Do You Need Travel Insurance for Georgia? New 2026 Entry Rules

I have always strongly recommended taking out a travel insurance policy before visiting Georgia. From January 1, 2026, this is no longer just a recommendation – health and accident insurance is now mandatory for all visitors.

While mandatory insurance has always been the case for those entering Georgia on a visa, the big change for this year is that the requirement now applies to everyone – including those passport holders from 95+ countries who are eligible to enter the country visa-free.

If you’re visiting Georgia in 2026 or beyond, you are now expected to have valid health and accident insurance that meets the country’s entry requirements.

This guide explains what the law actually means, how insurance is being checked in practice, and which policies work best for short and longer-term travellers.

Disclaimer

This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and reflects the author’s understanding of Government Regulation No. 602 and related official statements at the time of writing. It is not legal advice, and should not be relied upon as a substitute for official guidance from Georgian authorities, airlines, insurers, or border officials.

Implementation and enforcement of Georgia’s insurance requirement may vary by airline, entry point, and individual circumstances, and procedures may change without notice. Media reports, traveller experiences, and informal guidance referenced in this article are included for context only and do not override the official legal text.

Travellers remain responsible for ensuring they meet all current entry requirements applicable to their nationality, visa status, and travel plans. When in doubt, you should confirm requirements directly with your airline, insurance provider, or the relevant Georgian authorities before travelling.

An earlier version of this post was written at a time when travel insurance was strongly recommended, but not legally required.

For official advice and updates, please refer to the official Ministry of Foreign Affairs website: https://geoconsul.gov.ge/en

Quick overview: Insurance for Georgia (new 2026 rules)

At a glance:

✔ Mandatory from: 1 January 2026 (initially planned for June 2025 and later postponed). Not applied retrospectively to travellers who entered Georgia before this date.

✔ Who needs it: Foreign visitors entering Georgia as tourists, including visa-exempt travellers.

✔ Proof required: Policy document in English or Georgian, digital or printed. May be required when checking into a flight and/or upon entry to Georgia.

✔ What your policy must include: Health and accident insurance, valid for your entire stay – including arrival and exit days.

✔ Minimum coverage: 30,000 GEL (approx. 11,000 USD) for medical treatment and hospitalisation. (Some sources specify 5,000 GEL for emergency outpatient care and 30,000 GEL for inpatient care.)

✔ Where to get it: Policy can be issued by a Georgian or foreign insurance company (more details and options below).

✔ If you don’t have insurance: You may be refused entry or face a fine (reported by some media sources at 300 GEL).

✔ Exemptions: Holders of diplomatic, official, service, or special passports; accredited diplomatic and consular representatives and their families; persons covered by international treaties; international drivers engaged in road transport.

Early feedback from travellers

Please remember that this requirement is still being rolled out, and enforcement practices are evolving.

As with many travel regulations, implementation is not yet 100% consistent across all airlines, airports or border points. Some procedures are still being clarified, and enforcement may tighten over time.

I am actively monitoring forums, airline updates and first-hand reports in order to keep this guide up to date.

If you’ve entered Georgia recently, I’d love to hear about your experience: Were you asked to show travel insurance? Please leave a comment below.

Based on early anecdotes:

• Travellers are regularly reporting that airlines are requesting proof of travel insurance at the check-in desk and at the gate before boarding.
• Travellers are reporting people being denied boarding by the airline for not being able to show proof of insurance.
• There are mixed reports about checks on arrival in Georgia: Some travellers say passport control in Tbilisi did not ask to see a policy, while others report being questioned.
• Similarly, travellers entering at the land border from Armenia report that they were not asked about insurance.

What the new law actually says

Georgia’s insurance requirement is set out here in Government Regulation No. 602, titled ‘On approval of the rules and conditions of mandatory health and accident insurance for tourists entering Georgia’. The regulation entered into force on January 1, 2026.

Rather than creating a new principle, Regulation No. 602 implements the existing obligation (Article 12) in the Law of Tourism, which states that: ‘Tourists visiting Georgia shall have mandatory health and accident insurance.’

This requirement applies regardless of nationality or visa-free status, and forms part of Georgia’s broader framework on tourist protection and reducing pressure on public healthcare services.

Based on the text of Government Regulation No. 602, tourists * entering Georgia must hold an insurance policy that:

• Covers both A) medical treatment, and B) accident-related expenses
• Is valid for the entire duration of their stay in Georgia **
• Meets the minimum coverage requirements (no less than 30,000 GEL)
• Is issued by a Georgian or foreign insurer
• Can be presented in Georgian or English in paper or electronic form

Healthcare and risk in Georgia: Useful context for travellers

Why is travel insurance a good idea for Georgia?

Georgia is generally a safe, low-crime destination, and for many visitors it feels less risky than travelling in parts of Europe or North America. That said, there are a few Georgia-specific realities worth understanding when it comes to insurance.

Healthcare in Georgia is very affordable by Western standards, particularly in major cities. A consultation at a good private clinic in Tbilisi or Batumi typically costs under 100 GEL, diagnostics and blood tests are inexpensive, and over-the-counter medications are widely available. In urban centres, it’s also common to find English-speaking doctors or clinics that provide translation support.

However, quality and access vary significantly outside the main cities. In rural areas and mountain regions, facilities are more basic and emergency response times can be longer. This is where insurance becomes less about routine medical costs and more about emergency treatment and evacuation – something you definitely don’t want to handle out of pocket.

Road safety is one of the biggest practical risks for travellers in Georgia. Accidents are not uncommon, and it’s something you should be aware of whether you’re riding in a marshrutka, taking long-distance taxis, or self-driving on mountain roads.

If you plan to drive in Georgia, hike in the Caucasus, go skiing, or visit remote areas, accident cover and emergency assistance are especially important.

Petty crime, including pickpocketing, is rare – even in Tbilisi – and most travellers won’t need extensive theft coverage. That said, if you’re travelling with high-value items such as camera gear, it’s sensible to check that your policy includes adequate valuables cover.

If your travel plans include Abkhazia or Samachablo (South Ossetia), it’s important to understand that most standard travel insurance policies do not provide coverage in these regions. Georgian-issued insurance policies also typically exclude them. Best to take out a specialised high-risk or conflict-zone insurance policy.

Finding a compliant insurance policy

Now that insurance is a legal requirement, the key question isn’t whether you should get insurance, it’s whether the policy you choose meets the entry requirements.

Most standard travel insurance policies will be sufficient, as long as they:

• Meet minimum coverage thresholds
• Explicitly include Georgia in the covered territory
• Have clear policy dates that match your stay
• And provide a certificate in English or Georgian

If you are buying insurance at the last minute, remember to check if there is a waiting period.

Option 1: Traditional travel insurance

For most travellers, the easiest and least stressful option is to purchase a standard international travel insurance policy before your trip. Traditional travel insurance policies (Allianz, World Nomads, etc.) are designed specifically for entry and transit requirements and come with clear policy certificates in English, making it easy to demonstrate coverage dates, limits and territory at check-in or on arrival.

I personally use and recommend HeyMondo. Headquartered in Barcelona, it offers emergency medical and hospital cover, accident cover, evacuation and repatriation, with coverage limits that generally meet Georgia’s published requirements on most plans. Policies are issued instantly in English and can be tailored for single trips, long stays, or multi-trip travel.

I have had first-hand experience dealing with HeyMondo: on our recent trip to Moldova, Ross was bitten by a dog, and staff were genuinely helpful in assisting us with finding a hospital.

👉 Use my affiliate link to get 5% off your HeyMondo policy

Option 2: Subscription-based travel insurance

SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance includes emergency medical treatment, hospitalisation, accident cover, evacuation and repatriation. Coverage is worldwide (including Georgia) and renews monthly – the policy is valid one month at a time, automatically renewing as long as your subscription remains active. This should meet Georgia’s requirement that insurance be valid for the duration of your stay, assuming you can provide proof that your subscription stays active.

I use SafetyWing for longer trips, including our recent two-month trip in Southeast Asia.

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Option 3: Georgian insurance providers

There are a few local providers that offers travel insurance products designed specifically for visitors to Georgia. They cover Georgia only, and are generally more affordable than traditional insurance products – from as little as 1.5 GEL (50 US cents) per day.

Options include:

• TBC’s travel insurance for visitors to Georgia: From 1.5 GEL/day; policies up to 180 days
• Ardi’s Welcomer package: From 2 GEL/day; policies up to 200 days
• Imedi L’s health insurance for visitors: From 10 GEL/day; policies up to one year
• E-COVER: From 0.50 EUR/day; long-term visitor policies for one year

The eInsurance broker platform allows you to compare policies from multiple Georgian insurers in one place. This is not an official government website – it’s a private insurance broker portal. I have no affiliation with them, or with any of the local companies mentioned.

Before buying from any platform, always check whether the policy can be purchased before entering Georgia, whether it covers medical expenses incurred on Georgian territory, and importantly whether the policy wording is available in English.

Does credit card insurance qualify?

In some cases, your credit card travel insurance may meet Georgia’s requirements, but remember that airline staff and border officials might only accept what is clearly stated on your policy certificate – not what’s implied in marketing material.

If you’re using credit card insurance, make sure you can download a formal policy document that:

• Shows medical and accident cover
• Clearly meets the minimum limits
• Explicitly lists Georgia as covered territory
• Covers your entire stay

Can you buy insurance at the airport or border?

At the time of writing:

• There are no facilities to purchase health/accident insurance at Georgian airports or land border crossings
• There is no official mechanism to buy insurance on arrival
• Airlines may refuse boarding if you cannot show valid insurance before departure

For this reason, it’s best to arrange travel insurance before you travel. You should not rely on being able to purchase insurance at the airport, at the border, or after arrival in Georgia.

How to demonstrate proof of insurance

Initial feedback from travellers suggests that for those entering Georgia by air, proof of insurance will be checked before boarding. Airlines are responsible for ensuring passengers meet entry requirements, which means checks frequently happen at check-in or at the gate. I have heard of at least one traveller being denied boarding because they didn’t have insurance.

That said, you should be prepared to show proof at any stage of your journey, including on arrival or exit.

To avoid issues, I suggest you carry your insurance documents in more than one format:

• A digital copy on your phone
• A downloaded PDF that’s accessible offline (in case you can’t get onto WIFI)
• A printed copy as a backup

Your policy certificate should clearly show:

• Your full name
• Coverage dates
• Medical and accident coverage
• Coverage territory (including Georgia)

Air vs land entry points

Most reports so far relate to air travel, where airlines are actively checking insurance before boarding. Fewer reports exist for land border crossings, but the legal requirement applies regardless of how you enter Georgia.

If you’re crossing by land – for example on the night train from Yerevan – you should still assume you may be asked to show proof and be prepared accordingly.

Penalties, fines and enforcement

Under the new rules, travellers who arrive without valid insurance may face consequences.

Based on early reporting:

• You may be refused boarding by the airline, or
• You may be issued a fine, reported by one source to be around 300 GEL

At the time of writing, there is no official penalty schedule available online, and enforcement practices may vary. Arriving with clearly documented, compliant insurance is far easier than dealing with fines, delays, or being denied boarding.

Staying long-term in Georgia?

If you’re planning a long stay in Georgia – or you’ve lived here before – this is an important area where foreigners are getting caught out under the new rules.

Many long-term visitors, digital nomads and repeat travellers rely on local Georgian health insurance once they arrive. This can work well for everyday healthcare inside Georgia, but it does not automatically meet the new entry requirement.

It is worth noting that Regulation No. 602 does not explicitly use the term ‘travel insurance’, referring instead to mandatory health and accident insurance. As a result, there is some uncertainty around how certain health insurance policies – including those issued by Georgian providers – are interpreted for entry purposes.

However, local health insurance policies are often:

• Only purchasable after you enter Georgia
• Not designed as travel or entry insurance
• Difficult to present as valid proof at airline check-in

My local health insurance policy document, for example, does not specify a coverage amount.

If you hold a Permanent or Temporary Georgian Residence Permit, different rules apply. Residents (and Georgian citizens) are exempt from this requirement as they do not fall under the definition of a ‘tourist’ as it is laid out.

Final thoughts

Insurance for Georgia is no longer just a commonsense good idea – it is a legal requirement. While enforcement is still settling in and clarification is needed on several points, the expectation is pretty clear: if you’re travelling to Georgia in 2026, you should come prepared with valid health and accident insurance.

The safest approach is to arrange your insurance before you travel, choose a policy with clearly documented coverage and validity, and keep proof easily accessible.

If you’re unsure which option to choose, err on the side of clarity and simplicity – policies that are easy to prove and easy to understand will cause you the least friction at check-in and on arrival.

I will continue to update this guide as further details are clarified.