Citizens of the Europian Union and Eastern Europe as well as USA, Canada, Turkey, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan and other countries are now able to enter and stay in Georgia for a year visa-free. To enter Georgia it is necessary that one has a passport, valid for at least 6 month from the date of entering the country.
Additional information about the visa regime: https://www.geoconsul.gov.ge/ka
Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
Hotline: (+995 322) 94 50 50 / (+995 322) 94 50 00
E-mail: consulinfo@mfa.gov.ge
Foreign consulates in Batumi:
Azerbaijan – 62, Parnavaz Mepe st. Tel: +995 422 27 67 00
Estonia – 60, Z. Gorgiladze st, Tel: +995 422 27 09 10
Turkey – 9, Ninoshvili st., Tel: +995 422 25 58 00
Iran – 83, Parnavaz Mepe st., Tel: +995 422 22 86 01
Armenia – 31, D.Tavdadebuli st, Tel: +995 422 27 99 90
Area codes of Georgia:
Georgia +995; Batumi 422; Kobuleti 426; Tbilisi 322; Kutaisi 431.
Help Center: 118 08.
Internet:
There is a free public Wi-Fi available on the territory of Batumi Boulevard, at restaurants and cafes. There are also a number of Internet cafes around Batumi.
Georgian Post:
Post code 6010 – 4, Melashvili st.
Post code 6004 – 90, Chavchavadze st.
Working hours: Monday-Friday 09:00-17: 00, Saturday 09:00-14: 00
Contacts: gpost.ge; (+995) 422 27 22 89/322 24 09 09
Internet cafes:
Address: 72, 26th May st, tel .: (+995) 422 27 31 28
Working hours: 10: 00-22: 00 - daily
Free internet in Batumi can be used in hotels, cafes, restaurants and public libraries (in the American corner). Guests are free to use the latest laptops and iPads available in the American corner.
American Corner:
Address: 21, Vazha Pshavela st.
Working hours: Monday-Friday 10: 00-19:00, Sunday 12: 00-16:00
Saturday day off
Health insurance:
There are few clinics in Adjara that cooperate with foreign insurance companies. Therefore, foreign visitors in most cases will have to pay for services on the site and prepare a document for their insurance agencies after the treatment.
The preferred option is to determine the specific insurance company with which the medical institution cooperates before arrival. Medical services in Georgia are financed only for persons with Georgian citizenship under certain state programs.
112 – Emergency response center:
You can reach 112 free of charge during 24 hours from all fixed line and mobile networks, even if the number is disconnected from both sides or there is no SIM-card in the mobile phone. Calling policy is the same for the foreign citizens using roaming and any international calling operator. Calling an ambulance is not free of charge for foreigners, the cost is 50 GEL.
Hospitals:
Center for Emergency Medical Care – Address: 154, Pushkin st., Tel: +995 422 27 03 03;
«Medina» - Address: 237, Fridon Khalvashi st., Tel: +995 422 25 85 13 Website: www.hc-medina.ge;
Batumi Referral Hospital - Address: 125, Bagrationi st., Tel: +995 577 27 88 51;
Seamen’s Medical Center - Address: 2, G.Tabidze St., Tel: +995 422 24 20 33;
Batumi International Hospital - Address: 14, General Abashidze St., Tel: +995 422 21 25 35
Adjara is a very warm region! And the reason for this is not only the hospitality of the locals. Winter is moderately cold, and summer is long and warm. The climate is divided into two predominant climate regions - humid subtropical and dry mountain. The average January temperature in the coastal zone is +6.5 °C), in August +24.5 °C. The average temperature in the high-mountainous Adjara in January is + 1°C, and in July + 19 °C.
The winter in Batumi is snowless, in the mountains the winter can last 5 months.
The state language is Georgian. More than 5 million people speak Georgian. The Georgian language has its own alphabet, and it is one of 13 unique world scripts. The Georgian language belongs to the Kartvelian language group of the Iberian-Caucasian languages.
Georgian alphabet:
ა ბ გ დ ე ვ ზ თ ი კ ლ მ ნ ო პ ჟ რ ს ტ უ ფ ქ ღ ყ შ ჩ ც ძ წ ჭ ხ ჯ ჰ
When crossing the border, you must have:
• Driving license of the vehicle
• A document confirming the registration of the car
• Vehicle certificate
Car registered abroad:
When a motor vehicle registered in a foreign country enters the territory of Georgia, an owner/driver of the motor vehicle registered in a foreign country is obliged to insure his/her civil liability for the motor vehicle in his/her ownership, during the full period of his/her stay in Georgia, which shall be not less than 15 calendar days.
Compulsory insurance can be purchased at the Compulsory Insurance Center by the insurer through an insurance agent with the help of an insurance broker, or using electronic equipment.
Compulsory Insurance Center
Contact Information
Tel: (+995) 322 30 11 11, Website: www.tpl.ge
Car registered in Georgia:
In the case of crossing the Sarpi customs, if your car is registered in your name (otherwise, the attested POA in Turkish language is required), you will need 3-month insurance on the Turkish side. It will be issued on the spot. The cost is 220-250 TRY.
Sarpi Checkpoint:
Tel: (+995) 422 29 92 99
Tourist Information Center in Sarpi:
Tel: (+995) 577 90 90 74
National currency – Georgian Lari (GEL)
All payments are made in GEL. Cash is the most frequently used method of payment in Georgia (especially in municipalities and villages). Credit card can be used in urban areas. You can also exchange currency at banks and currency exchange points. Approximate rate for 2019: 1 euro - 3.06 GEL / 1 USD -2.75 GEL. To find out the exchange rate, visit the website of the National Bank of Georgia: www.nbg.ge
Communication:
You can get a SIM-card for free in Tourist Information Centers or purchase it in the offices of mobile operators. To obtain a card, you will need an ID card or passport. The cost of a SIM card varies from 1 to 2 GEL. Calling from a mobile to a fixed line phone, dial 0, then the city code (422), then the 6 last digits. The cost of 1 minute is about 24 tetri. Balance can be replenished by Pay Boxes.
Parking:
Parking in Batumi is on a fee paid basis. Pay for parking and leave the car in Batumi, on any parking for 24 hours. You can pay parking fee at any bank, online, by Pay Boxes, at parking meters. For payment you must specify vehicle’s number and serial number.
Parking rates:
1 day - 1 GEL;
7 days - 5 GEL;
30 days - 10 GEL;
182 days - 25 GEL;
365 days - 40 GEL.
Penalties:
Penalty for not paying bus fare - 5 GEL;
Driving while intoxicated - deprivation of driving license for 6 months;
Smoking in public places - 50 GEL, for a repeated violation - 100 GEL;
Smoking in public transport - 100 GEL;
Smoking in the sea, railway and air transport - 50 GEL, for a repeated violation - 100 GEL;
Smoking is prohibited in public places, public institutions, restaurants and cafes - 100 GEL;
Environmental pollution - 100-120 GEL.
January 1,2 – New Year’s Day;
January 7 - Christmas
January 19 - Epiphany;
March 3 - Mother's Day;
March 8 - International Women's Day;
April 9 is the Day of the adoption of the Act on the Restoration of State Independence of Georgia, the Day of Remembrance of the National Unity of Georgia, Day of Civil Accord, and also the Day of Remembrance of those killed for the Motherland;
Easter Days - Good Friday, Big Saturday, Easter, Memorial Day for the Dead;
May 9 - Victory Day over fascism;
May 12 - St. Andrew's Day;
May 26 - Independence Day of Georgia;
August 28 - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
October 14 - Svetitskhovloba;
November 23 - St. George’s Day.