Moving from Germany to Georgia
From central Europe to the Caucasus, by sea from Hamburg or overland through the Balkans and Turkey. Georgia welcomes Europeans for a full year with no visa, but the customs bill is the catch, since the duty free relief is written for returning Georgians, not for you.
On the logistics, this corridor offers two genuine choices. By sea, your goods leave Hamburg or Bremerhaven and sail roughly four to seven weeks to Poti or Batumi, Georgia's Black Sea ports, transshipped through the Mediterranean. By road, a truck can run overland through the Balkans and Turkey to Tbilisi, which can suit smaller loads and offers door to door handling, though border crossings add unpredictability. A full home suits a sole use container, while a shared container or part load fits a studio or partial move.
Settling in Georgia is easy on immigration and pointed on customs. German citizens, like most Europeans, can live, work, and study in the country for 365 days with no visa, which removes the permit pressure of most corridors. What you must plan for is the border bill, because the transfer of residence customs relief is reserved for returning Georgian citizens. As a foreigner you should expect value added tax, around 18 percent, on the assessed value of your shipment, charged at Poti or Batumi.
What it costs to move from Germany to Georgia.
What it really costs to move a household from Germany to Georgia in 2026, shown as indicative ranges in euros by home size and shipping method. Freight is the largest line, volume is the lever you control, and Georgian import VAT is charged separately at the border.
Indicative ranges for 2026 in euros, before full packing, premium insurance, and Georgian import VAT of roughly 18 percent on the assessed value. A shared container splits the box and the cost, while a sole use container carries only your goods. An overland road move is priced differently and quoted case by case. These are not binding figures, so get a survey.
Four levers move the number. Volume is decisive, so a declutter before the survey pays for itself. Sea versus road is a real choice on this corridor, with sea cheaper for full homes and road sometimes better for small, time sensitive loads. Shared versus sole use trades cost against time. And the Georgian VAT, the factor that makes this corridor different, adds to the landed cost at Poti or Batumi and is not part of the mover's freight quote.
A realistic schedule, working back from departure.
Work back from the sailing or the truck departure. With sea transit of a month or more, start around three months before you want to be settled in Tbilisi or Batumi.
Plan the entry and the budget
Because German citizens get 365 days visa free, your first job is a plan, not a permit. Confirm your landing city, set aside a budget line for the roughly 18 percent import VAT, and decide whether you will apply for a temporary residence permit later. Shipping can begin straight away.
Get quotes and choose the mode
Have movers run a video or in home survey, then compare a sea container against an overland road quote on a like for like basis. Decide what is worth shipping, since freight plus Georgian VAT rewards a lean inventory.
Prepare the customs file
Build a clear, valued inventory and gather your passport copy, bill of lading or CMR, and a notarized power of attorney for the clearing agent. A foreign consignee usually needs a Georgian tax identification number or a Georgian address and passport details on file.
Pack, load, and dispatch
The crew packs and loads your container at Hamburg or Bremerhaven, or your truck for the overland route. Keep your passport, inventory, and ownership documents together for the customs entry that follows.
Clear, settle, and register
Customs assesses your goods and the import VAT, then releases them for delivery. You have 90 days from your entry to clear declared goods. Get a tax identification number from the Revenue Service, open a local bank account, and if staying beyond a year, apply for a temporary residence permit at a Public Service Hall.
Clearing your goods into Georgia.
Georgia treats your move as a genuine import, because Germany is outside its customs territory. The point that catches Europeans out is that the duty free transfer of residence relief is written for Georgian citizens returning after at least six months abroad, who may bring goods up to a value of 15,000 lari free of import tax. As a foreign national moving in, you do not usually qualify, and should expect value added tax of about 18 percent on the assessed value of your shipment.
The Revenue Service administers customs, and a foreign consignee is generally asked for a Georgian tax identification number, or alternatively a Georgian address and international passport details, alongside the bill of lading or CMR for a road move, a copy of your passport, a general and a detailed packing list, and a notarized power of attorney for the clearing agent. An honestly valued inventory matters here more than on most corridors, because the declared value drives the tax.
You have 90 days from the date of your entry into Georgia to bring in and clear declared goods, so timing the arrival of your goods to your own arrival keeps things smooth. Restricted categories apply, including firearms, certain medicines, and protected species items. A vehicle can be imported but is taxed and must be registered, and both Germany and Georgia drive on the right. Keep your inventory and ownership documents together for the agent.
How people moving from Germany actually move to Georgia.
This is the rare corridor where immigration is the easy part. German citizens can simply arrive and stay for a year, so most movers begin visa free and consider a residence permit only for a longer or formal stay.
German citizens may enter and remain in Georgia for 365 consecutive days with no visa, free to live, work, study, or run a business. A single exit and re entry resets the clock for another full year.
- Type
- Visa free
- Length
- 365 days
- Allows
- Live and work
- Cost
- None
For staying beyond the visa free year, a temporary residence permit can be granted on grounds such as employment, study, business, or family, applied for at a Public Service Hall in Georgia.
- Type
- Residence
- Grounds
- Work or study
- Where
- Public Service Hall
- Term
- Up to 6 years
Owning qualifying Georgian real estate above a set value, or making a qualifying investment, can support a residence permit, a route some movers from Germany use to anchor a longer stay.
- Type
- Residence
- Basis
- Property or investment
- Suits
- Settlers
- Needs
- Asset proof
Many movers from Germany simply work remotely during the visa free year. Georgia has actively courted remote workers, and the year long stay covers most digital nomads without a separate permit.
- Type
- Remote work
- Basis
- Visa free year
- Suits
- Nomads
- Tax
- Confirm status
How to choose a mover for this route, with no names attached.
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Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move from Germany to Georgia?
As indicative ranges for 2026, a two to three bedroom move runs roughly 4,500 to 7,000 euros as a shared container and up to 9,500 euros for a sole use container, before packing, insurance, and Georgian import VAT. An overland road move is priced separately. Volume is the biggest lever, so get a binding quote from a survey.
How long does shipping from Germany to Georgia take?
By sea, expect four to seven weeks door to door, from Hamburg or Bremerhaven to Poti or Batumi via the Mediterranean. An overland road move through the Balkans and Turkey can be quicker for small loads but is less predictable at borders. Then customs and delivery follow.
Do I pay duty or VAT on my furniture moving to Georgia?
Usually yes. The duty free transfer of residence relief in Georgia is reserved for returning Georgian citizens who lived abroad at least six months. As a foreign national from Germany you should expect value added tax of about 18 percent on the assessed value of your shipment. This is not legal advice, so verify your position before you ship.
How long can German citizens stay in Georgia without a visa?
German citizens can stay in Georgia for 365 consecutive days with no visa, and may live, work, or study during that time. Leaving and re entering resets the period for another full year, so many movers never need a residence permit at all.
What residence permit do I need to move from Germany to Georgia?
None for the first year, thanks to the 365 day visa free stay. To stay longer you can apply for a temporary residence permit on grounds such as work, study, business, property, or family at a Public Service Hall. This is not immigration advice, so confirm the current rules with the official Georgian source.
Should I ship by sea or road from Germany to Georgia?
Both work. Sea from Hamburg or Bremerhaven to Poti is usually cheaper for a full home and takes four to seven weeks. An overland road move through Turkey can suit a small, time sensitive load and offers door to door handling, but border crossings add uncertainty. Compare both on a like for like survey.