Planning a trip to Georgia often involves applying for a Georgia visa.
Georgia may not be one of the first countries you think of when planning a trip to Europe, but this former Soviet nation, located between Western Asia, Eastern Europe and the Black Sea, has More interesting things than you think.
But if you’re planning a trip to Georgia, you probably already know that. What you may not know is that for citizens of some countries, applying for a Georgia visa is not necessary or can be done entirely online.
This article will detail Georgia visa policy, including the Georgia eVisa, requirements and fees, and other frequently asked questions.
You need a visa to travel to Georgia unless you are from one of the visa-exempt countries below. The Government of Georgia allows citizens of the following countries to enter Georgia for tourism, business, study or any other purpose for up to one year (unless otherwise stated) without the need to apply for a visa or residence permit: .
*Citizens of the EU, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia can enter the country simply with their identification documents.
**Only applicable to residents of Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Turks Islands and Caicos Islands.
Additionally, you are visa-free to Georgia if you fall into one of the following categories:
The Government of Georgia issues the following visa types to foreigners:
This type of Georgia visa, as the name suggests, is issued to foreign diplomats visiting Georgia for diplomatic and official reasons. Family members of the primary visa holder are also included.
This type of Georgia visa is issued to:
The Category C visa is the type of Georgia visa you need if you are travelling for tourism or other short-term purposes (not included in the categories above). Ordinary Georgia Visas are then further divided into:
This is the type of visa issued to foreigners who want to enter Georgia with the purpose of long-term settlement, such as:
The transit visa for Georgia is for visa-required nationals who have to transit through the territory of Georgia on their way to a third country.
When applying for a Georgia visa, you must have several documents to support your application, including:
If you are traveling to Georgia for tourism purposes (e.g. Georgia C1 Visa), in addition to the standard documents listed above, you will need:
If you are applying for a Georgia C3 visa (business visa), the additional documents you will need are:
If you are traveling to Georgia to find a job and be employed there, in addition to the standard documents, you will also need the following documents:
If you are admitted to a Georgia educational institution, you will also need the following when applying for a Georgia Student Visa:
If you are applying for a Georgia family visa, you will also need the following documents:
Note:
Foreigners entering Georgia on an immigrant visa must apply for a residence permit at the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Public Service Division of the Georgian Ministry of Justice.
Residence permits in Georgia are usually issued for a period of one year and can be renewed annually.
Within one month of receiving your residence permit, you must apply for a residence permit at the local Public Services Development Agency office or the Public Services Department.
The Georgia visa application fee is €20. You must pay into the bank account of the Georgian consulate or embassy where you will present your documents.
You may also have to pay a 2% service fee, depending on the consulate/embassy, as well as a bank service fee.
Georgia visa processing time depends on the type of visa you are applying for:
If you are eligible for a Georgia eVisa, you do not have to apply in person at a diploma mission at all. The entire process takes place online. Here are the nationals of the following countries are eligible for the Georgia eVisa:
Up to 90 days with a 180-day period (multiple entries)
Up to 30 days within a 120-day period (multiple entries)
If you receive a single-entry Georgia visa, you can only stay in the country for a maximum of 30 days.
On the other hand, Georgia’s multiple-entry visa has a maximum validity of five years, allowing the visa holder to stay in the country for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
If you want to stay in Georgia permanently, after entering Georgia on an immigrant visa, you need to apply for a Georgia residence permit and then a residence card from the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Georgian Ministry of Justice.
According to the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, you can only apply for extension of special and diplomatic visas (types A and B), as well as Georgian student visa (D3) or Georgian investor visa (D5).
To extend special and diplomatic visas, you must apply to the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while student and investor visas can also be renewed at the Public Service Division of the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs .
