Georgia tourists must check insurance wording as well as visa eligibility

Treat insurance as an entry document, including on visa-free trips

Georgia’s mandatory health and accident insurance rules have applied to entering tourists since 1 January 2026. The requirement is separate from whether a traveller needs a visa. This current guide explains the established border and application conditions; it does not announce a new insurance requirement taking effect in October.

The Georgian embassy in Norway’s official notice says the policy may be issued by a Georgian or foreign insurer and must provide at least GEL30,000 in coverage. Evidence must be available in Georgian or English, in physical or electronic form. It must cover the whole stay, including arrival and departure. A policy bought for only the hotel nights should therefore be checked against the actual travel dates, particularly if an overnight flight changes the departure date.

Check the policy details and the category-based exemptions

The embassy notice lists required policy information: the contracting parties, covered territory, insurance subject, coverage start and end, insured risks, limits and premium details including payment place and terms. Ask the insurer for a document that establishes these matters; a card showing membership in an overseas health plan may not explain coverage in Georgia.

Government Decree No.602 of 26 December 2025 sets out the rules and exemptions. These include diplomatic or special visas, specified diplomatic or official passports, accredited diplomatic or international-organisation personnel and qualifying family members, certain treaty-based entrants, and drivers in international road freight or passenger transport. These are particular legal categories, not a general exemption for every visa-free nationality or everyone crossing by road.

Establish the immigration route before using the e-visa service

For British citizen passport holders, the UK government’s Georgia entry page describes visa-free visits of up to one year and passport validity for the intended stay. Those nationality-specific conditions do not determine eligibility for every passport. The same resource warns that insurance evidence may be requested by the airline or immigration authorities.

The official e-visa FAQ directs applicants to select their passport country to check eligibility and permitted stay. Visa validity and authorised duration are different: do not assume the usable dates allow continuous residence, or borrow another nationality’s visa-free period.

Meet the e-visa verification and payment deadlines

The e-visa FAQ lists a US$20 visa fee plus a two-percent service charge. It states that email verification must be completed within one hour and the payment within five hours after the payment notification. Missing either step can cancel the application and require starting again. Use an accessible email account and check messages while completing the process.

The same FAQ says a decision takes at least five working days. Do not assume that payment produces immediate travel permission. Each traveller, regardless of age, needs a separate application and travel document under those instructions. Where submitted details need correction, the FAQ directs the applicant to create a new application; check names, passport numbers and travel details before paying the non-refundable fee.

Prepare border evidence and price the policy separately

The ministry’s About e-Visa resource lists documents that must be available at the border: passport, evidence of travel purpose, accommodation, insurance and sufficient funds. Electronic visa approval does not remove those checks. Keep the supporting records consistent with the same journey, including the dates and location of the stay.

The ministry describes its electronic route as applying, paying online and printing the issued visa, without a consular appointment for that application. It also says it is not affiliated with private companies offering submission services. Use the official portal to establish the application requirements and retain the issued visa, rather than treating an intermediary’s payment receipt as the document required for the journey.

The mandatory coverage limit of GEL30,000 is an insured amount, not a government-set insurance purchase price. The reviewed official notices do not establish one universal premium; check the insurer’s price and terms separately from the visa fee. If plans change, check that both the immigration permission and insurance still cover the revised itinerary. Visa-free travel, a paid application and a purchased policy each answer different entry questions, so complete the applicable steps before departure rather than expecting one document to replace the others.