Who can apply for Internationa Company Status?

 

To qualify for the International Company Status (ICS) in Georgia, your business must meet several conditions:

1. Revenue Source - At least 98% of annual revenue must come from activities within the IT or Maritime sectors.
2. Business Tenure -  The applicant must be a Georgian enterprise or a representative of a non-resident enterprise, both having over two years of operation in the specified sectors.
3. Ownership - A Georgian enterprise owned by a parent company (Georgian or non-resident) with minmum 2 years in the required sectors and over 50% ownership.
4. Location - The enterprise cannot be in a free industrial zone and must have a physical presence in Georgia.
5. Operational Substance - The business must conduct core income-generating activities in Georgia with qualified human resources as per Ordiance 619 on Determining the Status of an International Company, and Approving the List of Permitted Activities and Certain Expenses.

 

Certain activities IT and Maritime qualify for International Company status under Georgian regulations:

 

An IT company must either:

Operate in Georgia for at least two years, or

OR

Be a subsidiary of a foreign company with at least two years of operation in Georgia, or

OR

Be a Georgian company with at least 51% foreign ownership, with the owning company(s) having two years of experience in the IT sector. If multiple companies combine to meet the 51% ownership, each must have the required two years of experience.

 

Procedure for Obtaining International Company Status in Georgia

To achieve International Company status, fare necessary these steps:

1. Register Your Company -  Ensure your business is officially registered in Georgia.
2. Rent an Office -  Secure a physical office space in Georgia.
3. Gather Documentation - Collect evidence of the founder's two-year experience in IT, such as contracts, intellectual property rights, invoices, or bank statements.
4. Apply Online - Register with the Revenue Service at [RS.ge](https://www.rs.ge/) and submit your application, including:
   - Details about the company’s qualifying activities
   - Proof of the company's location in Georgia
   - Employee information
   - Documents verifying the parent company's required experience

After submission, the documents are reviewed by the Revenue Service for 10 days and then forwarded to the Ministry of Finance, which makes the final decision within approximately a month.

 

This programme is aimed at enticing foreign IT and maritime companies to base their operations in Georgia.