Insurance for Entering Georgia in 2026: What Tourists Need to Know

From 1 January 2026, tourists entering Georgia must have valid health and accident insurance. The policy must cover the entire period of stay, including the day of arrival and the day of departure. The minimum insured amount required by law is 30,000 GEL.

A paper or electronic document in Georgian or English is acceptable. The policy may be issued by a Georgian or foreign insurance company. Before your trip, save the PDF to your phone and make sure it can be opened without an internet connection.

The legal requirement and actual medical coverage are not the same thing. The law establishes a mandatory minimum, while the contract of the particular insurance company determines the services covered, individual limits, exclusions, and the procedure for requesting assistance.

The general rule applies to tourists who come to Georgia for holidays, to visit friends or relatives, for business, or for another temporary purpose. For families, the requirement applies to every traveller, including children. A group policy must list all insured persons, while separate policies must contain the details of each individual.

The Resolution provides for a limited list of exemptions. These include holders of diplomatic and special visas, diplomatic, service and special passports, accredited employees of diplomatic and international missions, and their accredited family members. Exemptions may also apply under international treaties of Georgia.

Drivers engaged in international road freight and passenger transportation are separately exempt. An ordinary trip in a private car does not fall under this exemption. If your status is unusual or falls outside the standard categories, confirm the applicable exemption before travelling rather than relying on a verbal explanation at the border.

The official notice lists the information that must be clear from the document: the parties to the contract, the territory of coverage, the subject of insurance, the start and end dates, the insured risks, the insured amount, the insurance premium, and the terms of its payment. The traveller's name and passport details must match the document used to cross the border.

Check that Georgia is explicitly included in the territory of coverage. A wording such as "worldwide" may be acceptable only if Georgia is not excluded from that territory. The product name or attractive marketing description does not replace the actual terms and conditions stated in the issued PDF.

The total insured amount must be at least 30,000 GEL. This is the minimum requirement for entry, not a promise that every medical service will be covered up to this amount. Separate limits may apply within the overall limit to outpatient care, hospitalisation, dental treatment, evacuation, and repatriation.

• first name, last name, and passport number match the passport;
• Georgia is included in the territory of coverage;
• health and accident risks are covered;
• the insured amount is at least 30,000 GEL;
• the dates cover the entire period of stay;
• the document is available in English or Georgian.

The policy start date must cover the day of entry, and the end date must cover the day of departure. If your flight arrives late in the evening, you should still specify the calendar date of arrival. If your return flight departs after midnight, the final day should be the new calendar date.

The law requires coverage for the entire actual period of stay, but for no more than one year. Do not shorten the coverage period to save a small amount of money. Expenses incurred on a day without insurance are not required to be reimbursed by the insurance company, and the document itself would no longer meet the requirement for full coverage of the trip.

The GPI product has its own activation rules. A policy purchased before entering Georgia becomes effective when crossing the Georgian border. If it is purchased while already in Georgia, coverage begins 24 hours after purchase. This condition applies specifically to the GPI product and must be taken into account when extending coverage.

The legal minimum is 30,000 GEL. The official GPI website states that its mandatory tourist policy provides coverage of up to 100,000 GEL. These figures should not be compared as two prices for the same thing: the first sets the legal minimum, while the second describes the maximum overall limit of a specific product.

A total limit of 100,000 GEL does not mean that any service will be covered up to the full amount. The GPI contract establishes separate rules for emergency outpatient care, hospitalisation, dental treatment, medical evacuation, and repatriation. Before payment, open the terms and check the limitations that apply specifically to the risk you need.

If you purchase a policy from another company, check it according to the same criteria. What matters is not only the amount and price, but also the 24/7 assistance number, the procedure for choosing a medical facility, whether prior approval is required, and the list of documents needed for reimbursement.

Open the PDF you receive immediately after purchase. Any error in the name, passport details, or dates is easier to correct before the policy becomes effective. Do not rely solely on the payment confirmation email: for your trip, you need the actual insurance document containing the terms and the insured person's details.

Save the policy to your phone, cloud storage, and in a conversation with someone close to you. Write down the insurer's medical assistance number separately. If you suddenly become ill, your connection may be unstable, and searching for contact details in your email from a medical facility can be inconvenient.

If your plans change, extend your coverage before the current period ends. Do not wait until the last moment: a new policy may have a delayed start date. After extending the policy, check the dates, passport details, and territory of coverage again.

• download the actual policy PDF, not just the payment receipt;
• check the personal details and dates;
• make sure the document can be opened offline;
• save the medical assistance number;
• check the sports exclusions before engaging in active recreation;
• if you have a chronic condition, read the relevant section of the insurance contract.

For an ordinary tourist trip, the safest approach is simple: purchase the policy in advance, cover every day of your stay, check that the insured amount is at least 30,000 GEL, and keep the document in English or Georgian. An electronic PDF is sufficient if it contains the required information and is accessible during a check.

Insurance for entry does not replace reading the insurance contract. In the event of illness or injury, follow the instructions and use the number provided in your policy. If the situation is life-threatening, call Georgia's unified emergency service at 112 first, and notify the insurance company as soon as reasonably possible.