Legal basis
Article 12 of the updated Law on Tourism, which states that all travelers entering the country are required to have medical and accident insurance, officially came into force in Georgia on January 1, 2026. The requirement existed before January 1 but was more of a recommendation. The law is supplemented by Government Decree No. 602 On the Approval of the Rules and Conditions for Compulsory Medical Insurance, adopted at the end of 2025, the details of which we will discuss right now.
Why were the new restrictions introduced?
Although some perceive the changes negatively as a tightening of entry conditions and additional barrier for tourism and business, the new regulations will in fact:
- Make tourists safer and bring Georgian legislation into line with international practice
- Reduce the burden on local clinics, according to the chair of the Association of Medical Institutions. Previously, clinics could be left on the hook for emergency care of up to GEL 50,000 (USD 18,500) regardless of the nationality of the patient
- Create a new opportunity for the local insurance market, which will enjoy certain protections from foreign players and be allowed to organize sales at the border as for car insurance, receiving amounts predicted to come to around GEL 100 million (approximately USD 37 million) annually
These factors are particularly important in the context of growing tourist flows. According to estimates from the National Statistics Service, 6.1 million foreigners visited Georgia in the first three quarters of 2025, up 5.4% over 2024 and almost reaching pre-pandemic levels. What’s more, tourists are showing themselves increasingly inclined to choose riskier forms of active tourism.
Insurance policy requirements
Below are some of the provisions set out in Georgian Government Resolution No. 602 with explanations from the National Tourism Administration, according to whom a properly issued insurance policy must:
- Be valid for the entire period of one’s stay in Georgia
- Cover emergency care, outpatient, and inpatient treatment to the sum of at least GEL 30,000 (or just over USD 11,000)
- Cover accidents, injuries, sudden illness, medical evacuation to the nearest hospital in an emergency, as well as the potential cost of repatriation for further treatment or, God forbid, burial in case of death
- Contain information about the insurance and its issuer, beneficiary, territory of coverage, validity period, risks, limits, premiums, and the time and place purchased, among others
- Be valid throughout Georgia, including in high-altitude and remote areas
- Be issued in Georgian or English. A translation must be provided for policies issued in another language (notarization not required)
- Be issued without a deductible , i.e., the insurance company must pay 100% of the costs in the event of an insured event
Medical insurance can be purchased from a Georgian or foreign provider as long as it complies with requirements. Fortunately, most tourist products available are compliant already. Georgian bank TBC, for example, has tourist medical insurance worth up to USD 85,000 available for purchase online, Swisscare has something comparable, and in fact there is quite a lot of choice already.
Who must have insurance
As mentioned above, the requirement applies primarily to foreign tourists entering Georgia visa-free or on a tourist visa, and whether for business, pleasure, on a visa run, or for some other reason, purpose of entry is irrelevant – if you’re a foreign national, you’ll need insurance.
The requirement will even affect those with individual entrepreneur status in Georgia who don’t have a residence permit.
Who is exempt
The main exception in the law is for foreign citizens who have obtained a residence permit or permanent residence in Georgia, as well as persons who are employed by an individual entrepreneur or a Georgian company under a contract and are registered in the unified database of the Ministry of Labor.
We wrote previously that, effective January 1, 2027, migrant workers will not be able to obtain the right to work without a work or other type of residence permit, and that remains unchanged.
The resolution contains others exceptions as well and does not apply to:
- Persons with diplomatic or special visas
- Holders of diplomatic, official, service, or special passports
- Employees of diplomatic missions, consulates, and international organizations in Georgia and their family members
- Persons whose entry is provided for by international agreements
- Drivers involved in international freight and passenger transport
Insurance upon entry by offer
What about foreign nationals coming to Georgia to accept a job offer.
According to the experts, insurance is not required if there is a valid employment contract with a local employer registered with the Ministry of Labor, in which case it is sufficient to show the employment contract and a screenshot of the Ministry of Labor website with the registration number when crossing the border.
If a foreigner has arrived for the purpose of work but has not yet signed an employment contract, it would be advisable to take out medical insurance and enter as a business tourist, i.e., an individual exploring business opportunities in Georgia.
What you risk by not having insurance
The main risks are that:
- Some airlines, including Azal, Belavia, Azimut, and Air Astana, may ask for proof of insurance at the airport of departure and deny those without the right to board flights to Georgia
- Border control officers may require proof of insurance upon entry into Georgia and not having it is grounds for refusing entry. It should be noted that at the beginning of the year, border guards had not yet begun to check for insurance, though the risk of checks increases by the day.
While the entry ban is clear, the issue of fines is less so. Some lawyers note that the Law on Tourism and Decree No. 602do not clearly specify penalties for a failure to have medical insurance, though Article 49 of the same law does specify fines, and they range from GEL 300 to 1,000 (USD 110-370) and can be doubled “for general violations of the requirements of the law.”
Regulators can be expected to issue clarifications and adopt separate by-laws on fines in the future, with foreigners fined when leaving Georgia for medical insurance failing to cover the entire period of their stay in the country.
FAQs
- Do you need to rush to get insurance if you entered Georgia as a tourist before January 1, 2026? No. Insurance is not required of individuals who entered the country before the law came into force, though it will be required for subsequent trips should you leave and wish to return.
- Is an electronic copy of the insurance sufficient? Yes. The policy is valid in both paper and electronic formats (e.g., as a screenshot on a smartphone).
- Can I take out a policy for a week and stay for a month? You could be fined. There is a chance of border guards comparing the dates of your stay in the country with the validity period on the policy. A better choice might be entering with short-term insurance and then extending if you choose to stay longer.
- Is regular Georgian medical insurance sufficient, or is special tourist insurance required? Either is acceptable. The main requirement is that the policy provide coverage for at least GEL 30,000 and accidents, evacuation, and repatriation.
- What should expats who live in Georgia without a residence permit and use domestic (non-tourist) insurance such as Ardi and GPI do? Many local companies are discussing revising their programs for expats to include information about repatriation. It is possible that such a product could also be used to cross the Georgian border, but you should really check directly with the insurance company.
- Can I get insurance at the border when entering Georgia by car? At the moment, we would recommend taking out insurance in advance to avoid any possible surprises, it’s easy enough to do online, though we assume medical insurance will indeed be sold at the border, similar to car insurance, in the near future.
Brief conclusions
It’s 2026, and insurance has officially become mandatory, a fact that should be taken into account before entering Georgia. Still, we would remind you that Georgia continues to offer visa-free entry to the citizens of more than 100 countries, so all is not as bad as it may seem.
If you want to legalize your stay in Georgia for the long term and avoid the insurance requirement, we recommend a residence permit for work, study, or real estate.
To learn more about the different options for obtaining a residence permit or clarify other legal issues, just use the form below and sign up for a free consultation with a specialist from PB Services.