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Establish a Branch in Georgia

Establish a Branch in Georgia

A branch in Georgia is the preferred business form for entrepreneurs who want to expand an already existing company. A branch office in Georgia can be incorporated following a much simpler procedure compared to the subsidiary, but its founders must know that the branch is seen from a legal point of view as a subdivision of the parent company. If you want to invest in Georgia and open a company here, our team of specialists in Georgian company formation can give you detailed information on all of the available types of companies.

 Quick Facts  
  Applicable legislation

Foreign country

Best used for

Strictly regulated activities, such as financial ones

Minimum share capital

 No
Time frame for the incorporation (approx.) 

Approx. 4 weeks

Management 

Local (a resident director must be appointed)

Legal representative required

Yes

Local bank account 

Yes

Independence from the parent company Fully dependent on the parent company's decisions
Liability of the parent company Fully liable for the branch office's debt and obligations
Corporate tax rate   15% 
Possibility of hiring local staff  Yes
Definition of a branch in Georgia An extension of a larger organization, such as a business or government office, located within the territory of Georgia.

General documents required

– decision of parent company to open a branch,

– identification details for parent company and representative,

– parent company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association,

– proof of paying the registration fee,

– power of attorney (if required), etc.

Setting up multiple branches (YES/NO)

YES

Steps of opening a branch

– prepare documentation,

– open a bank account,

– appoint a representative agent and director,

– register with the Ministry of Justice,

– register for tax purposes, etc.

Business forms for branches in Georgia

– limited liability company,

– public company

Remote registration

We handle company formation in Georgia and branch registration remotely, through power of attorney.

VAT rates and registration

18% standard rate. Companies become liable for VAT payment after their annual taxable turnover reaches GEL 100,000.

Authorities overseeing branches in Georgia

– National Agency of Public Registry,

– Ministry of Finance

Other taxes in Georgia

– custom duties (0%, 5%, or 12%),

– excise tax (GEL 0.08 – GEL 800 per unit),

– withholding tax (5% standard), etc.

Tax returns

Between January 1st and March 31st of the following tax year.
Alternatives to a branch office

Our specialists in company incorporation in Georgia can help you open alternative entities such as a representative office or subsidiary.

Can hire employees (YES/NO)

YES

Number of double taxation treaties in Georgia

58 (approx.)

Advantages of opening a branch in Georgia

– simplified registration process,

– lower costs compared to opening a new company in Georgia,

– access to Asian and European markets,

– low taxes,

– skilled workforce, etc.

 Assistance and additional services

Our team handles company incorporation in Georgia and branch registration. We can also recommend you to our accountants in Georgia for tax-related matters.

Basic information on branch offices in Georgia in 2024

branch office is essentially an extension of the parent company abroad. It represents only a sub-unit of the parent company and does not have legal personality, under the Georgian law. Due to this, the parent company also holds the legal responsibility for the debts and other liabilities of the Georgian branch.

However, it must be noted that the branch office does have certain advantages, one of them referring to the management of the entire company, as the branch office will follow the same business model as its parent company. Through this model, the parent company is assured that its policies are followed as needed by all its representative units across the world, and that the Georgian branch follows the same standards available anywhere else. Also, given that the company is incorporated following simpler rules, one will also benefit from lower registration costs

Because the branch is not a separate legal entity in Georgia, the incorporation procedure will generally be less expensive than in the case of any other type of company and the branch can become operational in a shorter amount of time compared to starting a new business.  

Our specialists in company registration in Georgia can also offer advice on the disadvantages of opening a branch, which mainly refers to the liability that falls onto the parent company. If the branch experiences financial difficulties or files for bankruptcy, the parent company abroad must be aware that these financial liabilities fall under its obligations towards the branch. If you want to open a branch in other countries, such as Spain, we can put you in touch with our local partners. 

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Registration requirements for a branch in Georgia in 2024

branch in Georgia must be registered with the National Agency of Public Registry belonging to the Ministry of Justice. For this purpose, the company’s representatives will need to provide a set of documents, which are customarily submitted whenapplying forregistration:

  • the parent company’s decision to open a branch in Georgia;
  • the original articles of association of the foreign company that wants to operate through a branch office;
  • one must also add a document which provides information on the names of the persons who act as company representatives, as well as certain corporate information on the parent company
  • identification details for the appointed director of the branch registered in Georgia;
  • a receipt proving that theregistration fee has been paid with the relevant authority.

Besides the documents mentioned above, those who want to start the process of company formation in Georgia for a branch office should also prepare other papers, such as: a copy of the identity document (passport) of the person who will act as a director of the branch and the person’s signature sample, which must be certified by a notary in Georgia

Investors must also prepare the trading name under which the branch will operate in Georgia, as well as the official address where the branch will develop its business activities. All the registration information of the parent company is required – the legal name of the founder, the registration detail of the respective company obtained from the Companies Register in the respective country, as well as the respective company’s identification code. 

The documents that will presented to the Georgian authorities, issued by the institutions of the country where the parent company originates, have to be notarized or apostilled in the said country. When they will be added to the registration file, for a successful process of company formation in Georgia, the said documents will have to be translated and certified by a local public notary. If you need in-depth information on the full procedure, you can rely on our team of consultants in company registration in Georgia.  

In 2024, the procedure for company formation in Georgia for local branches has not been modified, which means that all the steps that were traditionally required will be maintained throughout the year. Thus, those who want to register a branch in Georgia in 2024 do not have to search for various amendments to the legal procedures required for this; however, if you need assistance on the process of registering a branch in 2024our team of consultants in company registration in Georgia remains at your disposal.  

Are there any other registration requirements for a Georgian branch? 

When starting a Georgian branch, it will also be necessary tochoose a business form. As a general rule, foreign investors can set up the branch as a limited liability company or as a public company. This is decided depending on thelegal entity under which the parent company is registered. 

It is important to know that Georgia offers a simple registration procedure and thus, the branch can be registered with the authorities working under the Ministry of Justice in only one day. If the company’s representatives pay an extra fee, the registration can be completed in the same day in which the required documents were deposited with these institutions. Foreign investors must also observe the requirements applicable for VAT registration in Georgia

Concerning VAT registration in Georgia in 2024, it must be noted that there are new obligations imposed under the latest tax law provisions. Up until 2024, a legal entity was required to register for VAT once it reached a turnover of GEL 100,000, a threshold that has been maintained in 2024 as well. The obligation to register applies when a company reaches this threshold in a period of 12 consecutive months.

However, the novelty is that if several legal entities operating in Georgia are under the same management/ownership, the tax law will now see them as a single entity for VAT registration purposes and all companies will be required to register for VAT once they reach GEL 100,000 in 12 consecutive months (the total turnover of all businesses, not of each individual company).

Furthermore, the investors will also need to open a corporate bank account for the branch office operating in Georgia, which can be set up in the local currency or any other foreign currency. In this situation, the representatives of the parent company need to provide documents that attest the fact that the beneficial owners hold at least 25% of the capital of the legal entity.  

In some cases, a power of attorney empowering the director of the branch may be needed together with the aforementioned documents. Additionally, we can help you notarize and translate any documents. Our company formation experts in Georgia can help you obtain a power of attorney and submit any other documents needed for the incorporation of the branch.

What are the tax advantages of starting a branch in Georgia?

branch in Georgia will be liable to the payment of the same taxes that are charged to other company types. However, the branch will have to pay its taxes only for the commercial activity that was carried out on the Georgian territory. Businessmen who want to open a company in Georgia operating as a branch office or as another business form will pay the following taxes

  • the corporate income tax, charged at the standard rate of 15%;
  • the value added tax, charged at the standard rate of 18%; 
  • those who want to open a company in Georgia must know that they will become liable for the payment of the value added tax when the annual taxable turnover reaches GEL 100,000;
  • in the case in which the Georgian branch is involved in import activities, one must know that customs duties can be charged at rates of 0%, 5% or 12%, depending on the nature of the goods;
  • Georgia also charges the excise tax, applied to specific categories of goods, such as alcohol, tobacco, automobiles, natural gas and others and the rates vary from GEL 0.08 per unit to GEL 800 per unit. 

With regards to taxes, it is important to know that Georgia charges the property tax and the land tax. Those owning a property in Georgia will be charged with a tax of 1% on the value of the fixed asset, but properties bought prior to 2005 can be charged with other taxes. 

The land tax is calculated per 1 hectare of land and it can vary between GEL 5 to GEL 100, but the value of a hectare can increase based on the location of the respective land. One should know that Georgia does not charge the stamp duty, nor does it charge transfer taxes. Investors arriving from countries where the tax base is higher can easily consider the tax system in Georgia as an attractive one. 

However, it its region, the country provides one of the most competitive tax systems and one of the most attractive markets for starting a business. For example, the withholding taxes on the distribution of dividends are charged with a tax rate of only 5%. This applies for both local and non-resident entities and one should know that this tax rate can be charged at a lower rate, if a double tax treaty applies and if it mentions a lower rate. 

The same rate applies on the payment of interest and royalties, while the technical service fee is charged with an withholding tax of 10%. However, a rate of only 4% is applied to those charging the technical service fee in the field of oil and gas industries. You can receive more details with regards to the withholding tax regimes from our team of consultants in company registration in Georgia

If you want to open a branch in Georgia or you are interested in exploring other available business options, please contact our team of specialists in company formation in Georgia, who can provide legal counselling and consultancy services regarding the registration of any of the company types prescribed by the national law. 

We also invite you to contact our team if you want to set up a company in Georgia as a subsidiary. This is the other options foreign investors have when they want to expand a foreign business on a new market. 

There are several differences between the branch office and the subsidiary, and the most important is that the latter is actually incorporated as a separate legal entity. 

Also, the branch office is fully dependent on its parent company when we refer rights and obligations, even in matters concerning the management of the business. 

The same rule does not apply to a subsidiary, which is an independent structure, with its own legal personality, even though its main shareholder is the foreign company that has decided to set up a business in Georgia

If you want to know if there are any tax differences and financial matters you must consider when selecting a branch office or a subsidiary, you can refer to our team of accountants in Georgia

Our accountants can also present the main differences with regards to the accounting obligations of the 2 structures (there can be differences in the documents the structures must submit). 

Our team can provide accounting services for your branch office in 2024, once the company becomes operational. Overall, the incorporation takes approximately 3 business days, and this represents one of the fastest incorporation procedures at a global level. 

When you will contact our consultants for legal representation in the process of setting up a branch office in 2024, you will receive a wide range of services. Our consultants can prepare all the documents for the incorporation and file the necessary paperwork with the Trade Registry. 

Our team can prepare the papers for the registration court and pay all the incorporation fees (notary fees included). The services provided by our team in 2024 can be established by our clients through the power of attorney.