Residency in Georgia
Low living costs, good economic conditions, freedom, security, etc. It is one of the reasons that have increased the number of applicants for residency in Georgia in recent years. In addition to the above, there have been recent rumors that Georgia joining the European Union, which has made Georgia more interesting.
The reason for this haste is that if the country joins the European Union, people living in Georgia will enjoy special privileges also, the process of obtaining this residence will be more difficult and complicated for other people. In this article, we are going to teach you in a comprehensive but concise way how to get a residence permit in Georgia in different ways. But before that, you need to know a little more about the word residency itself.
For more information on residency in Georgia, read the latest Georgia residency rules.
The Difference Between Georgian Residence and Georgian Citizenship
Unfortunately, many profit-seeking companies operating in Georgia do not provide accurate information on the differences between Georgian residency and citizenship.
You should know that residency means obtaining a residence permit to live for one or more years in a foreign country. A person who obtains the residence of a country has all the citizenship rights of that country except the passport and the right to vote. On the other hand, the word citizenship means receiving permanent residence, along with the right to vote and a passport of that country.
Of course, people who have been able to obtain a residence permit in a country can also apply for an extension according to the existing conditions and laws, and finally, receive a permanent residency (citizenship).
Ways of obtaining residence in Georgia
There are different ways to get a residence permit in Georgia, which we will discuss below so that you can get acquainted with the methods of obtaining a residence permit in Georgia and choose the best possible way according to your situation.
Obtaining a residence permit in Georgia by purchasing a property in Georgia
If you do not have enough money to get a residence permit in Georgia through investment or you are not interested in spending your money on building property and buildings, The best option ahead is to get a residency in Georgia by buying a property in Georgia. The first condition for obtaining a residence permit is that the property purchased by you is priced at more than USD $ 100,000.
The advantage of buying a property in Georgia is that the residence in Georgia after your purchase is automatically issued to you and you no longer need to spend more. In addition, you can renew your stay at the end of each year and finally, after 6 years, you can become a citizen of Georgia and getting permanent residency. If you apply for a residence permit in Georgia by purchasing a property, you can also receive a residence permit for your children under the age of 21.
Note that many nationalities currently do not need a visa to travel to Georgia and can travel to Georgia with a passport. Then easily search in different cities to find the property you want and buy it. In addition, the property purchased by you is exempt from tax and you can rent it without worry, also, after buying it you can return to your country.
Finally, if the country becomes part of the European Union and you, using your property, receive a residence permit in Georgia, your passport will become a Schengen passport.
Obtaining Georgian Residency through Investment
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, The conditions for investing and starting a business by government agencies in this country have become as easy as possible. This is what makes many people invest in Georgia. Keep in mind that Georgia is likely to be a new member of the European Union in the near future, and this could have a positive effect on the growth of the country’s capital gains.
What is the minimum amount required to invest in Georgia?
If your goal is to get a residence permit in Georgia through investment, You must invest at least $ 300,000 of your capital directly in this country. The conditions for obtaining a residence permit in Georgia using this method are really good. First of all, the Georgian Chamber of Trade Unions provides you with the right information to choose the best business investment option, and then you can get a five-year or more (even permanent) residence permit from this country once the investment is proven.
Obtaining Georgian Residency through Employee
In recent years, many people have migrated to Georgia to work, prompting the country to introduce special rules for job seekers. These people need a long-term visa to be able to work in this country and short-term tourist visas cannot legally employ them.
If you are planning to work in Georgia, you need to be familiar with the situation in Georgia. This is the first important thing you should know is if you are unfamiliar with the Georgian language, you will probably have to work in low-level and, difficult jobs, in the end, the income can’t cover your living expenses. (Of course, if you have a specialty that you’re sure they really need it in different countries, you should not worry about this)
The second point is that the unemployment rate in Georgia is 12%, which makes it a little difficult to find a job in this country.
Obtaining Georgian Residency through Registering a Company
In 2018, Georgia ranked 9th among more than 180 countries in the world in terms of ease of starting a business. This is one of the reasons why getting a residence permit in Georgia is so popular through company registration. The rules set by the government for foreign investors are very good. Because in addition to reducing the cost of company registration services and other related services, these people are exempted from paying most taxes.
In most countries of the world, when foreigners intend to register a company or other business activities, they also need a citizen of that country (as a partner), but in Georgia, you can register a company in your name 100% without the need for any citizen.
How many types of companies are allowed to apply for residence in Georgia?
In total, 7 types of companies can be registered in Georgia, which are:
- Georgian Private Joint Stock company
- Georgian Cooperative Company
- Georgian Holding Company
- Georgian Individual Entrepreneurship Company
- Georgian Business Company (Participatory)
- Georgian Limited Liability Company
- Georgia Limited Participatory Company
But given the wide range of registered companies, which type of company is better to register for a residence permit in Georgia?
We recommend registering a limited liability company. The reason for this proposal is the high freedom of action that the founder or founders have. This type of company covers many jobs, and in practice, the people who start it can be very free to choose the type of activity.
By setting up this type of company and having a business license, you can enter most of the jobs and businesses in this country. The only restriction is to enter the pharmaceutical industry, where you need to apply separately to the Ministry of Health of Georgia.
In addition, to set up a limited liability company, you can register it individually or with the help of your partners.
The company registration process in Georgia
the process and registration of a company in Georgia requires a relative familiarity with the English language and legal rights. It is recommended that you leave this activity to experienced attorneys to avoid any legal issues. In the following, you will get acquainted with the steps of registering a company as a headline:
- Receipt of residency using the company registration application (with limited liability)
- Hiring staff and personnel for the company
- Activate the registered company
- Payment of insurance for employees employed in the company
- Pay taxes for employees in the company
- Finally, the payment of insurance and taxes related to the activities of the company registered by you.
All this process can be done in less than 1 week. Of course, in order to be able to register your company in Georgia in this short period of time, you need to have all the financial conditions and having an experienced lawyer in this field.
The cost of registering a company in Georgia according to your needs is between $ 200 to $ 900. as mentioned, registering a company is just one of the ways to obtain residency in Georgia. In the following, we will provide you with enough information about other methods.
Obtaining Georgian Residency by Education
One of the benefits of obtaining a residence permit in Georgia through the study is that people can apply for a Schengen visa while they’re studying and enjoy the unique benefits of this type of visa. The cost of studying in this country depends on the university you choose. For citizens study at most universities is free, but for immigrants, it costs between $ 2,000 and $ 5,000 a year (depending on the grade).
There are also conditions to enter these universities, most importantly, you should be fluent in one of these languages English, Georgian, or Russian. However, to study at these universities, you must attend a 130-hour Georgian language course.
The qualification required for admission to Georgian universities is also a diploma.
Obtaining Georgian Residency Through Marriage to a Georgian citizen
Many people think that getting a residency by marriage is only for men, but women can do the same.
To obtain a residence permit in Georgia through marriage, you must have some the of conditions, and after going through a few legal steps, you can get permanent residency in this country. Of course, it is not possible to receive this type of residence for people who have taken refuge in this country in the past.
In recent years, unfortunately, many people have abused this law and arranged fake marriages in order to obtain Georgian residency. Eventually, this has made the process of obtaining permanent residency in the country a little more difficult. As far as possible, you may not be able to obtain permanent residency or citizenship by using this law for the first 3 years.
As we said, many nationalities can travel to Georgia without a visa, and easily do your research in this country, and socialize with others. But the most important thing is that your marriage with a Georgian citizen is registered globally, and this law makes it impossible for married people to register a new marriage before divorcing their spouse.
Obtaining Georgian Residency Through Family Or Relativity
This way is for people who have already been able to obtain permanent residence in Georgia. They can now apply for residency for their family members by submitting their application to government agencies. At first, family members can travel to this country not as a citizen with permanent residence but as a temporary residence. again, there are restrictive rules for this type of residence in Georgia. Most importantly, a Georgian citizen can only obtain residency for his or her spouse and then children under the age of 18. (This residency is also issued for people with disabilities who are in need of a Georgian citizen to continue living.)
There are 7 practical methods of obtaining a residence permit in Georgia, which should be reviewed, and the best way should be chosen according to the applicant’s circumstances.
Finally, if you have enough money to immigrate to this country, it is recommended that you apply for residency through investment Otherwise, buying a property is the best option for you.