Moving from Georgia to Germany (2026): Relocation Guide
Key takeaways
- Start with your pet, not your furniture. Georgia is not on the EU’s list of approved third countries, so a dog or cat needs a rabies antibody (titration) blood test drawn at least 30 days after vaccination, a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml, and then a compulsory three-month wait before EU entry. Realistically that is a four-to-five month timeline, so it must be started first.
- Germany grants transfer-of-residence relief (duty and import VAT free) on used household goods via customs form 0350, provided you lived outside the EU for at least 12 months and owned the goods for at least 6 months.
- Georgian passport holders travel visa-free to the Schengen area for 90 days in any 180, but living in Germany requires a national visa and a residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) — visa-free entry does not cover work or long-term stay.
- Register your address (Anmeldung) within 14 days of moving in; it unlocks almost everything else.
- Goods usually ship from Poti or Batumi on the Black Sea, or move overland by road via Turkey and the Balkans.
1. Leaving Georgia: what to close out
Before your goods and your pet leave, tidy up the Georgian side. If you hold a Georgian residence permit or ID issued by the Public Service Development Agency (PSDA / sda.gov.ge), there is no formal “exit visa” to surrender, but you should settle any outstanding matters tied to your residence status, tax registration and property. If you rent, give notice in line with your lease; if you own property, decide whether to sell, let, or leave it managed. Close or redirect Georgian utility and mobile contracts, and keep your Georgian tax number active only if you still need it.
For customs, the good news is that export of personal goods from Georgia is straightforward and free of export duty — under Georgian rules, export, transit and re-export are exempt from customs duties (see the Georgia Revenue Service). What matters for Germany is not the Georgian export but the German import, so your priority is a clean, dated, valued inventory that will satisfy German customs. Ask your remover to prepare a bilingual (English/German) packing list; it becomes the backbone of your German 0350 declaration.
Gather personal documents before you go: birth and marriage certificates, university and professional qualifications, and any employment references. Have the key ones translated and, where needed, apostilled in Georgia — the apostille is issued by the PSDA and is far easier to obtain while you are still in the country than from abroad.
2. How your household goods ship to Germany
Georgia has no direct short-sea line to Northern Europe, so there are two realistic routes for your belongings.
Sea from Poti or Batumi. Georgia’s two Black Sea ports handle containerised and roll-on/roll-off cargo. A sea move from Poti or Batumi to a North European port such as Hamburg or Bremerhaven does not go “straight up” — vessels sail west across the Black Sea, through the Bosphorus at Istanbul and into the Mediterranean, then either around the continent to the North Sea or, more commonly, transhipping through a Mediterranean hub before an onward feeder to a German port. This adds transit time and one or more transhipments, so plan on several weeks door to door and treat any single quoted figure as indicative rather than guaranteed.
Road / overland via Turkey and the Balkans. For smaller shipments, or where timing matters, a dedicated or groupage road move overland — Georgia into Turkey, then through the Balkans and Central Europe to Germany — can be competitive and avoids sea transhipment delays. It crosses several non-EU/EU borders, so customs paperwork and transit documentation must be in order.
Air freight is the fastest option and worth it only for a small volume of essentials you need immediately; it is priced by weight and volume and is materially more expensive than sea. Whichever mode you choose, insure the shipment on a replacement-value basis and keep your valued inventory with you rather than inside the container.
3. Germany customs & transfer-of-residence relief
Because you are moving from outside the EU, your used personal property can enter Germany free of customs duty and import VAT under transfer-of-residence (Übersiedlungsgut) relief, declared on customs form 0350. The core conditions are that you had your normal residence outside the EU for a continuous period of at least 12 months, that you are transferring that residence to Germany, and that the goods were owned and used by you for at least 6 months before the move.
Practical points that trip people up:
- The form is in German and runs to several pages; most sections must be completed. Your remover’s German agent normally prepares it with you.
- A detailed inventory must be attached. German customs use it to verify the shipment, so it should be itemised, valued and consistent with what is in the container.
- New items, goods bought for resale, and items you have not owned/used long enough are excluded and may attract duty and 19% import VAT.
- Vehicles can be included but must be listed with make, model, VIN and registration, and are subject to their own conditions.
- Alcohol and tobacco beyond personal limits are not covered by the relief.
Register the move with the competent German customs office before or on arrival of the goods, and keep proof of your deregistration abroad and your German address to hand.
4. Arriving: registration, residence, driving, healthcare
Residence status. As a Georgian national you can enter the Schengen area visa-free for 90 days in any 180-day period on a biometric passport, but that does not permit work or settlement. To live in Germany you generally need to apply for the appropriate national (D) visa at the German mission before you travel — for example an employment, EU Blue Card, family reunion or study visa — and then convert it into a residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) at the local Ausländerbehörde after arrival. Certain privileged nationalities may apply on the ground; Georgian citizens should not assume this and should secure the correct visa in advance.
Anmeldung. Within 14 days of moving into your home you must register your address at the local Bürgeramt. You will need your passport, the rental contract and a landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung). The registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) is required for almost everything that follows: opening a bank account, getting a tax ID, and processing your residence permit.
Healthcare. Health insurance is mandatory in Germany. If you are employed you will normally join the statutory system (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung); otherwise you will need private or voluntary cover. Sort this early, as proof of insurance is often required for the residence permit.
Driving. You may generally drive in Germany on your Georgian licence for up to six months after establishing residence (carry a certified translation or international permit). After that you must convert to a German licence. Because Georgia is not on Germany’s list of countries with full mutual recognition, conversion typically requires passing the German theory and practical tests, so budget time and money for this.
5. Pets
This is the single longest-lead task in a Georgia-to-Germany move, so plan it first. Georgia is not an EU-listed third country, which triggers the strictest EU entry route for dogs and cats:
- Microchip (ISO-standard) — must be implanted first.
- Rabies vaccination — given after the microchip.
- Rabies antibody titration test — blood drawn at least 30 days after vaccination, sent to an EU-approved laboratory, showing a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml.
- Three-month wait — you must wait three months from the date the blood sample was taken before the animal enters the EU.
- EU animal health certificate — an official veterinary certificate issued shortly before travel.
On the Georgian side, you also need a National Food Agency (NFA) export/veterinary certificate endorsed by a government veterinarian to take the animal out of Georgia. Because of the 30-day-plus-3-month sequence, a compliant EU entry realistically takes four to five months from the day you vaccinate — start before you book anything else. Confirm the current details with the European Commission’s pet-import guidance and your destination’s veterinary authority.
6. Money, banking & tax basics
You will usually need your Anmeldung certificate and tax ID (Steuer-Identifikationsnummer, sent automatically after registration) to open a German bank account, though several digital banks accept new arrivals more flexibly. Set up a German account early so salary, rent and insurance direct debits (Lastschrift) can run.
On tax: once you have your habitual residence in Germany you are generally taxable there on your worldwide income. Georgia and Germany have arrangements to avoid double taxation, but the interaction of a departure year and an arrival year is easy to get wrong — if you have Georgian rental income, business income, or you left mid-year, take professional advice on both sides. Keep records of the date you deregistered in Georgia and registered in Germany; they anchor your tax position and support your customs relief claim.
How Flyto handles your Georgia to Germany move
Flyto manages the whole corridor as one project rather than a series of disconnected bookings. We plan the pet timeline first — microchip, vaccination, titration test and the three-month clock — so it never becomes the thing that delays your move. We arrange the shipment out of Poti or Batumi by sea, or overland by road via Turkey and the Balkans, whichever fits your volume and deadline, and we prepare a customs-ready valued inventory. On the German end, our own hubs across Northern, Central and Southern Europe handle 0350 transfer-of-residence clearance, delivery and unpacking, and we brief you on Anmeldung, your residence permit and health insurance so nothing stalls at the last step. Get a quote and we will map your timeline back from your target move date.
Frequently asked questions
Do I really need the rabies blood test to bring my dog from Georgia to Germany?
Yes. Because Georgia is not an EU-listed country, a rabies antibody titration test is mandatory — blood taken at least 30 days after vaccination, a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml, then a three-month wait before entry. See the European Commission pet-import guidance.
How long does the whole pet process take?
Plan for four to five months: the vaccination, the 30-day minimum before the blood draw, laboratory turnaround, and then the compulsory three-month wait from the sampling date. Start it before anything else. Source.
Will I pay German duty and VAT on my furniture?
Not if you qualify for transfer-of-residence relief on form 0350 — 12 months’ residence outside the EU and goods owned and used for at least 6 months. New items are excluded. See German Customs (Zoll).
Do Georgian citizens need a visa to live in Germany?
Visa-free travel covers only short stays (90 days in 180). To live or work in Germany you need the appropriate national visa and then a residence permit. See the EU delegation to Georgia.
What is the Anmeldung deadline?
You must register your address at the local Bürgeramt within 14 days of moving in; the certificate is needed for your tax ID, bank account and residence permit. Source context.
Should I ship by sea or road?
Sea from Poti/Batumi suits larger shipments but routes through the Bosphorus and the Mediterranean with transhipment; road via Turkey and the Balkans can be faster for smaller loads. We advise based on your volume and deadline. Batumi Seaport.
Sources
- European Commission — Bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU country
- European Commission — Designated rabies antibody titration laboratories
- German Customs (Zoll) — English portal (transfer of residence / Übersiedlungsgut, form 0350)
- EURAXESS Germany — Customs formalities for new residents
- EU Delegation to Georgia — Travel & study (Schengen visa-free rules)
- Georgia Revenue Service — Customs (export of goods)
- National Food Agency of Georgia — Veterinary / animal export
- Batumi Seaport — port terminals and Ro-Ro/container capability