Georgia will introduce mandatory health and accident insurance for all foreign tourists entering the country from January 1, 2026, under provisions of its updated Law on Tourism.
According to information published on geoconsul.gov.ge, the official platform of Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, all international visitors—irrespective of nationality or length of stay—will be required to carry valid insurance covering the full duration of their visit.
Under the new regulation, travellers must be able to present proof of insurance, either in physical or electronic form, in Georgian or English at border checkpoints. The requirement applies to all points of entry, including air, land, and sea borders.
The insurance policy must provide minimum coverage of 30,000 Georgian Lari (approximately USD 11,000) and cover medical treatment, hospitalisation, and expenses arising from accidents during the stay. Policies issued by both Georgian and foreign insurance providers will be accepted, provided they meet the criteria stipulated by law.
Policy details and compliance requirements
The law specifies that insurance documents must clearly mention the contracting parties, insured territory (explicitly including Georgia), purpose of insurance, validity dates, covered risks, coverage limits, premium amount, and payment terms. Importantly, the policy must cover the entire duration of stay, including arrival and departure dates. Partial or date-restricted coverage may be considered non-compliant.
Exemptions under the law
Several categories of travellers are exempt from the mandatory insurance requirement. These include holders of diplomatic or special visas, diplomatic or official passport holders, accredited staff of diplomatic missions and international organisations along with their family members, individuals entering under international treaties, and drivers involved in international freight and passenger transport.
Objective of the reform
Authorities state that the move aims to enhance visitor safety while reducing the financial burden on Georgia’s healthcare system, which has frequently had to absorb treatment costs for uninsured foreign visitors. By mandating insurance, the government seeks to clarify financial responsibility in medical emergencies involving tourists.
Impact on travellers
From 2026 onwards, travel insurance will become a mandatory document for entry into Georgia, alongside passports, visas, and airline tickets. Travellers are advised to arrange compliant insurance coverage before departure to avoid entry delays or refusals.
Visa regime remains liberal
Despite the new insurance requirement, Georgia continues to maintain one of the region’s most liberal visa regimes. Nationals from the EU, UK, US, Canada, Australia, Japan, and several other countries enjoy visa-free entry for up to 12 months.
For travellers requiring visas, Georgia’s e-Visa system, introduced in 2015, remains in place, offering a fully digital application process with processing times of a few days and fees typically ranging between USD 20 and 40.