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Local help registering small business

Last activity 02 March 2020 by DavidB4

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tomthenomad

Hi everyone!

I'm an Internet businesses entrepreneur originally from Spain but living abroad.

I will visit Georgia by the end of November to open bank account and a small business as individual in the Revenue service.

Anyone knows any trusted tax/legal firm that can help foreings with the paperwork and bureoucracy?

I suspect I will also need a local address. I'm also happy to pay anyone privately that can assist me in this process.

Any help is very welcome!

Thank you!

DavidB4

I have gone through that process recently. If you request me as a contact we can chat more privately. You are correct that you will need a local address for the company, I used my apartment but you have to get the landlord/owner to give you a notarized permission. There was a company offering to provide one for a monthly fee but they stopped doing it, don't know why. There is a wide range in charges you will find from legal firms going to $1000 and over. I paid 400 lari which included the government filing fee and I was very satisfied. You can do it yourself it's just that English(the common language usually) is not spoken widely or proficiently and that presents some challenges. But I can tell you the government building where they handle this is one the nicest, modern and well staffed operations I have ever seen(for a government). If you are looking for a place to rent do not use a company called GPM, they are scammers.
Regards, David

tomthenomad

Thanks for your reply. Much appreciated.

I found some firms asking me for 1300€ + 400€/year local office fees. I think that's overpriced considering I'm willing to register as a small business individual, not a company (LLC...).

I will be in Tblisi for 5 days and I want to make sure that I can manage to do everything in terms of on-site paperwork. I plan to go directly to the revenue office headquarters to do all the paperwork myself, as I saw in their site it's not complicated and may take 1-2 business days to have it running.

I have also read that some local people are in the streets near the revenue office offering their home address as local residency address for you for a small amount. Is that actually true? Is that problematic?
What are the alternatives? Can you use a virtual office?

I don't plan to permanently live there since I live abroad most of the year. Do you think this might be a problem?

Is the government asking for criminal record when registering a business activity, even for Europeans? I don't mind at all, but I just want to know it I'm advance so I can simply ask for it to the Spanish government, since bureoucracy like that typically takes times, unfortunately.

Thanks a lot!

DavidB4

Yes I agree that is overpriced, they know often people don't want to spend allot of time here and that's how they take advantage. There might be people doing that with their home addresses(smart really), I did not notice it or have my attorney mention it. It shouldn't be a problem in terms of more than one business can be registered at one address and once you are registered you are basically set, you could move and you don't need to notify the government(again according to my attorney) and you don't have to receive any correspondence at the physical address including for your banking. I think my attorney was willing to have a relative of hers do the address notary for a small fee but since I am living here I did not need it. Not living here should not be a problem once you have the address sorted out.  I do not remember having any questions regarding a criminal record or anything really, it's quite simple and cut and dry. The banking was a little more complicated, I recommend TBC Bank. Georgia Bank is bigger but they proved difficult with me and TBC was much smoother.

tomthenomad

Thanks again, that's quite useful for me.

Are you open to put me.in touch with your attorney or any associate that can help me with some legal staff and getting/renting a local address in Tblisi?

Any help in that direction would be great!

Regarding banking, I have plans to open at least two accounts in two different banks, one is TBC for sure. Since I'm not American, FACTA regulations does not affect me, so everything should be easier.

Thank you!

DavidB4

I can put you in touch with a very reasonably priced attorney who speaks excellent English, just let me know...