Living in Georgia as a French National: Formalities, Cities, Daily Life

Georgia appeals through the length of the visa-free stay, a lively capital, mountain and Black Sea landscapes and a growing foreign community. France Diplomatie highlights the visa exemption of up to a year for French nationals and describes an extensive bus network, recognisable taxis and booking apps with prices fixed in advance. The country is also France’s leading market in the Caucasus, with significant French exports, which translates into a presence of companies and an Institut français active since 2002.

The downsides should be prepared for before departure. Health insurance has been a condition of entry since the start of 2026. The road remains dangerous: France Diplomatie notes frequent disregard of traffic rules, a large share of accidents in the capital and livestock roaming freely. Stray dogs, some of them carrying rabies, roam even in Tbilisi. The country lies in a seismic zone, and mountain roads carry risks of rockfalls, avalanches and landslides in spring and in heavy rain. The sparse railway infrastructure is slow, with the exception of the Batumi-Tbilisi line.

Tbilisi, the capital, has about 1.25 million inhabitants according to France Diplomatie; it is home to the French embassy (51a Krtsanisi street), the Economic Service, the Franco-Georgian Chamber of Commerce, the Institut français and the French School of the Caucasus. Batumi, on the Black Sea, Kutaisi and Rustavi are cited among the other major cities. France Diplomatie recommends particular attention on public transport and in very busy areas, especially in summer and on the Black Sea coast, where pickpockets operate.

As for regions, the Safety page cites the Pankisi valley, where local dress customs should be respected (clothing covering the shoulders), and mountain areas where use of a professional guide is advised for hiking and mountaineering. Search, rescue and hospital costs remain the traveller’s responsibility, hence the value of insurance that covers mountain sports.

The currency is the lari (GEL). The National Bank of Georgia publishes an indicative official rate of the lari against the euro and the US dollar every day. France Diplomatie recalls that the influx of Russian tourists and residents, estimated at about 100,000 people, has supported economic dynamism and caused inflation of about 10% in 2022, particularly in real estate. The housing market varies by city: a written and translated lease is a useful precaution before committing.

The National Statistics Office (Geostat) publishes the reports “Average monthly earnings of employees” and “Median earnings by sector of activity”, which serve as benchmarks for candidates for a local contract; the amounts are in these reports and are not repeated here. International health insurance, compulsory on entry, is a budget item in its own right.

An individual passport or a secure national identity card, valid for the whole length of the stay, is required. Identity cards issued between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2013 to adults remain usable five years after the expiry date printed on the back, but France Diplomatie strongly recommends the passport. Border checks may cover the purpose of the stay, available funds, a hotel reservation or an invitation, a return ticket and transit guarantees. France Diplomatie also points out that entry can be refused, including to holders of a Georgian residence permit, for reasons it lists; it invites travellers to consult its page before each departure.

For a continuous stay of more than a year, a long-stay visa is requested from a Georgian embassy or consulate before departure, or from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tbilisi. The residence permit is then requested from the Public Service Development Agency. The Agency specifies that the application is filed 40 calendar days before the legal stay expires, online or on site; for a business trip, the visa is issued within a month and the permit within a few days, according to France Diplomatie. The types of permit (work, study, family reunification, investment, short-term stay for property owners, IT) are described in working in Georgia and retiring in Georgia.

The French driving licence is tolerated for short stays; an international licence is strongly recommended. At a land border, you must present the licence, the vehicle registration document, proof of ownership if necessary and a vehicle insurance certificate valid for at least fifteen days throughout the territory. Surrogacy, illegal in France, is legal in Georgia under conditions: France Diplomatie invites families to contact the consular section of the embassy before taking any step.

The French School of the Caucasus, opened in 2006 in Tbilisi, has more than 500 pupils (France Diplomatie, Bilateral relations page). Enrolment conditions and fees are requested directly from the school. The Institut français, created in 2002, offers French courses in Tbilisi and cultural events across the country.

In higher education, a networked Franco-Georgian university has welcomed students since September 2019 in computer science, oenology and agri-food, and a branch of the IRECA settled in Tbilisi in April 2026 (France Diplomatie). Families will also find pointers on children’s cover in expat family insurance.

France Diplomatie places the whole country in a “zone of heightened vigilance” (yellow on the security map) and specifies that Georgia is generally safe outside the red zones. Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as well as their surroundings whose boundaries are sometimes not marked, are formally advised against; the embassy cannot assist French nationals who are there, and entering these regions from Russia exposes people to criminal prosecution in Georgia. The Larsi border post, the only land crossing between Georgia and Russia, falls under the recommendation to avoid all travel to Russia as a whole.

Ordinary crime, thefts and burglaries, exists; it is advisable to leave valuables at the hotel and to keep only the cash needed. When driving, the permitted blood alcohol level is 0 g/l, with heavy fines and a licence withdrawal of at least six months in case of an offence; drug laws are among the strictest, with sentences of 5 to 20 years in prison whatever the type and quantity. The emergency number 112 is given in the Useful information page. Registering with Fil d’Ariane makes it possible to receive alerts.

France Diplomatie recommends keeping the usual vaccines up to date and considering, depending on the length and conditions of the stay, those against hepatitis A, typhoid, hepatitis B, rabies (young children, rural areas), tuberculosis (children under 15 on a long or frequent stay) and mpox in case of exposure. An assistance contract covering medical costs, surgery, hospitalisation and medical repatriation is presented as essential; the embassy cannot pay these costs. See the Georgian healthcare system, healthcare reimbursement in Georgia and expat health insurance.