If you live in the UAE, you can usually fly to Georgia without applying for a visa first. Your passport decides whether that applies to you. Since April 2025, citizens of 17 countries — Pakistan among them — need a UAE residence visa with at least one year left. Indian and Filipino passport holders do not.
Checked on 13 September 2026 against the Embassy of Georgia in the UAE and the Government of Georgia's legislative register. Every rule below is linked to its source at the end of this page. Border officers make the final decision in every case.
On this page
- Do you need a visa for Georgia?
- How the UAE residence route works
- The one-year rule for 17 nationalities
- Is there a visa on arrival in Georgia?
- If you need a visa: the C1 route
- What to carry at the border
- How long you can stay
- Mistakes that get people refused
- Questions people ask
Do you need a visa for Georgia?
Georgia allows anyone holding a valid UAE visa or residence permit to enter without a Georgian visa and stay for 90 calendar days in any 180-day period. This is the route nearly every UAE resident uses, whatever passport they hold.
There is one exception, added in April 2025, and it depends on your nationality.
Indian passport holders in the UAE
India is not on the restricted list. If your UAE residence visa is valid, you can enter Georgia without applying for a visa first, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Pakistani passport holders in the UAE
Pakistan is on the restricted list. You can still enter without a Georgian visa, but only if your UAE residence visa is multiple-entry and has at least one year of validity on the day you cross the border. If it has less than a year left, you must apply for a visa before you travel.
Filipino passport holders in the UAE
The Philippines is not on the restricted list. A valid UAE residence visa lets you enter without applying first, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Quick reference
| Your passport | Visa needed in advance? | Condition on your UAE residence visa |
|---|---|---|
| India | No | Valid on entry and on departure |
| Pakistan | Only if permit has under 1 year left | Multiple-entry, 1 year or more remaining |
| Philippines | No | Valid on entry and on departure |
| Egypt | No | Valid on entry and on departure |
| Sri Lanka | No | Valid on entry and on departure |
| Bangladesh | Only if permit has under 1 year left | Multiple-entry, 1 year or more remaining |
| Nigeria | Only if permit has under 1 year left | Multiple-entry, 1 year or more remaining |
| UAE citizens | No | Visa-free for a full year |
How the UAE residence route works
Georgia maintains a list of 50 countries. If you hold a valid visa or residence permit from any of them, you may enter Georgia without a Georgian visa. The UAE has been on that list since 2015, under Ordinance No. 256 of the Government of Georgia.
Three conditions apply, and the Embassy of Georgia in the UAE states them precisely:
- Your UAE residence visa or Emirates ID must be valid on the day you enter Georgia and on the day you leave.
- You must be able to prove it with a valid passport or travel document.
- Your passport must be valid for a minimum of 90 days.
The detail almost every other guide misses. Your residence visa must still be valid on your departure date, not only on arrival. If your Emirates ID expires in the middle of your holiday, you do not meet the condition — even though you were fine when you landed. Check both dates before you book.
The one-year rule for 17 nationalities
On 17 April 2025 the Government of Georgia adopted Ordinance No. 122, amending the 2015 rule. It was published on 22 April 2025 and took effect immediately.
For citizens of the countries below, entering on a UAE residence permit now requires that the permit is multiple-entry and has a validity of not less than one year on the date of crossing the border:
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen.
This list is published by the Embassy of Georgia in the UAE on its own website. Georgia's Ministry of Internal Affairs stated publicly that the change tightens the rules rather than relaxing them, and that reports suggesting otherwise were incorrect.
Why this catches UAE residents out
Plenty of UAE residence visas are renewed every one or two years, and people often travel in the final months of a permit. Under the old rule that was fine — any valid permit worked. Now, for these 17 nationalities, a permit with ten months left is not enough.
UAE newspapers reported travellers being turned back after the change took effect, including at Kutaisi airport during a holiday period. A refused entry means a return flight the same day, at your own cost.
How to check your own permit in two minutes
- Find the expiry date of your UAE residence visa on your Emirates ID, or in the ICP or GDRFA app.
- Take your planned arrival date in Georgia and count forward one year.
- If your permit expires before that date, and your passport is on the list above, you need a Georgian visa before you travel.
The date that matters is the day you arrive in Georgia, not the day you book and not the day you leave the UAE. If you are close to the line, renewing your residence visa first is usually cheaper than a refused entry and a wasted holiday.
Is there a visa on arrival in Georgia for UAE residents?
No, and the distinction matters.
Georgia does not run a visa-on-arrival scheme for UAE residents. There is no counter to visit at Tbilisi airport, no form to fill in when you land, and no fee to pay at the border. Eligible residents simply enter visa-free, showing a passport and a valid UAE residence visa or Emirates ID.
If you are not eligible — because your passport is on the 17-country list and your permit has under a year left — you cannot fix it on arrival. The visa has to be arranged in advance, before you fly.
If you need a visa: the C1 route from the UAE
UAE residents who do not qualify for visa-free entry apply for a C1 category visa, which is the Georgian tourist visa. It allows a stay of up to 90 days.
You register the application online at the Georgian government's consular portal, geoconsul.gov.ge, and then attend an appointment at the Embassy of Georgia's consular section in Abu Dhabi. The embassy is clear that attending in person at your booked appointment time is mandatory.
What it costs
The embassy's service tariff is USD 20, or AED 75. Payment is by online transfer or a cash deposit at an ATM into the embassy's account.
Do not pay at the bank counter. The embassy states that teller service adds AED 52.50, which the applicant has to settle. Use online transfer or the ATM deposit, both of which are free. Your payment receipt must show your name, the amount, the date and the transaction number, because you upload it with the application.
Documents the embassy asks for
All copies must be in English and uploaded as scanned PDFs.
- Your passport or travel document
- Your UAE residence visa or Emirates ID
- Travel or health insurance covering incidents above GEL 30,000 and the full period of your visit
- Proof of accommodation in Georgia
- A return flight ticket
- Bank statements for the last three months
- Your visa fee payment receipt
- The visa application form, filled in, printed, signed on the last page, then scanned and uploaded again
Two rules people miss. Each family member needs a separate application and a separate payment — you cannot combine them. And for anyone under 18, you also upload a copy of the parents' passports and a signed consent letter.
Who the embassy will accept applications from
The Embassy of Georgia in the UAE only takes applications from holders of a valid UAE residence visa or a valid multi-entry UAE visa, and that permit must remain valid for at least three months beyond the Georgian visa dates you are asking for.
What to carry at the border
Entering visa-free is permission to be checked, not a guarantee of entry. The embassy lists what the Border Police may ask you to produce, and says plainly that the final decision to admit you rests with the Georgian Immigration Authority.
Carry printed copies of:
- Your passport or travel document
- Your valid residence permit and your original Emirates ID
- Proof of accommodation
- Travel or health insurance covering your visit
- Proof of sufficient funds
- Your return flight ticket
Keep these on paper. A flat phone battery at passport control after a night flight is a bad place to discover your booking confirmation is only in your email.
How long you can stay
The UAE residence route allows 90 calendar days within any 180-day period. It is a rolling window, not a fresh 90 days for each trip. Spend 60 days in Georgia across March and April, and you have 30 left for the months that follow.
This is different from the allowance for UAE citizens, who may stay for a full year. Some guides blur the two. Which one applies to you depends on whether you entered as an Emirati citizen or as a resident of another nationality.
Check your own case on the official tool
Georgia runs a free checker that gives you a direct answer. Go to geoconsul.gov.ge/en/entering-georgia and enter:
- Your country of citizenship
- Your passport type
- How long you plan to stay
- The country that issued your visa or residence permit — in your case, the UAE
This is the same tool the embassy points people to. If anything on this page and that tool disagree, the government tool is right and we want to know, so that we can correct this page.
Mistakes that get people refused
- Assuming UAE residence alone is enough. It is a route with conditions, and those conditions changed in 2025.
- Reading a guide written before April 2025. Most pages still ranking describe the old rule.
- Checking only the arrival date. Your permit must be valid on departure too.
- Counting the one year from the booking date rather than the arrival date.
- Expecting a visa on arrival. There isn't one. Arrange it before you fly or you will not board.
- Paying an agency several hundred dirhams for an application that costs AED 75 at the embassy.
- Arriving with nothing but a passport and being unable to show where you are staying or how you will pay for the trip.
Questions people ask
Can UAE residents travel to Georgia without a visa?
Yes, in most cases. Holders of a valid UAE visa or residence permit may enter Georgia without a Georgian visa for 90 calendar days in any 180-day period. Citizens of 17 listed countries, including Pakistan, need a multiple-entry permit with at least one year of validity remaining.
How much does a Georgia visa cost from the UAE?
If you qualify for visa-free entry, nothing. If you need a C1 tourist visa, the Embassy of Georgia's service tariff is USD 20, or AED 75. Avoid the bank teller, which adds AED 52.50.
Does my UAE residence visa need one year validity for Georgia?
Only if your passport is from one of the 17 listed countries. For everyone else, the permit simply needs to be valid on the day you enter Georgia and the day you leave.
Can I get a Georgia e-visa as a UAE resident?
UAE residents who need a visa are directed by the Georgian embassy to register at geoconsul.gov.ge and attend an appointment in Abu Dhabi, rather than applying purely online. Check the portal for your nationality before assuming an online-only route is available to you.
How long is my passport required to be valid?
For visa-free entry on a UAE residence permit, the embassy states the passport must be valid for a minimum of 90 days.
Do children need their own application?
Yes. Each family member needs a separate application and a separate payment. For applicants under 18, a copy of the parents' passports and a signed consent letter are also required.
Related guides
Sources
- Embassy of Georgia to the United Arab Emirates — visa information: uae.mfa.gov.ge/visa-information
- Government of Georgia, Ordinance No. 256 of 5 June 2015, and amending Ordinance No. 122 of 17 April 2025 — Legislative Herald of Georgia: matsne.gov.ge
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia — consular portal and entry checker: geoconsul.gov.ge/en/entering-georgia
- Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia — statement on the April 2025 amendment, as reported by Georgia Today and Civil.ge
Written by Asad Waleed M, Dubai. Asad researches visa rules from government and embassy sources and publishes what they actually say. He is not an immigration lawyer or consultant, and Sifqa does not process applications. Read the editorial policy.
Last checked 13 September 2026 against the sources above. This page is rechecked monthly. Found an error? Email asadwaleed2020@gmail.com — it gets fixed and logged.
