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    Student visa guide

    Georgia student visa 2026: cost, requirements and how to apply

    The D3 immigration visa plus study residence permit costs $158 in fees nobody can skip, up to $275 if every situational extra applies.

    By Global Admissions Editorial · Checked against 6 official sources

    How much does a Georgia student visa cost in 2026?

    Applying for a student visa in Georgia on the D3 immigration visa plus study residence permit costs $158 in fees you cannot skip: D3 immigration visa, consular fee ($20), Study residence permit, decision on the 30th day ($115) and Residence card, tenth working day ($23). Situational extras (faster permit decision, 10th day instead of 30th, two photos for the residence card and health insurance for the D3 file) add up to $117 more. Tuition, living costs and proof-of-funds sit outside this total. All amounts are US dollars, last checked September 2026.

    D3 immigration visa plus study residence permit cost breakdown

    Every line the Georgia application puts on your card, in US dollars, as of September 2026.

    D3 immigration visa, consular fee$20
    USD 20 under the Law on Consular Fees. The 15 April 2026 amendment lets the Government set anywhere from USD 20 to 500 by ordinance; until it does, the transitional clause keeps USD 20 Legislative Herald of Georgia: Law of Georgia on Consular Fees, consolidated 15 April 2026
    Study residence permit, decision on the 30th day$115
    GEL 300 at the Public Service Development Agency Public Service Development Agency: Residence permit
    Residence card, tenth working day$23
    GEL 60; students the agency can verify in its database pay GEL 50 Public Service Development Agency: Certificate of residence
    Mandatory total$158
    What the D3 immigration visa plus study residence permit costs before any optional service.
    Situational extras, only if they apply to you
    Faster permit decision, 10th day instead of 30th$115
    GEL 600 in place of GEL 300, so GEL 300 extra; the 20th-day tier is GEL 450 Public Service Development Agency: Residence permit
    Two photos for the residence card$2
    GEL 5 a set at any agency office or Public Service Hall Public Service Development Agency: Certificate of residence
    Health insurance for the D3 file$0
    Required in the visa file, with no official minimum cover or price published, so it is left out of the total Ministry of Education and Science, Study in Georgia: Permits and visas
    If every extra applied$275
    Worst case. Most applicants pay none or one of these.

    Amounts are US dollars. Georgia bills in its own currency, so the exact charge moves with the exchange rate. The native figures are in the notes column where the fee schedule publishes them.

    Things to watch

    • Georgia prices the visa in US dollars by law and the residence permit in lari, so only the permit and card lines move with the exchange rate.
    • The residence permit fee buys a decision date: GEL 300 for the 30th calendar day, GEL 450 for the 20th, GEL 600 for the 10th. The card has its own ladder from GEL 60 on the tenth working day to GEL 150 the same day.
    • The consular fee is the one figure that may change without notice: Parliament handed the Government a USD 20 to 500 band on 15 April 2026 and the ordinance fixing the amount had not been published when this page was checked.
    • Lari figures convert at USD 1 = GEL 2.604, the ExchangeRate-API rate on 18 September 2026.

    How much bank balance do you need for a Georgia student visa?

    For the D3 immigration visa plus study residence permit, Georgia asks you to show GEL 502 (about $193). The accepted form is Proof of legal income for the residence permit, at twice the subsistence minimum a month, and it covers One month of income at twice the subsistence minimum for an average consumer, GEL 250.95 in December 2025. This is money you show, not money you pay, so it never appears in the fee table above. The figure comes from Public Service Development Agency: Residence permit, checked September 2026.

    Public Service Development Agency: Residence permit · checked September 2026

    Georgia student visa requirements and documents checklist

    7 documents every applicant provides.

    DocumentWho needs itWhat it involves
    A D3 immigration visa issued before you traveleveryoneStudy is an immigration purpose, so it needs a category D visa from a Georgian embassy or consulate. The e-Visa portal only issues short-term C visas, and the ministry's consular portal says every other category goes through the E-Application system and a consular office. source
    An acceptance letter from an authorized Georgian institutioneveryoneThe ministry's list of D3 documents starts with the letter from the higher education institution that admitted you. The institution has to hold authorization from the Ministry of Education and Science. source
    Proof of funds and a place to liveeveryoneThe D3 file includes a document confirming you can cover the stay and a document confirming accommodation in Georgia. Neither carries a published minimum, so the consulate judges them case by case. source
    Health insurance for the stayeveryoneA health insurance policy is one of the ten documents the ministry lists for the D3 visa. Georgia publishes no minimum cover or price for it, so the cost sits outside the fee total below. source
    The consular fee receipteveryoneThe fee is paid before the file is reviewed and the receipt goes in with the application. The Law on Consular Fees prices every Georgian visa review in US dollars, payable in dollars or the host country's currency at a rate fixed for the year. source
    Legal income of at least twice the subsistence minimum, for the permiteveryoneOnce in Georgia the study residence permit turns on income rather than savings: the agency wants proof of legal income of no less than twice the subsistence minimum for an average consumer each month, alongside the institution's certificate that you are enrolled. source
    A residence card once the permit is grantedeveryoneEvery alien granted a residence permit has to obtain a residence card, whatever their age, at a Public Service Development Agency office or a Public Service Hall. Two photos are taken on the spot for GEL 5 a set. source

    How to apply for a Georgia student visa

    1. Get admitted and collect the institution's letter

      The acceptance letter anchors both applications, the D3 visa at the consulate and the residence permit at the agency, so nothing starts until an authorized institution has issued it.

      source
    2. Book through the E-Application system and file the D3 at a Georgian mission

      The E-Application system reserves a slot at the consular office, then the signed application and the ten documents go in on paper. The visa issuing authority decides a long-term visa within 30 calendar days of receiving the application.

      source
    3. Pay the USD 20 consular fee

      The Law on Consular Fees charges the review of a Georgian visa application at USD 20. Since 15 April 2026 the law allows a band of USD 20 to 500 that the Government fixes by ordinance, and its transitional clause keeps the old USD 20 in force until that ordinance exists.

      source
    4. Enter on the D3 and apply for the study residence permit at least 40 days before it runs out

      The D3 is a 90-day multiple-entry visa. The agency accepts the residence permit application at Public Service Development Agency offices and Public Service Halls, and asks that it arrive at least 40 calendar days before your lawful stay expires.

      source
    5. Choose the permit speed and pay GEL 300, 450 or 600

      The agency decides on the 30th calendar day for GEL 300, the 20th for GEL 450 and the 10th for GEL 600. A first study permit runs from six months to a year and is renewed against continued enrollment.

      source
    6. Collect the residence card within ten working days of ordering it

      The card costs GEL 60 on the tenth working day, rising to GEL 150 for same-day issue. Students of authorized institutions whose status the agency can verify in its database pay GEL 10 less.

      source

    Georgia student visa processing time

    The visa issuing authority decides a long-term visa within 30 calendar days of receiving the application. The study residence permit is decided on the 30th, 20th or 10th calendar day depending on the fee paid.

    Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, consular portal: Entering Georgia · checked September 2026

    Georgia student visa work rights, dependants and what comes after

    Work rights

    Amendments to the Law on Labour Migration in force since 1 March 2026 make a right to work granted through the State Employment Support Agency mandatory for a foreign national employed in Georgia, and the law caps the fee for it at GEL 500. A study residence permit on its own does not carry that right.

    sourcecompare all countries

    Dependants

    A residence permit holder can bring family members on a family reunification residence permit, which the agency prices at GEL 300 for a decision on the 30th calendar day, the same as the study permit itself.

    source

    After graduation

    Years spent in Georgia on a study residence permit do not count toward the ten years of continuous residence a permanent residence permit requires. A graduate who finds a job moves to a work residence permit, which needs the right to work and income of at least five times the subsistence minimum.

    sourcecompare all countries
    United States
    From $535 all-in
    United Kingdom
    From $1,760 all-in
    Canada
    From $175 all-in
    Australia
    From $2,250 all-in
    Germany
    From $190 all-in
    France
    From $183 all-in

    FAQ

    Frequently asked questions

    How much is the Georgia student visa fee?
    The D3 immigration visa plus study residence permit application charge is $20 (D3 immigration visa, consular fee). Add the other mandatory items (Study residence permit, decision on the 30th day $115 and Residence card, tenth working day $23) and the all-in mandatory total is $158. Optional extras add up to $117 on top.
    How much bank balance is required for a Georgia student visa?
    GEL 502 (about $193), held as Proof of legal income for the residence permit, at twice the subsistence minimum a month, covering One month of income at twice the subsistence minimum for an average consumer, GEL 250.95 in December 2025. It is money you show rather than money you pay, so it is separate from the visa fees. The agency tests income, not a lump sum in an account: the monthly figure has to reach twice the subsistence minimum Geostat publishes for an average consumer, which moves every month. The D3 visa file separately asks for a document proving funds for the stay, with no fixed sum published. USD figure at GEL 1 = USD 0.384, ExchangeRate-API on 18 September 2026. Source: Public Service Development Agency: Residence permit (September 2026).
    Can you work on a Georgia student visa?
    Amendments to the Law on Labour Migration in force since 1 March 2026 make a right to work granted through the State Employment Support Agency mandatory for a foreign national employed in Georgia, and the law caps the fee for it at GEL 500. A study residence permit on its own does not carry that right. Source: Legislative Herald of Georgia: Law of Georgia on Labour Migration (September 2026).
    How long does a Georgia student visa take?
    The visa issuing authority decides a long-term visa within 30 calendar days of receiving the application. The study residence permit is decided on the 30th, 20th or 10th calendar day depending on the fee paid. Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, consular portal: Entering Georgia (September 2026).
    Can you bring your family on a Georgia student visa?
    A residence permit holder can bring family members on a family reunification residence permit, which the agency prices at GEL 300 for a decision on the 30th calendar day, the same as the study permit itself. Source: Public Service Development Agency: Migration and residence permits (September 2026).
    What's not included in the D3 immigration visa plus study residence permit fee?
    Tuition, living costs and the money you have to show in your account are separate from the fees on this page. Use our cost-of-study calculator at /tools/cost-calculator for a complete budget.
    When are these fees due?
    Application and biometric fees are paid before submission. Health surcharges (UK IHS, Australian OSHC) are paid as part of the visa application. Some fees (Anmeldung in Germany, OFII in France) are paid after arrival.

    Official sources

    Last verified September 2026.