Foreigners given extra time to settle new visa requirements

The Government is offering foreigners a period of grace to get their visa documents in order with the new regulations even though the law came into effect last month.

Georgia’s Justice Minister Thea Tsulukiani said the Ministry would find a way to give foreigners another chance to settle their documents to allow them to continue their activities in Georgia.

"The Justice Ministry will definitely find an outcome for all foreigners who did not use the five-month period we gave them, from March to September, to sort out their documents,” Tsulukiani said.

"As it seems, [these people] superficially approached this subject or were busy. Despite this, we will provide them with additional time to settle their documents and continue their activities in Georgia. There are special spots at the House of Justice where they will be received and consulted in a comfortable environment,” she said.

The Minister noted it was highly possible the new visa rules would ease, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs agreed with this decision.

"Of course we cannot change those principles within the law on foreigners, which are vital to our country’s relations with the European Union, including the visa liberalisation directions, but we will find a solution for those foreigners who cross the border more times than it is allowed. We will alleviate the rules and the Ministry of Internal Affairs also agrees with this,” Tsulukiani noted.

The new law on "Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons" came into effect on September 1, 2014. Visa free travel with Georgia was revoked for 24 countries and citizens from 94 countries were now eligible to enter Georgia without a visa for a short stay.

Under the old rules, citizens from 118 countries were able to enter Georgia without a visa and stay for a maximum of 360 days. But from September, citizens from 94 countries were allowed to enter Georgia without a visa for a maximum of 90 days in a 180 day period.