Is it worth getting residency in Armenia instead of Georgia?

Not for tax reasons: Armenia is covered by the same US–USSR treaty, so US dividends are taxed at the same 30%. Choose where to live based on life, banking and local taxes, not on the US withholding rate.

What is the Georgian tax on income from a US LLC?

If you're a tax resident of Georgia: Individual Entrepreneur (small business) — 1% turnover up to 500K GEL/year (~$180K). Above that — 3%. Salary income — 20%. Capital gains — 0% on shares held 2+ years. US-source income must be declared in your Georgian tax return, but Georgia does not tax foreign-source income unless you're an Individual Entrepreneur.

Can I open an LLC if I'm still in Russia but obtained a Georgian TRP?

Yes. With a Georgian TRP, banking is easier — Mercury / Wise see the Georgian residency and do less due diligence. But that does not lower the dividend rate: the US–USSR treaty that covers Georgia does not reduce it, and the US–Russia treaty is suspended. This solves banking but not tax.

How much does the whole process cost?

Services from $250. State fees $50-300. RA $100-200/year. Full first year $500-800. From year 2, $150-400/year in compliance.

For Georgian Citizens

Open a US LLC from Georgia

Remote LLC registration for Georgian citizens and CIS emigrants who have obtained Georgian residency. Banking is easy (Mercury / Wise open accounts without issues), but the US–USSR treaty that covers Georgia does not reduce withholding on dividends — it stays at 30%.

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TL;DR

Georgian citizens (and emigrants with Georgian residency) can open a US LLC: • There is no separate US–Georgia treaty; the old 1973 US–USSR treaty applies: it does not reduce withholding on dividends (30%) but exempts royalties • Banking — Mercury and Wise readily open accounts for Georgian citizens and residents • Tbilisi time is convenient for calls with the US: TBI is 8 hours ahead of US Eastern • Best state for Georgian entrepreneurs: Wyoming (cheap, anonymous) or Delaware • Timeline: 4-6 weeks • For Russians / Belarusians who have obtained Georgian residency — Georgia solves banking, but it does not give a reduced rate on dividends

📅 Updated: May 20, 2026

Key Points for Georgian Citizens

Georgia became a popular hub for Russian-speaking emigration after 2022 — Tbilisi and Batumi welcome citizens of Russia and Belarus visa-free, and residency is easy to obtain (1 year = tax residency). For Georgian citizens or emigrants with Georgian residency, opening a US LLC has several specifics: 1. There is no separate US–Georgia treaty. The IRS treats Georgia as covered by the 1973 US–USSR treaty, but that treaty does not reduce withholding on dividends — 30%, the same as with no treaty. This is a downside compared to Ukraine (5-15%) or Kazakhstan (5-15%). 2. Banking is easy — Mercury, Wise, and Relay open accounts for Georgian citizens and Georgian residents without enhanced due diligence. This is a plus compared to Russia and Belarus. 3. The Georgian tax regime is favorable — an Individual Entrepreneur (small business) pays 1% of turnover up to 500K GEL (~$180K) or 3% above that. This is the best rate in the region. 4. If you are ethnically Russian or Belarusian but have obtained Georgian residency — this solves the banking problem, but not the dividend one: withholding is still 30%, because the US–USSR treaty that covers Georgia does not reduce the dividend rate. 5. Armenia does not help here: it is covered by the same US–USSR treaty and the same 30% on dividends. The UAE has no treaty with the US at all. A reduced dividend rate exists only under treaties with specific countries, and only if you are genuinely a tax resident there. 6. A Georgian citizen can easily open a business in the US — no sanctions, banks are happy to work with them, and residency is easy to renew.

Documents from a Georgian Citizen

• Georgian international passport (biometric) • Proof of address — Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, etc. • Selfie with passport • Business description in English For emigrants with residency in Georgia (Russian / Belarusian citizens): • Your home country's main passport • Georgia Temporary Residence Permit (TRP) or Residence Card • Address in Georgia Georgia residency significantly eases banking — Mercury/Wise see the TRP and treat it as a stable residency country, which reduces compliance friction.

US treaty: the 1973 US–USSR treaty applies, dividends — 30%

There is no separate treaty between the US and Georgia, but the IRS states that Georgia is one of the former Soviet republics covered by the 1973 US–USSR treaty ([IRS — Georgia tax treaty documents](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/international-businesses/georgia-tax-treaty-documents)). For an LLC and its owner this means (per [IRS Tax Treaty Table 1](https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-lbi/tax-treaty-table-1.pdf)): • Withholding on dividends — 30%: the treaty does not reduce it • Royalties — 0% (Article III(1)(a) of the treaty) • Interest — the treaty exemption covers only credits financing trade between the US and the CIS; interest on deposits with US banks is exempt for nonresidents under US law anyway (IRC §871(i)) The same treaty covers Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, so moving to Armenia does not change the dividend rate. When Georgia makes sense: • You actually live in Georgia (not just paper residency) • Easy banking without enhanced due diligence matters to you • The Georgian tax regime (1% Individual Entrepreneur) works for your business • The 30% US withholding on dividends does not affect you — for example, you have a single-member LLC (a disregarded entity), not a corporation, or the business reinvests its profit

The Process of Opening an LLC from Georgia

Standard process — 4-6 weeks.

Consultation (30 min)

We discuss whether you need a US LLC vs. alternatives (Cyprus, Estonian e-Residency). If a US LLC is optimal — we choose a state.

Documents (1 week)

You upload your passport + TRP if you have one. I prepare the Articles and Operating Agreement.

LLC and EIN (2 weeks)

Online state filing. EIN by fax — 10-14 days.

Banking (1 week)

Mercury / Wise open accounts quickly for Georgian citizens and residents.

Onboarding

Credentials, plus an explanation of Georgia tax rules for declared income.

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Consultation — we'll assess the optimal routing.