Ordinary (C) Visa for Georgia: C1–C5 Explained (2026)
The ordinary visa (category C) is the everyday short-term Georgian visa for people who need a visa to visit: C1 for tourism, C2 for visiting relatives and friends, C3 for business meetings, conferences, journalism, ship crews and international drivers, C4 for humanitarian, medical, guardianship and pilgrimage visits, and C5 for short-term visitors who work only for a non-resident (the closest thing Georgia has to a remote-worker visa). It is defined in Article 7 of the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons. A single-entry short-term visa runs up to 30 days; multiple-entry versions up to five years, and C5 can be issued with five-year validity and a one-year stay. If your nationality is on the visa-free list you usually will not need a C visa at all. Since 1 March 2026, paid work in Georgia also requires a separate work permit.
Last reviewed: 2 July 2026 · Last checked: 28 July 2026
The ordinary visa (category C) is the standard short-term Georgian visa for foreign nationals who require a visa to enter Georgia. It is one of the visa categories established by Article 7 of the Law of Georgia on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons.
If your nationality qualifies for visa-free entry, you will generally not need an ordinary visa. Category C is primarily intended for travellers whose nationality requires a Georgian visa.
The five sub-categories
Georgia issues five types of ordinary visas:
- C1 – Tourism: for persons travelling to Georgia for tourism purposes.
- C2 – Private visits: for visiting relatives and friends in Georgia.
- C3 – Business and professional visits: for business meetings and negotiations, participation in scientific, educational, cultural and sporting events, journalistic assignments, crew members of ships calling at Georgian ports (unless an international treaty provides otherwise), and principal drivers and co-drivers engaged in international passenger or cargo transport.
- C4 – Humanitarian and other personal purposes: for humanitarian assistance in life- or health-threatening situations, charitable activities, guardianship, medical treatment, visiting graves of relatives or friends, pilgrimage and other religious visits.
- C5 – Activities for a non-resident: for foreign nationals who carry out labour activity or provide services solely for a non-resident, where those activities are connected with the non-resident’s operations outside Georgia. The category also extends to the applicant’s spouse and minor children.
Type and validity
An ordinary visa is a short-term visa.
It may be issued as:
- a single-entry visa permitting a stay of up to 30 calendar days; or
- a multiple-entry visa with a validity period of up to five years.
A C5 visa may be issued as a multiple-entry visa with a validity period of up to five years, allowing its holder to remain in Georgia for up to one year on each entry.
How to apply
Foreign nationals who are eligible for the e-Visa programme may apply online through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ e-Visa Portal, without visiting a Georgian embassy or consulate.
The portal also enables applicants to check their eligibility, review the documentary requirements and pay the applicable consular fee online.
Working on a C visa — the 2026 change
Holding a visa does not automatically give you the right to work in Georgia.
Since 1 March 2026, most foreign nationals who wish to engage in employment, self-employment or entrepreneurial activity in Georgia must first obtain a Right to Labour Activity, unless they fall within one of the statutory exemptions.
A C5 visa is intended for persons working solely for a non-resident, where the activity is connected with that non-resident’s operations outside Georgia. Whether a work permit is required depends on the specific activity being carried out. If you intend to work or earn income in Georgia, see the Right to Work Guide.
Planning a longer stay?
An ordinary visa is intended for temporary visits.
If you plan to relocate to Georgia for work, study, family reunification, investment or another long-term purpose, you should consider applying for an Immigration (D) Visa or, where the law permits, apply directly for the appropriate Residence Permit while lawfully present in Georgia.
Frequently asked questions
Which C visa do tourists need?
C1, the tourism category. But most Western travellers do not need any visa: if your nationality is on the visa-free list you can enter and stay up to one year without a C visa. You only need C1 if your nationality requires a visa.
Is the C5 visa a digital-nomad visa?
It is the closest thing. C5 is for short-term visitors who, while in Georgia, carry out activities only for a non-resident person connected to that non-resident's activity outside Georgia. It can be issued with five-year validity and a one-year stay and also covers the holder's spouse and minor children. Georgia has no dedicated digital-nomad visa.
How long is an ordinary visa valid?
A single-entry short-term visa is issued for up to 30 days. Multiple-entry short-term visas can carry validity of up to five years. C5 specifically can be issued for five-year validity with a one-year right of stay.
Can I work on a C visa?
The C5 category is built around working only for a non-resident. For paid work inside Georgia, note that since 1 March 2026 most foreign nationals also need a separate 'Right to Labour Activity' permit — being on a visa is not the same as having the right to work.