New Zealand citizens can travel visa-free in Georgia for up to one year. However, if you plan to immigrate to Georgia from New Zealand and live there for an extended period, you need to apply for a residence permit. There are multiple reasons to move to Georgia, such as: family reunification, employment, investment, or studying. Our specialists in Georgian immigration matters can help New Zealanders with the relocation process. We also assist those looking to obtain permanent residency or Georgian citizenship.
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Residence permit in Georgia
New Zealand citizens can live and work in Georgia without a special permit during their 365-day visa-free stay. If you intend to stay longer, you need to obtain a residence permit in Georgia. Our team will briefly detail the most important residence permit types:
- Work residence permit – Requires proof of employment (contract must be fixed-term) in a business with a minimum annual turnover (GEL 50,000 for most businesses). Employers must register foreign workers with the Ministry of Labor in Georgia within 30 days of signing the employment contract. Your income must also be at least 5 times higher than the minimum wage in Georgia;
- Study residence permit – If you immigrated from New Zealand to Georgia to study, you must obtain this permit and prove you were admitted to an authorized Georgian educational institution;
- Investment residence permit – This permit is for those investing at least USD 300,000 in Georgian companies or real estate (agricultural land excluded);
- Short-term residence permit – The permit granted for investors owning real estate worth a minimum of USD 100,000;
- Residence permit for family reunification – If you are moving to Georgia from New Zealand to reunite with family members, you must prove your family relationship.
Our immigration lawyers in Georgia can help you apply for the appropriate residence permit.
Permanent residency and citizenship in Georgia
If you want to relocate to Georgia from New Zealand and obtain permanent residency in the country, there are several aspects to consider. Permanent residency is granted to those holding a temporary residence permit and living in Georgia for at least 6 years. However, it can be issued to those holding the investment residence permit for at least 5 years.
As mentioned above, the investment residence permit is awarded to individuals investing at least USD 300,000 in Georgian companies or real estate. This type of investment must be approved by the Georgian government. Additionally, the business you invest in must meet the annual turnover requirements:
- Minimum 50,000 GEL in the first year;
- At least 100,000 GEL in the second year;
- Minimum 120,000 GEL in the third and fourth year.
If these requirements are met and you obtain the investment residence permit, you can apply after 5 years of living in the country for the permanent residency in Georgia. The permanent residency permit is indefinite.
If you wish to move to Georgia from New Zealand and obtain Georgian citizenship, you must legally live in the country for at least 10 years. After meeting the residency requirements, you can apply for citizenship by naturalization.
Reduced residency conditions apply to those married to Georgian citizens. In this case, you can obtain Georgian citizenship through a simplified procedure that only requires having lawfully resided in Georgia for at least 5 years.
Our Georgian immigration specialists can detail more about the procedures for obtaining permanent residency and citizenship in the country.
Statistics about Georgian immigration
Immigrating to Georgia is becoming increasingly popular, as demonstrated by these statistics from 2023:
- Immigration increased by 14.5% compared to 2022, totaling 205,857 people;
- 75.9% of immigrants were of working age (15-64 years);
- 4.6% of immigrants were Georgian citizens;
- Citizens of Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, India, and Belarus also made up a significant portion of the immigrants.
Contact our team if you want to relocate to Georgia from New Zealand and need further assistance.
