Visa policy of Georgia

Visitors to Georgia must obtain a visa from Georgian diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries, or one of the countries whose citizens can obtain an e-Visa. Visitors must hold a passport (or identity card if an Armenian, EU, Swiss, Turkish or Ukrainian) valid for the period of intended stay, while Georgian citizens can enter with a valid or expired passport or identity card.[1]

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Visa policy of Georgia

Visa policy

Georgia adopted a new law of on Legal Status of Alien and Stateless Persons that went into effect on 1 September 2014. It was amended on 9 June 2015 when the maximum allowed stay was extended to one year.[2][3] The list of countries whose citizens have the right of visa-free entry to Georgia is no longer provided in the new law, it is determined in the separate ordinance of the Government of Georgia.[4] The visa-free list was re-approved on 9 June 2015. Countries that were removed in September 2014, which are Bolivia, Cuba, Dominica, Guatemala, Iraq, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago, were not reinstated on the list.[5]

Nationals of the following countries and territories may visit Georgia without a visa for a year (unless otherwise noted):[6][7][8][9]

  1. may enter with an ID card.[10]
  2. foreign residents of Saudi Arabia are required to provide Original Iqama along with Certified English Translations of their Saudi Resident ID Cards at airline check-in counters for boarding, otherwise boarding will be refused.
  3. may enter with an ID card if arriving directly from Ukraine.
  4. Applies also to holders of passports issued by Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar and Turks and Caicos Islands.

Visa exemption also applies to:[14]

  • Georgian diaspora members who are citizens of countries that otherwise require a visa – for stays not exceeding 30 days
  • United Nations laissez-passer holders for one year
  • Persons with refugee status in Georgia
  • Holders of diplomatic or official/service passports of China, Egypt, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran and Peru.
  • Holders of valid visas or residence permits of EU/EFTA/GCC countries, overseas territories of EU countries (except Anguilla, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha), Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea or the United States - for stays of max 90 days in a 180-day period.[15] However, there have been many cases where those holding valid residency of GCC countries have been denied access without assigning any reason, especially if they are citizens of India, Pakistan and Palestine.[16][17]

An agreement with Paraguay on mutual visa-free visits for holders of diplomatic and service passports was signed in September 2016 and is yet to be ratified.[18] Agreement with Serbia and Fiji on mutual visa-free visits for holders of ordinary passports were signed in March 2018 and March 2019 and are yet to be ratified.[19][20]

Holders of  Palestine and  Taiwan passports are refused entry and transit.[21]

Holders of travel documents for Palestinian refugees issued by any other country are refused entry and transit.

e-Visa

Holders of passports of the following 66 countries and territories can obtain multiple-entry e-Visas online for a fee prior to arrival.[22]

90 days per 180-day period

30 days per 120-day period

Entry to Abkhazia and South Ossetia
See also: Occupied territories of Georgia § Georgian law

Entering Abkhazia and South Ossetia (considered by Georgia and a major part of the international community to be Russian occupied territories) through border crossing points other than located in Georgia's Zugdidi Municipality and Gori Municipality is an act punishable under Georgian law. However, entering South Ossetia from Georgian government controlled territory is currently impossible.

Visitor statistics

Most visitors arriving to Georgia were from the following countries of nationality (dynamic table including 2014):[23]

Country 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014
 Azerbaijan 1,807,068 1,695,084 1,523,075 1,393,2571,283,214
 Armenia 1,725,163 1,718,243 1,496,246 1,468,8881,325,635
 Russia 1,705,142 1,392,842 1,037,564 926,144811,621
 Turkey 1,312,129 1,247,082 1,254,089 1,391,7211,442,695
 Iran 339,462 322,898 147,915 25,27347,929
 Ukraine 204,952 193,127 172,631 141,734143,521
 Israel 173,366 125,320 92,213 59,48742,385
 Germany 74,131
 India 73,458 59,738 36,410 12,1144,679
 Poland 71,668
 Kazakhstan 68,452 56,801 48,809 36,77728,394
 Belarus 68,360
 Saudi Arabia 65,560 56,247 21,257 9,8505,485
Total 8,326,252 7,556,339 6,360,503 5,901,0945,515,559

See also

References
  2. "Civil.Ge - Georgia Restores One-Year Visa-Free Rules". www.civil.ge. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  3. "Georgia: New Visa Regulations". www.gov.uk.
  4. "Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons – 100 Questions Regarding the New Law (March, 2014)" (PDF). mfa.gov.ge. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  5. "Check if you can enter Georgia and stay for a year visa-free". agenda.ge.
  6. "იმ ქვეყნების ჩამონათვალის დამტკიცების შესახებ, რომელთა მოქალაქეებსაც შეუძლიათ საქართველოში უვიზოდ შემოსვლა". matsne.gov.ge.
  7. Citizens and stateless persons permanently residing in the countries listed below may enter Georgia without a visa for short-term visit
  8. "Country information (visa section)". Timatic. International Air Transport Association (IATA) through Olympic Air. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  9. On Approval of the List of Countries, Whose Visa and/or Residence Permit Holders May Enter Georgia without a Visa for an Appropriate Period and under Appropriate Conditions
  10. "GeoConsul.Gov.Ge - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia". www.geoconsul.gov.ge.
  11. https://www.geoconsul.gov.ge/HtmlPage/Html/View?id=25&lang=Eng
  14. "GeoConsul.Gov.Ge - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia". www.geoconsul.gov.ge.
  15. "იმ ქვეყნების ჩამონათვალის დამტკიცების შესახებ, რომელთა ვიზების ან/და ბინადრობის ნებართვების მქონე უცხოელებს შეუძლიათ საქართველოში უვიზოდ შემოსვლა შესაბამისი ვადითა და პირობებით". matsne.gov.ge.
  16. Reporter, Faisal Masudi, Staff (24 December 2015). "Holiday makers turned back from Georgia -- $3,250 worth of holiday expenses wasted". gulfnews.com.
  17. http://www.eatpraytour.com/gcc-residents-read-before-travel-georgia/
  18. "Georgia-Paraguay launch visa-free travel for diplomats, businessmen". agenda.ge.
  19. "Serbia, Georgia sign visa liberalization agreement - Xinhua - English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com.
  21. Visa, Bureau of Consular Affairs of Taiwan.
  22. "Georgia e-VISA Portal". www.evisa.gov.ge.
  23. Inbound Tourism
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