Self-employed foreigners and the May 1 deadline: what we know now

Updated 10 October 2026. This post was originally published on 28 April, before the May deadline. It has been corrected to reflect subsequent rules and the April exceptions it originally missed. The 2026 work-permit update is our newer guide.

What the 1 May date meant

The right-to-work system started on 1 March 2026. For self-employed foreigners already carrying out labour or entrepreneurial activity in Georgia on that date, the government’s transition specified 1 May 2026 as the start of the enforcement mechanism. This concerned covered activity; it did not remove statutory exceptions. Resolution №70, Article 14.

The separate 1 January 2027 deadline applies to labour immigrants with active registration in the Ministry’s labour-migration database on 1 March 2026. It requires obtaining the right to work and an appropriate residence permit by that date. A pre-March IE registration alone does not prove that you belong to this cohort. Labour Migration Law, Article 17(2²).

First check whether your activity is covered

The April amendment introduced an exception for work/services for a nonresident related to that nonresident’s activities outside Georgia. July’s implementing rule adds a qualification for an entrepreneur individual who needs a residence permit to stay lawfully. The statute and implementing text are not identically worded, so physical presence in Georgia or foreign-client income alone cannot settle every case. April law, Article 1; July resolution, Article 1(1).

Check your contracts, clients’ activities and basis of stay before applying or relying on an exception. The 2026 guide explains this qualification in more detail.

The corrected application sequence

For self-employed foreigners who need the right to work:

1. Read the current requirements on the official portal and prepare the prescribed documents.
2. Submit directly and include payment confirmation with the application documents.
3. Attend the mandatory video interview in Georgian or English, with an interpreter if needed, and the original passport used for the application. Confirm the electronic application at the interview’s conclusion.
4. Receive the agency’s electronic decision. Review periods run from complete submission: the ordinary service is up to 30 calendar days, the expedited service up to 10 working days. July amendment, Article 1(3)–(4).

The published fees are GEL 200 for ordinary processing and GEL 400 for expedited processing. Our original description incorrectly placed payment after the decision. Resolution №70, Article 11.

Plan status and validity separately

After obtaining the right to work, the general rule gives someone abroad 30 calendar days to apply for D1, and someone inside Georgia 10 calendar days to apply for the relevant residence permit. Holding an existing residence permit changes that follow-up requirement; check the statutory exceptions. Labour Migration Law, Article 13⁵.

Initial authorisation is ordinarily for six to twelve months, with particular IT routes allowing up to three years. Its commencement can depend on obtaining the relevant visa/residence document. Check your issued decision rather than counting from the application date. Resolution №70, Article 10.

A self-employed person’s absence from Georgia for more than six months can be a ground for termination. Labour Migration Law, Article 13⁷.

Keep your tax routine running

Work authorisation and monthly SBS declarations are separate matters. Read our Order №38 post about monthly filings, including quiet months.

Taxocat helps organise tax records. It does not file work-permit applications or determine your immigration eligibility. For the earlier background, see the corrected March overview; for working across borders, see our freelance guide.