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POTI.FIZ.GE
Why is FIZ Georgia important to business?
Georgia’s Free Industrial Zones (FIZs, or Free Industrial Zones, FIZs) are specially designated areas with extra‐territorial status where companies are exempt from corporate tax, VAT, import customs duties and dividend tax – all at a 0 % rate for licensed operations. There are currently four main sites in Georgia: Tbilisi, Kutaisi (including Hualing), Poti and Ananuri. Thanks to flexible legislation, the country is becoming the “white offshore” counterpart of the BVI and Belize.
Key tax advantages
| Tax | Outside of FIZ | In FIZ Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate tax (CIT) | 15 % (in the distribution) | 0 % |
| VAT | 18 % | 0 % (for transactions between residents of the zone) |
| Import duty | 0 / 5 / 12 % | 0 % |
| Tax on dividends | 5 % | 0 % |
| Property tax | up to 1 % | 0 % |
⚠️ When selling goods from FIZ territory to “mainland” Georgia, a business pays a one‐off tax of 4 % of total revenue.
Who is Georgia’s FIZ suitable for?
- Manufacturing and light production (assembly of electronics, furniture, car components).
- E‐commerce and re‐export (warehouse plus resale in CIS and EU).
- Data centers and SaaS (preferential import of servers, zero CIT rate).
- Financial technologies and crypto‐equipment (mining farms in areas with low electricity costs).
Procedure for registering a company in a free zone in Georgia
- Choosing a free zone. Compare infrastructure and tariffs of administrations (rent and utilities).
- Reservation of the name through the National Agency of Public Registry (online).
- Conclusion of an agreement with FIZ administration – leasing of land or warehouse for a period from 5 to 49 years.
- Notarization of the founding documents (articles of association, shareholders’ resolution).
- Registration in the FIZ register (usually takes 3 to 5 working days).
- Opening a bank account (Bank of Georgia, TBC or Payoneer FIZ).
- Obtaining licenses (if necessary): for alcohol, pharmaceuticals, electronics, etc.
Registration term – from 5 working days (if a full package of documents is available).
Documents required for registration
- Passports or IDs of founders and directors.
- Apostilized certificate of incorporation (in case of foreign founder).
- Articles of Association (in English/Russian plus Georgian languages).
- Lease or rental agreement in FIZ Georgia.
- Bank confirmation of deposit of authorized capital (usually 1 GEL).
Comparison of FIZ Georgia and classic offshores
| Criterion | FIZ Georgia | BVI / Belize |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | 0 % (in the zone) | 0 % |
| Reputational risks (EU/US) | Low (on the EU whitelist) | Medium/High |
| Substance requirements | Office/warehouse in FIZ, one director | Often are “paper” companies |
| Double taxation treaties | 57 DTT | 0 DTT |
| Cost of service | from 2,000 USD/year | 2,500–4,000 USD/year |
The benefits of FIZ Georgia are particularly important for companies wishing to maintain a clean compliance record when dealing with European banks and marketplaces.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of renting a warehouse in FIZ Tbilisi?
- From 3 USD/m² for a long‐term contract.
- Is it possible to hire foreign employees?
- Yes, no quotas are required; work visas can be issued in 10 days.
- Do you need an accountant?
- Yes. You need to report quarterly, but there are no taxes – it is important to keep records of invoices from the zone.
Conclusion
FIZ Georgia provides export-oriented businesses with opportunities for “zero” taxation and quick registration. With the right business organization, companies will start saving on taxation already in the first year, operating in the “white” legal field of the EU and OECD.
Ready to register a company in FIZ Georgia?
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