Moving to Georgia: A Practical First-Month Checklist
Relocating to a new country can feel like a hundred small tasks competing for attention. Georgia makes it easier than most places — entry is simple for many nationalities, the cost of living is reasonable, and the bureaucracy is light — but it still helps to tackle the essentials in a sensible order. This guide is a practical, step-by-step checklist for your first few weeks: entry and insurance, a SIM card, somewhere to stay, a bank account, tax and registration if you’re working, healthcare, and getting around. Rather than re-explaining each topic in depth, we signpost you to our detailed guides at each step, so you can dive deeper exactly where you need to. Treat dates and figures here as approximate and current as of 2026, and verify anything official before relying on it.
Before you arrive: entry and insurance
Citizens of many countries can enter Georgia visa-free and stay for up to 365 days — a generous, well-known feature of the Georgian system that makes it a popular base. Check that your nationality qualifies and understand the conditions before you fly. The full details are in our guide to visa-free entry.
Importantly, as of 1 January 2026, Georgia introduced a requirement for visitors to hold valid travel medical insurance covering their stay. This applies to visa-free travellers too, so arrange a qualifying policy before you travel — carriers may check at the gate, and you can face problems at the border without it. Read the specifics, including coverage levels, in our guide to insurance. As this is a relatively new rule, confirm the current requirements before you book.
Week one: connectivity and a roof
Get a SIM card. Pick one up at the airport or an operator shop with your passport — mobile data is cheap and 4G coverage is strong. This unlocks maps, ride apps, banking and messaging, so do it first.
Secure short-term accommodation, then plan a longer lease. Most people book a serviced apartment or guesthouse for the first week or two, then view neighbourhoods in person before committing to a 6 or 12-month lease. Understand deposits, agency fees and what to check before signing in our guide to renting.
Weeks one to two: banking and money
A local bank account makes everyday life far smoother — paying rent, receiving funds, using local cards. Non-residents can open accounts in Georgia, though requirements and timelines vary by bank, and some due-diligence steps may apply. Walk through the process, documents and tips in our guide to opening a bank account. Until your account is live, a card from home plus the country’s widespread ATMs and payment terminals will keep you going.
If you’re working: tax and registration
If you’ll be earning while in Georgia — as a freelancer, remote worker or business owner — it’s worth understanding the tax picture early, even if obligations only kick in later. Spending enough time in the country, or centring your life here, can make you a tax resident, with consequences worth planning for. Our guide to tax residency explains how residency is determined and why it matters. Get professional advice for your specific situation rather than relying on general rules.
Healthcare and getting around
Healthcare: beyond the entry-insurance requirement above, consider ongoing health cover for your stay. Private clinics in the main cities are accessible and affordable by international standards, and many staff speak English or Russian.
Getting around: Tbilisi has a metro, buses and inexpensive ride-hailing apps; a rechargeable transport card covers public transport. Intercity travel by marshrutka (shared minibus), train or taxi is cheap and easy once you have a SIM and a payment method.
Your first-month checklist at a glance
Use this table as a running checklist. The suggested timing is a guide, not a rule — adapt it to your situation.
| Step | When | Where to go deeper |
|---|---|---|
| Confirm visa-free eligibility (up to 365 days) | Before travel | Visa-free entry |
| Arrange travel medical insurance (required from 2026) | Before travel | Insurance |
| Buy a SIM card (bring passport) | Day 1 | — |
| Book short-term accommodation | Week 1 | Renting |
| Open a bank account | Weeks 1–2 | Bank account |
| Sign a longer lease | Weeks 2–4 | Renting |
| Understand tax/residency (if working) | Weeks 2–4 | Tax residency |
| Sort transport (card, ride apps) | Week 1 | — |
Timings and figures are approximate and current as of 2026 — verify official requirements before relying on them.
A sensible order of operations
- Insurance and entry first — sort these before you fly, because they gate everything else.
- SIM on arrival — it powers maps, banking and ride apps.
- Short stay, then long lease — view neighbourhoods before committing.
- Bank account next — it makes paying rent and daily life far easier.
- Tax last but not least — if you’re working, plan residency early even if obligations come later.
Frequently Asked Questions about Moving to Georgia
How long can I stay in Georgia without a visa?
Citizens of many countries can enter Georgia visa-free and stay for up to 365 days, which is unusually generous. Eligibility depends on your nationality and the conditions in force, so confirm that your passport qualifies before you travel — see our guide to visa-free entry for the details.
Do I need travel insurance to enter Georgia in 2026?
As of 1 January 2026, Georgia introduced a requirement for visitors — including visa-free travellers — to hold valid travel medical insurance covering their stay. Arrange a qualifying policy before you fly and keep proof handy. As this is a relatively new rule, verify the current requirements before booking.
Can a non-resident open a bank account in Georgia?
Yes, non-residents can open accounts in Georgia, though requirements, documents and timelines vary by bank and some due-diligence steps may apply. Our guide to opening a bank account walks through the process. Until your account is active, a home card plus local ATMs and terminals will cover you.
What’s the first thing I should do after arriving?
Get a SIM card with your passport — cheap mobile data unlocks maps, ride apps, banking and messaging, which makes every other task easier. With entry and insurance already sorted before you flew, the SIM is the natural first step on the ground, followed by short-term accommodation.
Disclaimer: This article is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Entry rules, the 2026 insurance requirement, banking processes and tax residency criteria can change. All timings and figures are approximate as of 2026 — always verify current official requirements before acting.
Working while you’re here? Start by understanding when Georgia treats you as a resident in our guide to tax residency in Georgia.