Citizens of the EU member states can take advantage of visa-free travel to Georgia and travel with their national identity cards.

Foreigners who have a visa and / or residence permit from any of the countries listed below may enter and stay in Georgia without a visa for 90 calendar days in the span of 180 days.

List of countries: https://www.geoconsul.gov.ge/HtmlPage/Html/View?id=206&lang=Eng

PLEASE NOTE! Chinese citizens can enter the country without visas and additional documents, having only a passport, and stay in the country for 30 days.

Categories of citizens who are exempt from the need to obtain a Georgian visa:

1. Foreign citizens who own UN travel documents or from other specialized authorities (Laissez-Passer) may enter and stay in Georgia without a visa for 1 year;
2. Owners of diplomatic or official / service passports of China, Egypt, Guyana, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Indonesia and Peru may enter and stay in Georgia without a visa;
3. Compatriots living abroad who are citizens of a country where a visa is not needed to enter Georgia are allowed to cross the state border of Georgia without a visa and stay there for no more than 30 days;
4. Foreigners who have a residence permit in Georgia or a temporary residence permit of refugee or a person with humanitarian status for the entire period of validity of these documents;
5. Crews of an international air carrier, rail or sea transport and passengers who require a temporary change of carrier or vehicle and have a document confirming the right to enter the country of destination do not need a visa for transit in Georgia. The period of stay in Georgia should not exceed 10 (ten) days. Passengers are not allowed to leave the area designated for transit at the airport, train station or seaport.

Citizens of countries not mentioned above can enter the country and transit through its territory only with entry visas to Georgia.

Entry into the territory of Abkhazia and South Ossetia through border checkpoints other than those in Georgia, Zugdidi Municipality and Gori Municipality is punishable under the Georgian law. However, it is currently impossible to get to South Ossetia from Georgia.

Citizens of the EU, Ukraine, Turkey and Saudi Arabia can enter only with a visa-free identity card (ID-card).

It is necessary to prepare the following documents:

• A valid biometric passport (issued during the previous 10 years and valid for at least three months after the planned date of departure from the Schengen area) or ID-Card;
• A travel / medical insurance (optional, but preferably in case of the need to apply to medical institutions).

What is the procedure for obtaining a visa in Georgia?

1. To obtain a visa in Georgia, foreigners fill in a visa application in the form prescribed by the regulations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. To issue an electronic visa by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, except for the issuance of an electronic immigrant visa category D to foreigners staying in Georgia legally, foreigners fill out a visa application posted on a special website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia - e-VISA PORTAL;
2. To obtain a visa, there is a need to purchase a travel / medical insurance policy.

A foreigner provides travel / health insurance provided that the travel / health insurance applied for a long-term visa is valid for the duration of the visa.

The availability of travel / health insurance is checked during the second and each subsequent visit to the Georgian border at the checkpoint.

When submitting the visa application form, the applicant confirms that he is aware of the need to have travel / health insurance during subsequent visits to Georgia.

More details can be found on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia https://www.geoconsul.gov.ge/HtmlPage/Html/View?id=211&lang=Eng 

The absence of an insurance policy can be a ground for a refusal of a visa to Georgia under the Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons.

The full text of the law can be found at https://matsne.gov.ge/en/document/view/2278806?publication=12

What categories of visas exist for entry into Georgia?

1. Georgian visas are divided into the following categories:

a) Diplomatic (category A):

• Category A1 – provided to the first persons of the legislative and executive authorities of foreign states, members of high and the highest level delegations and family members who are sent to Georgia on a state, official, working, friendly or informal visit. Persons holding an A1 visa shall enjoy diplomatic immunity in Georgia during the period of validity of the visa;
• Category A2 – provided to employees of diplomatic missions accredited in Georgia and their equivalents, consular officials of consular posts and members of their families; employees of missions of international organizations located in the territory of Georgia, to which Georgia has granted diplomatic status, and members of their families;
• Category A3 – provided to diplomatic couriers, persons traveling to Georgia with a special diplomatic mission; 
• Category A4 – provided to honorary consuls of Georgia and members of their families, if they are citizens of a foreign state;
• Category A5 – provided based on the state interests of Georgia to individuals traveling to Georgia with different missions, to individuals traveling to Georgia on a working visit who have a diplomatic passport;

b) special (category B):

• Category B1 - provided to members of foreign delegations going to Georgia on a working visit, individuals owning an official passport, as well as family members of these individuals and other accompanying peeople;
• Category B2 - provided to members of the administrative, technical and service staff of diplomatic missions of foreign states, consular officers and staff of consular offices, as well as members of their families and private domestic workers; employees of international and humanitarian organizations located in Georgia and members of their families; private domestic workers accompanying persons receiving a diplomatic visa of category A2;
• Category B3 - provided to individuals traveling to Georgia on the basis of bilateral and multilateral international agreements of Georgia, members of peacekeeping forces and other military contingent stationed on the territory of Georgia on the basis of an international agreement of Georgia, and members of their families;
• Category B4 - provided based on the state interests of Georgia to individuals traveling to Georgia with different missions;

c) Ordinary (category C);

• Category C1 - provided to individuals traveling to Georgia for tourism purposes;
• Category C2 - provided to individuals traveling to Georgia to visit relatives and friends, people of free profession;
• Category C3 - provided to individuals traveling to Georgia for business meetings and negotiations, participants in scientific seminars, conferences, other research, pedagogical, cultural or sporting events, individuals traveling to Georgia for journalistic activities, members of the crews of ships in the ports of Georgia, if the international agreement of Georgia does not provide for visa-free movement of members of the crews of ships;
• Category C4 - provided to individuals traveling to Georgia for humanitarian assistance, charitable activities in the presence of circumstances that endanger the life and health, guardians or trustees of citizens of Georgia, individuals under the care of citizens Georgia, individuals traveling to Georgia for medical treatment, visiting burial places and holy places, and for establishing religious contacts with a scientific, sports, cultural or educational mission;

Visas in Georgia can be short-term or long-term.

Short-term visa.

A short-term visa can be issued with the right of single or multiple entry into Georgia.

A short-term multiple-entry visa may be issued to foreigners who have visited Georgia at least once in the previous year in accordance with Georgian law, and there are grounds for requesting a short-term multiple-entry visa. The condition for visiting Georgia during the previous year is not required for diplomatic and special visas, as well as short-term multiple-entry electronic visa on the basis of a visa application form submitted through the e-VISA PORTAL.

A short-term multiple-entry visa can be issued for a maximum of five years. In addition, the total period of entry and stay of a foreigner in Georgia in the span of 180 days must not exceed 90 calendar days.

A short-term single-entry visa may be issued for the number of days specified by the foreigner in the visa application, but should not exceed than 30 calendar days.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, diplomatic representatives and consular posts of Georgia abroad shall decide on the issuance of a short-term visa to Georgia within 10 calendar days after the submission of the relevant visa application.

However, this period may be extended to 30 calendar days with further verification of the visa application, and may be reduced to 5 working days or for a shorter period.

The period of issuance of a short-term electronic visa to Georgia, on the basis of a visa application submitted via e-VISA PORTAL, may also be reduced by less than 5 days in cases specified by a decision of the Government of Georgia, which are not delayed.

Long-term visa.

A long-term visa can only be issued with the right of multiple entry.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, diplomatic representatives and consular posts of Georgia abroad shall decide on the issuance of a long-term immigration visa to Georgia category D (except category D5) within 30 calendar days after the submission of the relevant visa application.

The decision to issue a category D5 immigrant visa is made within 10 calendar days after the submission of the relevant visa application.

Extension of the validity of visas.

A foreigner staying in Georgia has the right to request an extension of short-term Georgian diplomatic and special visas, immigrant visas D3 and D5, if they meet the conditions for obtaining the relevant visa.

Upon extension of the D5 immigrant visa, the foreigner is released from the obligation to submit a revaluation of the market value of real estate.

Individuals arriving in Georgia to conduct research at an authorized educational institution in Georgia, as well as those arriving in Georgia to study under international programs, are entitled to an extension of the D3 immigrant visa if the grounds for extending the visa do not allow the possibility that they intend to stay in Georgia for more than 3 months.

Acceptance of documentation required for the extension of diplomatic and special visas of Georgia is provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.

Acceptance of the documentation required for the extension of immigration visa D3 and D5 is provided by the Civil Service Hall and the Agency or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.

Therefore, at the legislative level, the extension of foreign visas is possible only for category D visas.

If there is a need to extend the period of stay in Georgia, then in this case you should start the procedure for obtaining the right to reside, choosing one of the legally prescribed methods.

What are the ways of application for a visa to Georgia?

To obtain a Georgian visa, a foreigner can submit documentation both through the system of electronic applications (E-application system) and through the e-Visa Portal, depending on the purpose of the trip.

E-visa portal is the easiest way to get permission to enter and travel in Georgia for a short stay.

An application for a visa is submitted through the E-visa portal only to a foreigner who is abroad, if the Ministry requires the issuance of a short-term electronic visa category C.

When filling out the visa application form via the E-visa portal, a notification will be sent to the e-mail address specified in the visa application to further confirm the e-mail address and ensure payment of the state fee. The e-mail address is confirmed within 1 (one) hour after it is sent, otherwise the visa application will be canceled.

The state duty is paid within 5 (five) hours after confirmation of the notification received by e-mail.

Features: Electronic visa for Georgia is intended only for short stays (up to 30 or 90 days, depending on the country). If a foreigner wishes to stay longer than eVisa allows, they should apply for an immigrant visa (category D) in the usual way at the Georgian embassy or consulate, and then apply for a residence permit upon arrival in Georgia.

Through E-application system foreigners have the right to apply to the appropriate consulate for any category of visa.

Unlike the E-visa portal, after applying for a visa through the e-application system, paper copies of the signed visa application and all other documents required are submitted to the corresponding authority by sending them directly to the authority that issued these documents, or to another body authorized to accept documents; in the case of diplomatic and special visas – by submitting them directly to the issuing authority or by post.

What documents are required for visas to Georgia?

The standard package of documents:

1. Filled, printed and signed visa application form to Georgia;
2. Passport issued for the last ten years and having at least two blank pages. The passport must be valid for at least three months from the moment the traveler intends to leave Georgia;
3. Proof of sufficient funds to cover the length of stay (such as a bank statement for the last six months, a letter confirming the salary of the traveler);
4. Confirmed round trip ticket;
5. Travel medical insurance, which covers the entire stay;
6. Proof of residence in Georgia;
7. Proof of payment of visa fee to Georgia;
8. Photographs of passport size in accordance with the requirements for photographs for the visa of Georgia on the following characteristics:

Dimensions: 5 mm length x 4 mm width

Resolution: 300 DPI

Taken in front of a white or almost white background

Taken no more than half a year ago and reflecting actual appearance, without glasses, hats (exception – religious headdresses and only if they do not cover the face)

The image must be of high quality - there can be no underexposure, overexposure, shadows or glare.

In addition to the specified package of documents, additional documents are required, depending on the type of visa:

1. To apply for a tourist visa (category C1):

Proof of accommodation in the form of: hotel reservation, lease agreements, in case of accommodation by invitation - notarized invitation letter from the person who invited the tourist (such an invitation form can be downloaded from the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia);

Travel program (in case of travel with a travel agency or an organized group).

2. To obtain a business visa (category C3):

• A certified letter of invitation or form of invitation from a company visited by the tourist or with which they will do business while in Georgia (the form of such an invitation can be downloaded from the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia);
• If possible: evidence of financial sponsorship or confirmation that the employer will cover the traveler's expenses;
• A letter from the employer confirming the business purpose of the trip and employment of the traveler;
• Employment contract indicating the duration and nature of work and the salary that the traveler will receive;
• Proof of work qualification and other certificates.

More information can be found at - https://visaguide.world/europe/georgia-visa/ 

Documents for children:

• Children must have their own passport, which is issued at any age, or children must be registered in the parents' passport.
• A child's birth certificate is required to confirm family ties.
• If the child is traveling without parents (with third parties, uncles, aunts, grandparents, siblings), they must have a notarized permit from one of the parents / guardians. If there is at least one parent, no consent is required (unless the other parent has been banned from traveling).

Travel insurance policy.

• Foreigners crossing the border of Georgia in a visa-free regime are not required to have a travel / health insurance policy, but the presence of such a policy is desirable for cases when you will need to apply to medical institutions in Georgia;
• A foreigner (who has crossed the Georgian border in a visa regime) must have travel / medical insurance valid for the period of stay in Georgia, which, if necessary, covers any expenses related to his health and death. Road / health insurance is valid throughout Georgia.

A foreigner provides travel / health insurance under the condition that the travel / health insurance applied for a long-term visa is valid for the duration of the visa.

The availability of travel / health insurance is checked during the second and each subsequent visit to the Georgian border at the checkpoint. When submitting the visa application form, the applicant confirms that they are aware of the need to have travel / health insurance during subsequent visits to Georgia.