Georgia Mandatory Travel Insurance 2026
Since 1 January 2026, every foreign tourist entering Georgia must hold health and accident insurance with cover of at least 30,000 GEL for the whole stay. The rule applies whether or not you need a visa, and it applies to children too. Airlines may check your policy at check-in, and border officers may ask for it on arrival.
Contents
Georgia Mandatory Travel Insurance 2026: Rules & Requirements | Polisi
Compare travel insurance offers in one place and choose the optimal terms for your trip.
Since 1 January 2026, every foreign tourist entering Georgia must hold health and accident insurance with cover of at least 30,000 GEL for the whole stay. The rule applies whether or not you need a visa, and it applies to children too. Airlines may check your policy at check-in, and border officers may ask for it on arrival.
In short:
Minimum cover: 30,000 GEL for medical costs and accidents.
Period: every day of your stay, including the arrival and departure dates.
Language: Georgian or English.
Format: printed or electronic.
Insurer: a Georgian or a foreign company.
Who is exempt: mainly diplomats, accredited mission staff, people covered by international agreements, and international transport drivers.
What the Rule Says
The requirement comes from Government of Georgia Resolution No. 602 of 26 December 2025, "On approval of the rules and conditions of compulsory health and accident insurance for tourists entering Georgia". It was adopted under the Law of Georgia on Tourism and took effect on 1 January 2026.
The annexed rules set out four core obligations:
Article 3(1): a tourist must hold an insurance policy when entering Georgia.
Article 3(2): the policy must cover the entire stay, from entry until departure.
Article 4: the sum insured must be at least 30,000 GEL.
Article 5: the policy can be shown on paper or electronically, in Georgian or English.
Under Article 3(3), the Patrol Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs may check the policy at the border crossing point.
Who Needs It and Who Is Exempt
The rule covers tourists entering Georgia. The Law on Tourism defines a tourist as a visitor who travels to Georgia, stays at least one night and no longer than one year, and is not employed there. Visa-free entry makes no difference: the policy is required either way.
Annex Article 1(3) of Resolution No. 602 exempts five groups:
Exempt group | Basis |
Holders of diplomatic or special visas | Art. 1(3)(a) |
Holders of diplomatic, official, service or special passports | Art. 1(3)(b) |
Accredited staff of diplomatic missions, consular posts and international organisations, and their accredited family members | Art. 1(3)(c) |
People whose entry is governed by Georgia's international agreements | Art. 1(3)(d) |
Drivers working in international commercial freight and passenger transport | Art. 1(3)(e) |
Georgian citizens are not tourists entering their own country, so the rule doesn't apply to them.
What the Policy Must Include
A valid policy covers health and accidents for at least 30,000 GEL, for every day you are in Georgia. Resolution No. 602 sets these requirements:
Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
Risks | Health and accident insurance | Law on Tourism, Art. 12 |
Sum insured | At least 30,000 GEL | Annex Art. 4 |
Period | From entry until departure, up to 1 year | Annex Art. 2(1)(e), Art. 3(2) |
Insurer | Georgian or foreign, authorised in its own country to sell health and accident insurance | Annex Art. 2(1)(a) |
Language | Georgian or English | Annex Art. 5 |
Format | Paper or electronic | Annex Art. 5 |
Policy details | Parties, territory, subject, start and end dates, insured risks, sum insured (limits), premium, and payment terms | Annex Art. 2(1)(c) |
The US Embassy in Tbilisi and the UK Foreign Office both note that the period must include your arrival and departure dates.
Can I Use Travel Insurance from Home?
Yes, if it meets every requirement above. The rules accept policies from foreign insurers, so no Georgian policy is needed. Before you fly, check your document against this list:
The policy is in English or Georgian.
It names you, the insurer, Georgia (or a region that includes Georgia), and the start and end dates.
Coverage starts no later than your arrival day and ends no earlier than your departure day.
It covers both medical costs and accidents.
The limit is at least 30,000 GEL. If it's in euros or dollars, make sure it clearly exceeds 30,000 GEL at the current exchange rate.
You can show it offline: printed, or saved on your phone.
Insurance bundled with a bank card or an annual policy can work too, as long as you can produce a policy document with these details.
Special Cases
Children and infants. Resolution No. 602 lists no age exemption, so every tourist needs cover, including children. Make sure each child is named on a policy, whether their own or a family policy that lists every traveller.
Stays longer than a year. The insurance period runs "from entry until departure, not exceeding 1 year" (Annex Art. 2). The Law on Tourism also caps a tourist's stay at one year. If you plan to live or work in Georgia, the tourist rule is the wrong frame: check the residence and work-permit rules with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs consular service.
Residence-permit holders. The resolution doesn't mention them. People who are employed in Georgia fall outside the legal definition of a tourist. If you hold a permit but are visiting for leisure, confirm with the consular service before travel.
Driving your own car into Georgia. This is a separate, older rule. Since 1 March 2018, every foreign-registered vehicle needs compulsory motor third-party liability insurance for the whole stay. That policy covers damage you cause to others (minimum 30,000 GEL per injured person and 25,000 GEL per damaged property), not your own medical costs. You can buy it at the border checkpoint, from the Compulsory Insurance Centre, or online. Car owners need both policies.
What Happens at the Border Without a Policy
Resolution No. 602 doesn't set a fine or describe what happens to a tourist who arrives without a policy. It only says the Patrol Police may check the policy at the border crossing point (Annex Art. 3(3)).
The UK Foreign Office warns that your airline may ask for proof at check-in, immigration may ask on arrival, and "you may face difficulties if you do not have this evidence." Treat the policy like your passport: buy it before you travel and carry it where you can show it without mobile data.
How to Get a Compliant Policy
You have two routes: extend or check the travel insurance you already have, or buy a Georgia-specific policy online before departure. Several licensed Georgian insurers publish dedicated pages for the tourist requirement, including Aldagi, GPI Holding, IRAO, TBC Insurance and Imedi L (listed alphabetically, not ranked). You can confirm any insurer's licence on the Insurance State Supervision Service website.
When you compare offers, look beyond the 30,000 GEL minimum. The UK government's travel insurance guidance suggests checking:
whether pre-existing medical conditions are covered, and declaring them all;
whether the activities you plan, such as skiing or hiking in the Caucasus, are included;
the exclusions in the small print, including waiting periods and the deductible.
Buy before you travel, not at arrival, so the policy is active from the moment you cross the border.
Frequently asked questions
Is travel insurance mandatory for Georgia in 2026?
Yes. Since 1 January 2026, foreign tourists must hold health and accident insurance of at least 30,000 GEL for their whole stay (Resolution No. 602).
I can enter Georgia visa-free. Do I still need insurance?
Yes. The rule applies to tourists regardless of visa status. Only the five groups in Annex Art. 1(3) are exempt.
How much cover do I need?
At least 30,000 GEL for health and accident risks. A policy in another currency is fine if its limit exceeds that amount.
Does the policy have to be from a Georgian insurer?
No. A foreign insurer authorised in its own country is accepted, as long as the policy is in English or Georgian.
Do I need to print it?
No. Paper and electronic policies are both accepted. Keep an offline copy in case you have no signal at the border.
Who checks the policy?
The Patrol Police may check it at the border crossing point. According to the UK Foreign Office, airlines may also ask at check-in.
I'm driving my own car into Georgia. Is this the same insurance?
No. Foreign-registered cars need separate third-party liability insurance, required since 1 March 2018.