Georgia visa: do you need one and how to enter 2026

Most travellers don’t need a visa for Georgia: citizens of about 98 countries can stay for up to 365 days without one — one of the most generous visa-free regimes in the world. The big change for 2026 is that, from 1 January, travel medical insurance is mandatory on entry (for everyone, including visa-free visitors). You can enter by air, land or sea with a valid passport. The exact rules (country lists, amounts, checks) change, so before your trip confirm them with the official source — the Consular Service of Georgia’s Foreign Ministry (geoconsul.gov.ge).

Do you need a visa: who enters without one

• ~98 countries — visa-free for up to 365 days. The list includes all EU states, the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Israel, Ukraine, the CIS countries and many more. So there’s nothing “visa-related” to arrange in advance — a passport is enough (plus insurance, see below).
• It isn’t a “tourist visa”. Within the allowed period you can not only travel but also live, work remotely, open a bank account and register as a sole trader — more in the relocation section and the how to open a bank account guide.
• Citizens of countries not on the list need a visa in advance: online (eVisa) or at an embassy. Check your own case and the current list on geoconsul.gov.ge.

Document	Needed on entry?
Passport (valid for the whole trip)	yes
Visa	no — for ~98 countries, stays up to 365 days
Health insurance (coverage ≥ 30,000 GEL)	yes — from 1 January 2026, everyone
Accommodation booking / return ticket	may be asked at the border

The visa-free list and document requirements can change — for accurate, current information see the Consular Service of Georgia’s website.

Mandatory health insurance from 2026 — the big change

From 1 January 2026 every foreign tourist must hold travel medical insurance for the whole trip. The essentials:

• coverage of at least 30,000 GEL, for the full period (entry to departure);
• the policy in English or Georgian — so it’s easy to check at the border;
• checks can happen at any border — airport, land or sea;
• the fine for not having it is 300 GEL, plus the risk of being refused entry.

The legal basis is Government of Georgia Decree No. 602. The requirement is new, and details (amounts, how checks are run) may be refined, so buy a policy in advance rather than counting on sorting it out on arrival. How to choose the right policy is in the insurance section; the details of the requirement and the fine are in the news item mandatory health insurance for entry.

How to enter: air, land, sea

• By air. The main airports are Tbilisi (the primary one), Kutaisi (a low-cost hub, Wizz Air) and Batumi. Which to choose and how to get from the airport into town is in the airports of Georgia overview and the transport section.
• By land. The main crossings are Sarpi (with Turkey, on the coast), Verkhny Lars (with Russia, on the Georgian Military Road) and the crossings with Armenia and Azerbaijan in the south. At a land border, insurance and documents are checked just as at the airport.
• By sea. Ferries call at Batumi and Poti (including from Turkish ports and across the Black Sea) — a niche but workable option.

Money at the border: what to declare

There’s no limit on how much cash you can bring into Georgia — you can carry any amount. But if it exceeds 30,000 GEL (or the equivalent in another currency, about US$11,000), you must declare it at customs. Keep the declaration: if on the way out you take more than you declared on entry, you’ll need to prove where it came from. There’s no “customs fee” on the currency itself — it’s only a declaration. Cards are widely accepted in Georgia, but keep some cash in lari for small towns and rural filling stations.

Passport, registration and border notes

Your passport must be valid for the whole trip — there’s no strict “plus six months” rule as in some countries, but a small buffer is wise. Tourists don’t need any separate residence registration. At the border you may be asked for proof of accommodation for the first nights, a return or onward ticket, and sufficient funds for the trip — usually a formality, but worth having to hand. Land crossings with Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan operate normally; on the Russian direction (Verkhny Lars) there can be queues and special conditions — check current advisories and the crossing’s status before you travel.

How long you can stay

Visa-free entry gives you up to 365 days — enough for almost any trip. For a longer or permanent stay you apply for a residence permit (the subject of the relocation section). “Visa runs” (a quick exit and re-entry to reset the clock) are technically possible, but relying on them is risky: border practice and the rules change, so plan around the legal limits and check the details in advance.

Pre-trip checklist

• Passport valid for the whole trip.
• Health insurance with coverage ≥ 30,000 GEL bought in advance (in English or Georgian).
• Checked whether you personally need a visa — against the list on geoconsul.gov.ge.
• Decided how to get around: car rental or transport; where to go — routes and the Tbilisi guide.
• Clear on the currency and how to change money — lari, cash and cards.

Once entry is sorted, move on to the rest of the planning: decide when to go, arrange insurance, choose transport or a car rental, and plan a route. You can buy travel medical insurance for the 2026 requirement through the box below.