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FIZ.GE
FIZ Georgia – why do businesses need free industrial zones?
Free Industrial Zones (FIZ) are specially designated areas with “extra-territorial” status where corp-tax, VAT, import duty and dividend tax = 0 % for authorized operations. Today there are four key sites: Tbilisi, Kutaisi (including Hualing), Poti and Ananuri. Thanks to flexible regulatory framework, the country has become a “white offshore” alternative to BVI and Belize.
Main tax benefits
| Налог | Ставка вне СИЗ | Ставка в СИЗ Грузия |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate Income Tax (CIT) | 15 % (on distribution) | 0 % |
| Value Added Tax (VAT) | 18 % | 0 % (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 the territory of FIZ to “mainland” Georgia, the company pays a one-off 4 % tax on the proceeds.
Who is Georgia FIZ suitable for?
- Manufacturing and light-manufacturing (assembly of electronics, furniture, car components)
- E-commerce / re-export (warehouse + resale in CIS and EU)
- Data centers and SaaS (preferential import of servers, zero CIT)
- Fintech & Crypto hardware (mining farms - in areas with cheap electricity)
Step-by-step registration of a company in NIZ Georgia
- Zone selection. Compare infrastructure and tariffs of administrations (rent, utilities).
- Reservation of the name (through the Public Registry Agency, online).
- Contract with FIZ administration – leasing of land/warehouse for 5-49 years.
- Notarial execution of constituent documents (charter, shareholders’ resolution).
- Registration in the FIZ register (usually 3-5 working days).
- Opening an account in a bank/fintech (Bank of Georgia, TBC or Payoneer FIZ).
- Obtaining licenses (if necessary): alcohol, pharma, electronics CEM.
Term – from 5 working days (with ready documents).
Documents that will be needed
- passports/IDs of the founders and directors;
- apostilized certificate of incorporation (if the founder is a foreign company);
- Articles of Association (ENG/RUS + GEO);
- lease/lease agreement for a plot of land in FIZ Georgia;
- bank confirmation of contribution of authorized capital (usually 1 GEL symbolically).
FIZ Georgia vs classic offshore: which is more profitable?
| Criterion | FIZ Georgia | BVI / Belize |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | 0 % (in the zone) | 0 % |
| Reputational risk (EU/US) | Low (EU white list) | Medium/High |
| Substance-requirements | Office/warehouse in FIZ, 1 director | Often “paper”-company |
| Double tax treaties | 57 DTT | 0 DTT |
| Service fee | from 2,000 USD/year | 2,500-4,000 USD/year |
The benefits of FIZ Georgia are particularly noticeable for businesses that need a clean compliance record when dealing with European banks and marketplaces.
Frequent questions
- How much does it cost to rent a warehouse in FIZ Tbilisi?
- From 3 USD/m² for a long-term contract.
- Can I hire foreigners?
- Yes, no quotas are required; work visas are issued in 10 days.
- Do I need an accountant?
- Yes. Accounts are submitted quarterly, but there are no taxes – the main thing is to keep books of invoices of the zone.
Results
FIZ Georgia opens for export-oriented business “zero” taxation and quick registration. With the right structure, the company starts saving on CIT and VAT in the first year, while remaining in the “white” legal field of the EU and OECD.
Ready to open a company in FIZ Georgia?
Fill out the form below – our lawyers will calculate your potential savings and reserve the name in the registry for free within 24 hours.