Residence in Georgia through study
A residence permit for the duration of study at an authorised Georgian university or college. The status is tied to being a student: while you're enrolled, the grounds to live in the country hold.
- Students and pupils of authorised educational institutions in Georgia
In the new wording of the law, study residence is issued to an adult foreigner for a higher or vocational education programme. For minors a separate D6 category immigration visa is introduced; the same visa may be issued to the child's parents or legal representatives until the child comes of age.
From 1 September 2026 study residence ends if the student is in fact absent from Georgia for 183 days or more over any 12 consecutive calendar months; days spent on treatment or on an exchange programme don't count towards that. The permit also ends if student status is suspended for more than 90 days, if the course is completed or terminated, or if no more than a third of the maximum credits are earned in an academic year.
No university chosen yet? We will help you apply and prepare the documents.
Find a universityWho it suits
- Students and pupils of authorised educational institutions in Georgia
- A student already enrolled on a programme at a Georgian university who needs status for the length of the course
- A student on an authorised college vocational programme — the grounds are the same as for a university student
- A student renewing status for the next year: renewal is filed in advance, on the same terms
Residence permit in Georgia: comparing the options
The difference is not the price — it is who each option suits. The “Best for” column is the business profile the option is built around.
| Option | Best for | Timeline | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through studyyou are here | A student already enrolled on a programme at a Georgian university who needs status for the length of the course, a student on an authorised college vocational programme — the grounds are the same as for a university student, a student renewing status for the next year: renewal is filed in advance, on the same terms | 4–9 weeks | from $170 |
| Through business | The owner of an operating Georgian sole trader or company with turnover of at least GEL 50,000 a year, a digital nomad who registered as a sole trader in Georgia to put their income on a legal footing, a co-owner renewing the permit as the company grows | 4–9 weeks | from $170 |
| Through employment | Employees with an employment contract already signed at a Georgian company, specialists invited by a Georgian employer to a permanent position, people already in Georgia on a visa or visa-free stay who want to legalise their status through employment | 4–9 weeks | from $170 |
| For new sole traders | An entrepreneur who has just opened a sole trader in Georgia and can't wait a year of turnover for ordinary work residence, a freelancer or independent contractor moving income to a Georgian sole trader and legalising their status at the start, the owner of a young company with one or two foreigners on staff who needs six months to build up turnover | 4–9 weeks | from $170 |
| For IT specialists | A developer or engineer with 2+ years' experience who can show regular payments for IT work, a sole trader on small business status working under software development and IT consulting codes, a manager or representative of an international company authorised to run it from Georgia | 2–3 months | from $170 |
| Through family | The spouse of a foreigner who already holds Georgian residence through work, business or study, parents bringing minor children to a Georgian residence holder, a fully dependent relative or dependant of a residence holder who has no grounds of their own | 4–9 weeks | from $170 |
| Through property | Owners of a flat or house in Georgia bought to live in, not to resell, investors who already own, or plan to buy, residential property for the residence permit, families moving to Georgia who need legal status for longer than the tourist period | 4–9 weeks | from $340 |
| Through investment | An owner of Georgian property worth more than the equivalent of USD 300,000 who wants long status with no tie to an employer, an entrepreneur who has invested in a Georgian company and is ready to evidence turnover annually, someone heading for indefinite status in five years on investment grounds, rather than accruing ten years on temporary permits | 4–9 weeks | from $340 |
What the service includes
| Checking the grounds before filing: the institution's authorisation, the type of programme, the study period on the certificate, whether the proof of funds is sufficient | |
| Working out the amount needed for the length of the permit — the subsistence minimum is recalculated monthly, so the figure is set on the filing date | |
| Assembling the pack: the form, the institution's certificate, income documents or a bank statement, translation into Georgian | |
| Filing the application with the Public Service Development Agency and choosing the review period | |
| Running the case during the review: answering the Agency's queries and watching the deadlines | |
| Providing a registration address and issuing the resident card once approved | |
| State fees for reviewing the application and for the resident card — the rate depends on the speed chosen— billed separately | |
| University or college admission, recognition of the education document and tuition — that's a separate programme-selection service | |
| The D3 category immigration visa — arranged separately before the residence application | |
| The right to work: study residence doesn't allow employment on its own, which is arranged separately |
Official terms
Financial requirement
You prove an income of at least 2 subsistence minimums. The fee is GEL 300–600 (≈$120–230) depending on the processing time.
Timelines and rights
Review time
10 days — GEL 600 (≈$230), 20 days — GEL 450 (≈$170), 30 days — GEL 300 (≈$120).
Right to work
The study permit gives no right to work. From 1 March 2026 you obtain the right to work for a job or part-time work separately at the Employment Promotion Agency: up to 30 calendar days, a fee of up to GEL 500 (≈$190).
Residence conditions
From 1 September 2026 the study permit is cancelled if the student has been absent from Georgia for 183 days or more in any 12 calendar months. Days on exchange programmes at authorised universities and days of medical treatment are counted in.
Documents and programme requirements
- 1Enrolment at an authorised Georgian institution — on a higher or vocational education programme
- 2A certificate from the institution confirming you study there, stating the expected length of the course
- 3Proof of funds: monthly, at least twice the subsistence minimum for an average consumer. Lawful income in Georgia or a personal account balance both qualify
- 4Lawful stay in Georgia: a copy of the D3 category immigration visa or another supporting document
- 5A passport and a colour 3×4 photo in digital form
- 6The application is filed 40 calendar days before lawful stay expires
What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship
Route to permanent residence
Periods of residence on a study permit do not count towards the 10-year term for permanent residence
Route to citizenship
Years on a study permit do not count towards the 10 years required for permanent residence: article 15 expressly excludes study. Naturalisation requires 10 years of residence, an examination in the language, history and law, and work, property or a business in Georgia.
Frequently asked questions
How much money has to be shown, and whose can it be?
Can I work part-time while studying?
How long is the permit issued for, and do the study years count towards permanent residence?
Sources
- Public Service Development Agency — study residence: documents, the funds requirement, timelines
- Law on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons, articles 15, 16 and 21
- Law of Georgia on Labour Migration — the list of those who don't need the right to work
- National Statistics Office of Georgia — the subsistence minimum for an average consumer
Related breakdowns
What Georgian residence costs in 2026: prices from $170
Real prices for Georgian residence in 2026: business and work from $170, property from $340. What's included, timelines and state fees.
Georgia's 1% tax: who gets small business status
Small business status gives a sole trader 1% on turnover up to GEL 500,000. Who is refused, which income falls outside it and when the rate rises to 3%.
Tax filing in Georgia: rs.ge deadlines and nil returns
A sole trader in Georgia files monthly by the 15th through the rs.ge portal. What to do with no turnover, how to pay the tax and when to hire an accountant.
We'll check your case before you pay
Send an enquiry — we will check your case and help you arrange “Residence in Georgia through study” in Georgia. No markup on top.
We'll cover: whether you qualify, the full cost with fees, realistic timelines, the document list. If it's not for you, we'll say so.