Georgia

Government advisories

• ☐ United States: level 1/4 — Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
• ☐ United Kingdom: level 2/4
• ☐ Canada: level 1/4 — Exercise normal security precautions (with regional advisories)

Health notices

• ☐ Global Measles (level 1)

Entry requirements

☐ Visitors to Georgia must obtain a visa from Georgian diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries or one of the countries whose citizens may obtain an e-Visa.

Practical

• ☐ Plug type C/F, 220V — bring an adapter if yours differs
• ☐ Drives on the right
• ☐ Emergency (police): 112
• ☐ Emergency (ambulance): 112
• ☐ Emergency (fire): 112
• ☐ Money: The national currency is the Georgian lari (ISO currency code: GEL), denoted by the official symbol "₾" or sometimes by letter "ლ" /l/. It is divided into 100 tetri. Banknotes are issued in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and the rarely-used 200 lari. Coins are issued in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 tetri, 1 and 2 lari.
• ☐ Tipping: Tipping is common in Western-style restaurants in the capital, but almost never expected in more traditional establishments. In many restaurants, especially in big cities, there is a 10% service charge. In some places in Tbilisi it could be even up to 15%. This is almost never explicitly mentioned and may be added to your bill without warning, so it is advisable to ask beforehand.

Laws that could get a tourist arrested

• ☐ Mandatory seat belt use — The use of seat belts is obligatory throughout Georgia and is strictly enforced.
• ☐ Random police checks — Solo black men walking in Tbilisi may be randomly controlled by police on a daily basis.

Before you go

General trip-prep, not specific to Georgia — the same short list applies anywhere.

• ☐ Register with your embassy's traveler program if one exists
• ☐ Check your passport's validity and blank-page requirements on your destination's official entry-rules page
• ☐ Photograph/screenshot your passport, visa, and travel insurance documents
• ☐ Download offline maps for your destination
• ☐ Confirm your bank/card issuer knows you're traveling
• ☐ Check whether your phone plan needs a travel add-on or a local SIM