Work Permit vs Residence Permit vs D1 Visa in Georgia: What’s the Difference

If you are moving to Georgia to live, work, or build a business, you will quickly run into three terms that are easy to confuse: the residence permit, the work permit, and the D1 immigration visa. They sound similar, but each answers a different question — where you may stay, what you may do, and how you enter the country in the first place. Since the 2026 labour reform, many foreigners now need more than one of these documents at the same time. This guide explains the difference between a work permit vs residence permit in Georgia, where the D1 visa fits in, and whether you actually need both.

Quick answer: the three at a glance

• Residence permit (TRP) — your right to stay and live in Georgia legally for a set period.
• Work permit — your right to work for the local Georgian market, in force from 1 March 2026.
• D1 visa — the long-stay immigration visa you obtain from abroad before coming to take up work or settle.

In short: the D1 visa gets you in, the residence permit lets you stay, and the work permit lets you work. They are layers, not alternatives.

Residence permit (TRP) = the right to STAY

A temporary residence permit (TRP) is the document that gives a foreign national the right to live in Georgia for a defined period and to renew that status. It is granted on a range of grounds — employment, study, investment, ownership of property valued at $150,000 or more, or family reunification with a resident or citizen.

The important change to understand is that, on its own, a residence permit no longer guarantees the right to work for the local market after the 2026 reform. It establishes where you may live, not necessarily what economic activity you may perform. For the full picture of grounds, documents, and renewal, see our residence permit in Georgia guide.

Work permit (from 1 March 2026) = the right to WORK

The work permit — formally the right to labour activity — came into force on 1 March 2026. It is the document that authorises a foreigner to work for the local Georgian market: to be employed by a Georgian company or to provide services in person within Georgia.

This is the piece that catches people out. Before the reform, the right to stay and the right to work were effectively bundled together. Now they are separate. A residence permit no longer implies a work permit, so for most in-person employment you need to apply for the work permit as a distinct step. Our dedicated work permit in Georgia page covers eligibility, exemptions, and the application route in detail.

D1 immigration visa = applying from abroad

The D1 visa is an immigration (long-stay) visa obtained from outside Georgia by people coming to take up work or to settle long term. You apply at a Georgian consulate or through the relevant authority before you travel.

The key thing to grasp is what the D1 turns into. The D1 is an entry document; once you are in Georgia, the equivalent ongoing status is the labour residence permit. So the D1 is not a parallel track to residence — it is the abroad-facing front door that leads to a residence permit once you have arrived. If you are already legally in Georgia, you typically work toward the residence permit directly rather than the D1.

Why you often now need TWO documents

This is the heart of the “do I need both?” question. After the 2026 reform, a foreigner working in person for the local Georgian market generally needs both a work permit and a residence permit — one for the right to work, one for the right to stay.

There are important exceptions:

• Permanent and investment residence permit holders are exempt from the work permit. They still hold a residence permit, but they do not need a separate work permit to work locally.
• Remote work for foreign clients is exempt from the work permit. If you live in Georgia but earn from clients or an employer abroad, you do not need a work permit for that activity (you still need lawful residence status).

Processing comes with standard and expedited options, and a state fee applies in each case. The right route depends on your grounds, your nationality, and whether you are inside or outside Georgia when you apply.

Comparison table

Aspect	Residence permit (TRP)	Work permit	D1 visa
What it grants	Right to live/stay in Georgia	Right to work for the local market	Right to enter for work/long stay
Where you apply	Inside Georgia	Inside Georgia	From abroad
In force since	Long established	1 March 2026	Long established
Granted on grounds of	Work, study, investment, $150,000 property, family	Local labour activity	Coming to take up work / long stay
Becomes / leads to	The ongoing right to stay	Authorisation to work locally	A labour residence permit once in Georgia
Exemptions	—	Permanent/investment residents; remote work for foreign clients	Those already legally in Georgia

Which combination applies to you

To map this to your own situation, work through the layers in order:

• Coming from abroad to work locally: start with a D1 visa, then convert to a labour residence permit, and obtain a work permit unless you are exempt.
• Already in Georgia, working locally: you generally need both a residence permit and a work permit.
• Remote worker for foreign clients: you need lawful residence but no work permit for that activity.
• Permanent or investment resident: you hold a residence permit and are exempt from the work permit.

Because the rules changed in 2026 and the exemptions are specific, it pays to confirm your exact combination before you file anything.