Georgia 2026: The New Mandatory Tourist Insurance Rule

Since 1 January 2026, every foreign tourist entering Georgia has needed valid health and accident insurance covering the entire length of their stay, with a minimum coverage of GEL 30,000 — roughly US$11,000. It doesn't matter if your passport lets you in without a visa: the requirement applies to all nationalities, and border officers at air, land and sea crossings can ask to see proof of it, in paper or electronic form, in Georgian or English. If you're planning a trip to Tbilisi, Kazbegi or Svaneti this autumn or over the winter, sorting this out before you fly is now as necessary as packing a passport.

What the insurance rule actually requires

The requirement is published on geoconsul.gov.ge, the consular platform of Georgia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and has been independently corroborated by multiple Georgia-focused travel-insurance and tour operators reporting the same figures. The policy has to name the insured party, cover Georgia specifically as the insured territory, state its purpose, list validity dates that span your entire visit — including your arrival and departure days — and specify the insured risks and coverage limit. The minimum coverage is GEL 30,000, and the rule applies whether you're a visa-free arrival from the US, UK, EU or elsewhere, or you needed a visa to enter in the first place. A handful of groups are exempt: diplomatic visa holders, accredited diplomatic-mission staff and their families, international road-transport drivers, and travelers covered under Georgia's international treaties.

In practice this is a low bar for most travel-insurance policies sold in the US, UK, EU, Canada or Australia — a standard travel medical policy with even modest coverage limits will usually clear GEL 30,000 without you doing anything differently. The change is that Georgia can now actually ask to see it at the border, so buy your policy before you fly and keep a downloaded or printed copy on hand rather than assuming you'll sort it out on arrival.

Don't assume your visa-free entry means no paperwork. The insurance requirement is separate from — and stacks on top of — Georgia's visa policy. A US, UK or EU passport gets you in without a visa, but not without proof of insurance.

Who can enter Georgia without a visa

Georgia keeps one of the more open entry regimes in the region. Under the official list published in Georgia's Legislative Herald (matsne.gov.ge), citizens of 94 countries — including the United States, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and every EU member state — can enter and stay in Georgia without a visa for up to one full year. That is an unusually long allowance compared to the 90-day windows common elsewhere in Europe, and it's part of why Georgia has become a base for longer stays and remote work, not just short city breaks. If your nationality isn't on that list, check Georgia's e-visa options before you book flights — the visa-free list doesn't cover every passport.

Gateway: Tbilisi

Most international flights land at Tbilisi International Airport, and the capital is worth two or three days on its own before heading into the mountains: the sulfur-bathhouse district of Abanotubani, the Narikala Fortress overlooking the old town, and a wine and food scene built on 8,000 years of Georgian winemaking tradition. Tbilisi is also the practical base for day trips and onward transport to both of the mountain regions below — book your Kazbegi or Svaneti leg from here rather than trying to route through a smaller town first.

Kazbegi and the Gergeti Trinity Church

The single most-photographed image of Georgia is the small stone Gergeti Trinity Church standing alone on a hillside above the town of Stepantsminda (also called Kazbegi), with Mount Kazbek's glaciated summit behind it. It sits roughly a three-to-three-and-a-half-hour drive from Tbilisi along the Georgian Military Highway, a route that also passes the Ananuri fortress complex and the Jvari Pass. A shared minibus (marshrutka) covers the route for around 15-20 GEL per person, though these run on local schedules and don't stop for tourist photo breaks; a guided day tour from Tbilisi runs from roughly $14 for a basic group trip up to around $50-plus for a more comprehensive itinerary that includes Ananuri and Gudauri. From Stepantsminda, most visitors take a 4x4 taxi up the unpaved track to the church itself rather than the roughly two-hour uphill hike, especially outside summer.

Svaneti: Mestia and Ushguli

Svaneti, in Georgia's northwest, is a different kind of mountain trip — a historically isolated highland region known for its medieval stone defensive towers, still standing in villages that have been continuously inhabited for centuries. Getting there takes real planning: a direct flight from Tbilisi to Mestia takes about 40 minutes and typically costs $30-50, but it's a small-aircraft route that's genuinely weather-dependent and prone to cancellation, so build a buffer day into your itinerary if you're flying. The overland alternative is a drive via Zugdidi, roughly 8-9 hours by private car from Tbilisi. Once in Mestia, the Hatsvali cable car (around 15 GEL round trip) gives a quick panoramic view over the valley and Mount Ushba without a full day's hike, while Ushguli — a cluster of tower-house villages further up the valley and part of the Upper Svaneti UNESCO World Heritage Site — is reachable by 4x4 or a multi-day trek from Mestia for travelers with more time.

Staying connected

Georgia isn't currently one of Roameo's dedicated destination pages, so check Roameo's full destination list and the device compatibility page before you travel to confirm what data option fits your device and route — especially if your trip also touches neighboring countries like Armenia or Turkey, where a regional plan may cover more of your itinerary in one purchase. Mobile coverage in Tbilisi and along the Georgian Military Highway to Kazbegi is generally solid; it gets noticeably patchier in Upper Svaneti's deeper valleys, so download offline maps for Ushguli before you leave Mestia.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need travel insurance to enter Georgia in 2026?

Yes. Since 1 January 2026, all foreign tourists must carry health and accident insurance covering their full stay, with a minimum coverage of GEL 30,000 (roughly US$11,000). This applies regardless of nationality or visa-free status, and border officers can request proof at air, land or sea crossings.

Does a standard travel insurance policy meet the requirement?

For most travelers from the US, UK, EU, Canada or Australia, a normal travel medical insurance policy will clear the GEL 30,000 minimum without needing anything special — the key is making sure the policy names Georgia as covered territory and spans your full arrival-to-departure dates, and that you have proof in Georgian or English ready to show.

Can I visit Georgia without a visa?

Citizens of 94 countries, including the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand and all EU member states, can enter Georgia visa-free and stay for up to one full year, according to Georgia's official Legislative Herald. That doesn't remove the separate mandatory insurance requirement, which applies regardless of visa status.

How do I get from Tbilisi to Kazbegi and Svaneti?

Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) is a roughly three-to-three-and-a-half-hour drive or shared-minibus ride from Tbilisi along the Georgian Military Highway. Svaneti's main town, Mestia, is reachable by a roughly 40-minute flight from Tbilisi (weather-dependent) or an 8-9 hour overland drive via Zugdidi.