Bank account in Georgia

[John Andrews]

I will be going to Georgia next year and I'm looking to open a bank account there.

How long does it take BoG to open a personal bank account for someone with anEU passport?
Or let me rephrase it, how long do I need to stay in Tbilisi to get the bank account/card?

 

[Marie Manila]

Opening will be done in approx. 30 minutes.
You will have to come back the‌ next day to pick up your credit card and online banking credentials.
But there may‍ be a delay. So you should plan to go back after 3 days to the⁠ same branch.

 

[John Andrews]

Thanks for your reply, I will keep⁤ it in mind.

 

[JohnLocke]

If you succeed please report back here. It would also be of interest to know‌ how their Internet banking works, if the debit card will have any limits and if‍ you are able to transfer money painless around the EU.

 

[John Andrews]

My flight is booked for Q2 2020, I'll make a post here once I get⁤ there.

If I forget feel free to bump this topic.

 

[Marie Manila]

By the way, you can bring some cash with you and deposit it to your⁠ account during the opening process, because the account will be opened instantly.
They usually do⁤ not ask any proof (At least for a few thousand CHF/€/$). And they accept deposits⁣ in foreign currencies.

The most curious thing is, you do not have to give your⁢ residential address or TIN.
No bank wanted to know, where I currently live. They do︀ not have an address from me at all. Just the country was important for them.︁

 

[John Andrews]

Haha I am not even 20 so it will be more like few hundred euros.‌ I will disclose it to tax authorities anyway since I just want to have some‍ savings outside the EU.

 

[Weetam]

Good evening. Can someone recommend a bank in Georgia which I can email directly to‌ organise opening an account?

 

[LegitBananas]

As far as I know, nobody‍ has listed a Georgian bank that can be open accounts remotely, on this forum unfortunately⁠

 

[Suzy Emerald]

Correct. No remote opening as mentioned several times in different threads. Only way of remote‌ opening is giving a PoA to a middleman, at your own risk.

 

[blackeric]

No address at all? How? They have to‍ fill some data in "address" anyway in their system.

 

[Weetam]

Sorry I didn’t mean remote opening I mean an email to start the application process.‌

 

[Flatworld]

not quite understand you question..

you need give a PoA‍ to lawyer in Georgia to remote opening...
if you can go to Georgia personal, then⁠ no need send email before that, just go to one of the branch, you can⁤ get your bank account in half an hour~ bank card will be ready the next⁣ day

 

[Weetam]

Thank you. Prior to travelling I would like to make email contact. Can I ask‌ you to recommend a particular bank ?

 

[Flatworld]

https://bankofgeorgia.ge/solo/en/

 

[Spinat]

How Dows it work with international wire transfers and SEPA transfers from these accounts, any trouble⁠ spotted yet?

 

[Marie Manila]

Yes, they have to fill some data in‍ address.
They just took any data, because they had to type it in Georgian letters.⁠ It was not possible to write down the correct address for them.

 

[ontherun]

their ibanking is normal. English apps and website interfaces. i have BoG. multiple investment products⁤ and other niche functions. again--everything clearly in English without mistakes. the cards have low limits⁣ for withdrawals but POS is us$20k a day for me. i "withdraw" from Chinese casinos⁢ in Cambodia as POS transactions... so i guess that also answers your question re: how︀ useful everything works abroad. phone number must be Georgian. cannot use international numbers for the︁ sms messages. i haven't used bamk to bank transfers so far but EMI<=>BOG works without︂ any issues at all. account maintenance fee is 1.5 gel a month

 

[JohnSeed]

It's complicate to work with Georgian system. The company registration, the registry and everything is‌ just complicated for someone with a different character set.

 

[GrumpyMess]

how to find them? what comission do they charge for such a transaction?