condition takes effect from October 1, 2025.

V. Clarifying Subordinate Acts

The regulatory laws include numerous new provisions that enable the practical implementation of these changes. To supplement procedural norms and ensure the effective enforcement of the law, relevant agencies have been assigned deadlines to adopt the following subordinate normative acts:

1. Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia

By October 1, 2025, must ensure the issuance of appropriate subordinate normative acts in compliance with the Law of Georgia "On the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons," including:

• Rules for the detention and placement of foreigners in temporary detention centers;
• Rules for administrative proceedings regarding the deportation of foreigners;
• Rules for taking photographs, fingerprints, and palm prints of foreigners, as well as processing such personal data;
• Rules for posting notifications and decisions on the website;
• Rules for creating and maintaining the database of foreigners in Georgia, as well as processing and exchanging data.

2. Government of Georgia

By September 1, 2025, must ensure compliance of appropriate subordinate normative acts with the Law of Georgia "On the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons" and:

• Define the list of activities classified under the IT sector;
• Establish the procedure for submitting required documents and any additional documents for applicants seeking a temporary residence permit for persons employed in the IT sector;
• Determine the procedure for monitoring the presence of holders of the temporary residence permit for IT professionals in Georgia.

3. Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health, and Social Affairs

By March 1, 2026, must ensure:

• the approval of the procedure for granting the right to engage in labor activities to labor migrants and self-employed foreigners;
• Additionally, by March 1, 2026, the Government of Georgia and the Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health, and Social Affairs must ensure compliance of appropriate subordinate normative acts with the Law of Georgia "On Labor Migration" and/or implement other relevant measures.

VI. Conclusion

As evident, a large-scale and substantive reform is underway in Georgia’s migration legislation, which is noteworthy for all foreigners currently residing in or planning to come to Georgia to work or live. Some changes not only establish new rules and requirements but also create new state control systems, further emphasizing the need for interested parties to promptly bring their status into compliance with the new requirements.

MK Partners provides a full range of legal assistance in the process of obtaining residence permits, including document preparation, communication with administrative bodies, and involvement in other legal processes.

We remind you that certain regulations in the sector’s legislation will be enforced gradually, and the process of adopting relevant subordinate acts is ongoing. At MK Partners, we actively monitor ongoing developments and will promptly inform our subscribers about the publication of specific rules or mechanisms.