Local Laws

CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While you are traveling in Georgia, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own, and criminal penalties vary from country to country. Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Georgia are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. 

Georgian laws regarding the temporary import of medications or drugs, even with a prescription, are different than our own. Medications and drugs may be restricted based on the composition of the drug and the quantity to be imported. Travelers should refer to the Law of Georgia on Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Precursors, and Narcological Assistance concerning the restrictions and special requirements for importing medications and drugs into Georgia. Travelers without the required permits are often detained at the border and face heavy fines and long, expensive disruption to their travel plans.

There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States. For example, you can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods. Engaging in sexual conduct with children, using, or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States. If you break local laws in Georgia, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not wherever you go. 

Arrest notifications in host country: While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. Embassy if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in a foreign country, that might not always be the case. To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. Embassy as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: The lack of adequate lighting in some public places, particularly outside of Tbilisi and Batumi, heightens your vulnerability to crime.

Georgia’s customs authorities enforce regulations concerning the temporary import into or export from Georgia of items such as alcohol, tobacco, jewelry, religious materials, art or artifacts, antiquities, and business equipment. Only personal medicines with a doctor’s statement can be imported without the permission of the State Regulation Agency for Medical Activities of the Ministry of Health. Please review the Law of Georgia on Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Precursors, and Narcological Assistance concerning the restrictions and special requirements for importing medications or drugs into Georgia.

You may not import firearms into Georgia; however, you may bring hunting weapons into the country for a two-week period, based on a valid Georgian hunting license. While there is no limit to the amount of currency that you can import, if you try to take out more money than you declared at the time of entry, you are obligated to prove it was legally obtained. There are limits on the amount of Georgian currency that may be exported. For additional customs information, U. S. citizens should contact the Embassy of Georgia in Washington DC.

The U.S. Embassy strongly discourages the purchase of property in the occupied Abkhazia or South Ossetia regions of Georgia. Land for sale in those regions may rightfully belong to internally displaced persons forced to leave the breakaway regions in the early 1990s and may have been placed improperly on the market. In such cases, the Government of Georgia considers the sale of property in occupied regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia illegal and the property could be reclaimed by original owners at a future date.

The Ministry of Culture’s Department of Expertise and Evaluation must license any valuables such as artwork, antiques, jewelry, or paintings. This license describes the object, assesses its value, and provides permission to export it from Georgia. Please contact the Embassy of Georgia in Washington, D.C. for specific information regarding customs requirements. Please see our information on Customs Regulations.

While the Georgian lari is the only legal tender, U.S. dollars can be exchanged freely for lari at market rates. ATMs are widespread within Tbilisi. Credit cards are accepted in upscale hotels and restaurants, but travelers’ checks are difficult to cash. U.S. citizens in Georgia have reported incidents of credit card fraud and identity theft. You should closely monitor your credit card statements.

Climbing and Hiking: If you intend to hike in the Georgian mountains or climb in the numerous rock climbing areas, always seek local guides’ expert advice and maintain communication with your family and friends. The weather in the Georgian mountains can change quickly, even in the summer months, and temperatures can get very low overnight and snow can fall unexpectedly. There have been reports of hikers getting lost in the mountains and in snowy/stormy weather, and there have been fatal accidents as well. If in trouble, call the emergency number “112” and the Emergency Situations Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia will help you to the best of their ability.  Provide route and contact details to someone not travelling with you, maintain adequate cell phone battery charge, and familiarize yourself with landmarks and accommodations in the area before heading out on your trip.  You should use caution and common sense when engaging in adventure sports. Never participate in these sports alone, always carry identification, and let someone else know where you are at all times. When hiking, rappelling, or climbing, carry a first aid kit, your identification, and know the location of the nearest rescue center and weather conditions

Military Draft: U.S.-Georgian dual-national males between the ages of 18 and 27 may be subject to military conscription under Georgian law. For more information, you may wish to review the information available by the Ministry of Defense.

WOMEN TRAVELER INFORMATION: If you are a woman traveling abroad, please review our travel tips for Women Travelers.

LGBT RIGHTS: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals are protected by anti-discrimination laws in Georgia, and there are no legal impediments to the organization of LGBT events. However, traditional cultural attitudes result in LGBT individuals often facing discrimination and harassment. In the past, some members of religious and LGBT minorities in Georgia have been targets of attacks. In 2013 on May 17, counter-protestors violently disrupted International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) rallies in Tbilisi, causing injuries to participants and police.

For more detailed information about LGBT rights in Georgia you may review the State Department’s annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2013.  For further information on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) travel, please read our  LGBT Travelers Information page.

ACCESSIBILITY: While in Georgia, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from what you find in the United States. While the Georgian administrative code mandates access to buildings for persons with disabilities and stipulates fines for noncompliance, very few public or private facilities or buildings are accessible. Public and private transportation offer no accommodation for persons with disabilities. There are few sidewalks outside of Tbilisi or Batumi.