# Georgia

 Country code: GE · Currency: GEL · Language: Georgian

**Pros**
- Low tax burden: Flat income tax and zero tax on reinvested corporate profits.
- Minimal bureaucracy: Rapid business registration and high rankings for ease of doing business.
- Economic freedom: Liberal trade policies and minimal state interference in private market operations.

**Cons**
- Geopolitical instability: Ongoing territorial disputes and risks associated with regional political tensions.
- Judicial system concerns: Potential for political influence and inconsistent enforcement of the rule of law.
- Infrastructure limitations: Developing transport networks and reliance on external energy sources.

Long story short: In Georgia, you can set up a company in half a day, without slipping a single bribe, and tax your turnover at just 1% if you're a freelancer.

The catch: courts are unpredictable, banks get spooked easily by foreign wire transfers, and political stability looks shaky as the ruling party cozies up openly to Moscow.

Besides that: Tbilisi feels genuinely safe in its nicer neighborhoods, roads turn to rubble the moment you leave the center, the food and wine are excellent, and the mountains will take your breath away.

## Will your income be taxed?

Long story short: YES, FAIRLY.
**Georgia** taxes personal income at a middling **20%**, but only on what you earn locally.

The *territorial* regime is your lever: whatever you make abroad while living here stays out of the taxman's reach.

**01.1 Income tax**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income tax | 20% | flat rate |

**01.2 Tax residence test**

_A single active rule is enough to make you tax-resident._

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 183-day rule | exists here |  |
| Economic interest | does not exist here |  |
| Family centre | does not exist here |  |
| Habitual abode | does not exist here |  |
| Extended-stay test | does not exist here |  |

## Will your wealth be taxed?

Long story short: YES, BUT LIGHTLY.
Capital gains get off easy in **Georgia** (**5%**); the *annual wealth tax* doesn't (top rate **1%**). It nibbles your pile every year, sold or not, and over a long hold the nibbling out-eats the sale tax entirely.

Watch the stock, not just the flow.

**02.1 Investment income**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Capital gains | 5% | flat |
| Dividend tax | 20% | flat |
| Interest income | 20% | flat |

**02.2 Wealth & estate**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wealth tax | NONE | no annual wealth tax · no real-estate wealth tax · no net-worth assessment |
| Inheritance system | NONE | no estate tax · no heir-based duties · no succession tax framework. Wealth transfers across heir-classes are not taxed in this jurisdiction. Only standard probate / registration fees may apply. |

**02.3 Crypto**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Crypto · tax regime | ZERO TAX | Rate: 0% · Under Public Ruling No. 201 (2019) of the Ministry of Finance, individuals are exempt from income tax on gains from the sale or exchange of crypto-assets. This is based on the interpretation that crypto-assets are virtual and their supply constitutes non-Georgian source income, which is exempt for individuals under Georgia's territorial tax system. VAT is also not applicable. Professional or entrepreneurial trading is subject to standard personal income tax at 20%. |
| Crypto-to-crypto | NEUTRAL | a swap is not a taxable realisation event |
| FATF travel rule | NOT SIGNED | no information-sharing obligation on VASP transfers |

## Easy to run a company there?

Long story short: YES.
**Georgia** runs *no corporate income tax* and *no criminal liability* for misuse of corporate assets: fiscally and legally featherweight.

The catch: registries are *public*, so your name as shareholder is one search away for any curious stranger. They won't tax you, they won't prosecute you. They'll just put you in the shop window.

**03.1 Rates**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Corporate tax | 0% | flat · +15% on distributed profits |
| VAT standard rate | 18% | single rate · no reduced tiers |

**03.2 Regime & registry**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| IP Box · Patent Box | NONE | no IP regime · IP income taxed under standard corporate rules |
| Misuse of corporate assets | NO CRIMINAL | no criminal liability · In Georgia, the Criminal Code (Articles 182 and 220) requires 'substantial damage' to the organization's interests or the property of 'another' to trigger criminal liability. In a solvent company where the sole director is also the sole shareholder, the owner's consent is generally interpreted as aligning the company's interests with their own, thereby negating the 'detriment' or 'unlawful' elements required for a criminal conviction. Such actions are primarily addressed as tax violations (e.g., Article 218 for tax evasion) or civil breaches of fiduciary duties under the Law of Georgia on Entrepreneurs (2021). |
| Shareholders privacy | PUBLIC | National Agency of Public Registry (NAPR) - Business Registry |
| Directors privacy | PUBLIC | National Agency of Public Registry (NAPR) - Business Registry |

**03.3 Incorporation cost**

_In this country, the most standard company form is called შეზღუდული პასუხისმგებლობის საზოგადოება (Limited Liability Company (LLC)). The costs below are for incorporating a company in its simplest form, for reference only._

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| State Registration Fee (Standard & English Extract) | USD 48 |  |
| Professional Incorporation & Legal Service | USD 574 |  |
| Document Translation and Notarization | USD 57 |  |
| Total | USD 679 |  |

## A good fit for a holding?

Long story short: YES.
**Georgia** pairs a *moderate* treaty network (**35** signed) with a *full participation exemption* (**100%** on qualifying dividends and gains).

A perfectly honest holding base: not the NL/LU/SG first division on treaty count, but the pipes don't leak.

**04.1 Substance & exemptions**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Territorial · individuals | TERRITORIAL | territorial — foreign-source income generally untaxed |
| Territorial · corporates | WORLDWIDE | worldwide corporate taxation |
| Participation exemption | 100% | no minimum threshold · no holding period |
| CFC rules | NONE | no controlled foreign corporation regime · foreign-source corporate income out of scope |

**04.2 Withholding tax · non-resident**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| WHT · dividends | 5% | non-resident outbound |
| WHT · interest | 5% | non-resident outbound |
| WHT · royalties | 5% | non-resident outbound |
| Tax-haven WHT | 15% | penalty rate · blacklisted destinations |

**04.3 Treaty network**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Treaties signed | 35 | active |
| Treaties pending | — | in negotiation |

## Easy to come and go?

Long story short: LITTLE.
Coming and going from **Georgia** costs you nothing worth mentioning. *Territorial* regime (foreign income stays foreign), *no exit tax* at the door.

You show up with your stuff, you leave with your stuff, plus whatever you earned abroad in between. Borders the way they should all work.

**05.1 Exit & dual nationality**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Exit tax | NONE | no triggers active · residence change tax-free · no deemed-disposal mechanism |
| Dual citizenship | FORBIDDEN | naturalisation requires renouncing existing citizenship |

**05.2 Citizenship paths**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Residence | 10 years | available path to naturalisation |
| Marriage | — | available path to naturalisation |
| Birth | — | not available |
| Descent | — | not available |
| Investment | — | not available |

## Is your money watched?

Long story short: YES, CLOSELY.
**Georgia** signed *every exchange framework that matters* and runs a *public corporate registry*. Whatever you do here (earn, hold, structure) is reported, searchable, or both.

Your money is watched from every angle; if discretion is part of your plan, this isn't your jurisdiction.

**Multilateral reporting frameworks — 4/9 active · 3 pending**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CRS | Signed | 2024 |
| CARF | None | — |
| FATCA | In force | 2014 |
| MLI | In force | 2019 |
| BEPS | Signed | — |
| MAAC | In force | 2011 |
| GLOBAL FORUM | Signed | — |
| EOIR | In force | — |
| CRYPTO TRAVEL RULE | None | — |

## Is it blacklisted?

Long story short: NO.
**Georgia** sits on no major blacklist, though it's *outside* the FATF club.

Some counterparties will run a bit of extra due diligence out of habit, but there's no formal stigma: you won't get hassled for dealing with it.

**Blacklist exposure — Clear everywhere**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| EMBARGO | Clear | un / us / eu sanctions |
| FATF | Clear | grey / black list |
| EU | Clear | non-cooperative list |
| FRANCE | Clear | ETNC list |
| SPAIN | Clear | tax-haven list |
| PORTUGAL | Clear | favourable regimes |
| BRAZIL | Clear | low-tax list |

## Do you feel free there?

Long story short: NO.
Press freedom in **Georgia** is *locked down* (RSF rank **\#114**). Independent media and civic space operate under pressure (when they operate at all), and that kind of grip usually spills over into economic life too.

Small mercy: crypto isn't formally banned.

**08.1 Press freedom**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Press freedom · RSF index | 114/180 | score 50 · ↓ 11 ranks year-on-year |

Central bank digital currency

    Program Status Cross-border Sources     Digital Lari

The introduction of a digital Lari has the capability to produce a considerable impact on current monetary policy and payment systems, while also spurring the growth of financial technologies and innovative financial products and services. Nevertheless, it is crucial to take into account the potential hazards linked with the launch of a digital currency. In order to mitigate these risks, NBG intends to commence a restricted-access live pilot of the Digital Lari.

National Bank of Georgia

   PROOF OF CONCEPT   —   [announce →](https://nbg.gov.ge/en/media/news/ripple-the-flagship-international-company-becomes-the-technology-partner-for-the-digital "Announcement")

 programs 1

## Connected to the world?

Long story short: POORLY CONNECTED.
The two rails that matter are both dead in **Georgia**. *Stripe* won't onboard you, so card payments mean a foreign structure or a local processor with its own rules. *Amazon* doesn't deliver either.

Some secondary services run (**5/11**), but for an online business this is swimming against the current.

**Accept payments — 3/6 available**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stripe | Not available | card payments |
| PayPal | Available | wallet payments |
| Adyen | Available | enterprise psp |
| Mollie | Not available | eu payments |
| GoCardless | Not available | direct debit |
| Paddle | Available | merchant of record |

**Bank and move money — 1/3 available**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wise | Available | multi-currency |
| Revolut | Not available | personal banking |
| Revolut Business | Not available | business banking |

**Buy and sell on Amazon — 1/2 available**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Amazon | Not available | consumer delivery |
| Amazon Seller | Available | marketplace selling |

  SEE ALSO## Other jurisdictions worth comparing

Picked by similarity of strategic profile to Georgia. No editorial ranking — neighbours in the same scoring space.

  PROFILE-ADJACENT Same shape, comparable overall friction.

 [   St. Barthélemy BL  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/bl) [   Wallis & Futuna WF  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/wf) [   Marshall Islands MH  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/mh)

  NOTABLY MORE FAVORABLE Same family of strategies, higher total score.

 [   Saudi Arabia SA  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/sa) [   Hong Kong SAR China HK  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/hk) [   Bahamas BS  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/bs)

  NOTABLY LESS FAVORABLE Same family of strategies, lower total score.

 [   Wallis & Futuna WF  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/wf) [   Marshall Islands MH  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/mh) [   Nigeria NG  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/ng)