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Follow Agenda.ge’s first visa-free journey from Georgia to EU

Visa-free travel celebrations on Agmashenebeli Ave in Tbilisi on March 26, 2017. Photo by Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge

Agenda.ge, 27 Mar 2017 - 18:50, Tbilisi,Georgia

There are only five hours left until Georgian citizens will be able to travel to the Schengen Zone visa-free.

Agenda.ge’s team of journalists will be some of the first Georgian citizens to cross the EU border without a visa requirement early tomorrow morning.

Our economic editor Mariam Papidze and photographer Nino Alavidze will join Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili as he is preparing for the first-ever flight from Georgia to the EU whose passengers will not have to have an EU visa in their passports.

Other passengers of the flight will include successful Georgian students, representatives of ethnic minorities, students residing near the occupied areas of Georgia, scientists and journalists.

#VisaFree travel to come into force on March 28.Together w/ students, I will travel to #Athens and #Brussels to celebrate visa waiver
— Giorgi Kvirikashvili (@KvirikashviliGi) March 23, 2017

The first visa-free journey from Georgia will begin in Athens, Greece - the cradle of the European civilization, and continue in Brussels, Belgium – the political heart of Europe.

Visa-free travel celebrations on Agmashenebeli Ave in Tbilisi on March 26, 2017. Photo by Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge

You can follow the historic trip by keeping your eye on Agenda.ge’s social media channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, where we will be using the hashtag #GeorgiaEUVisaFree.

If you are also planning your visa-free travel to EU countries from Georgia during the upcoming days, feel free to share your impressions with us by using the same hashtag on different social media channels.

#GeorgiaEUVisaFree Tweets

Before the historic journey begins early tomorrow morning, a number of events are planned in Tbilisi tonight to celebrate this milestone. An installation with Georgian and EU flags will be illuminated on Europe Square at 9 p.m. this evening, followed by a gala concert at 9:10 p.m.

The concert will end with a large firework display at 11 p.m.

The Iconic Bridge of Peace and Tbilisi TV Tower illuminated in the EU colours in celebration of the visa waiver. Photo by Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge

Stay tuned to Agenda.ge. Tomorrow is going to be a big day!

Foreign Minister explains what EU visa waiver means for Georgia

27 Mar 2017

Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze says that, first of all, the European Union (EU) visa waiver is a recognition of the efficacy of Georgia’s recent reforms and institutions.

How is Georgia celebrating visa-free travel to Schengen countries?

26 Mar 2017

The regulation letting Georgian citizens travel to the Schengen Zone without a visa comes into full effect on Tuesday, March 28.

Prime Minister Kvirikashvili encourages citizens to follow visa-free requirements

23 Mar 2017

New security measures will track the status of Georgian citizens travelling to the Schengen Zone after new legislation lifting visa-requirements for Georgians will enter into force on March 28.

Official Journal of EU publishes legislation on visa waiver for Georgia

08 Mar 2017

Georgian citizens will be able to travel to any of the Schengen Zone countries visa-free in just 20 days. New legislation lifting visa-requirements for Georgians has been published in the European Union’s Official Journal today.

It’s official now: Georgians no longer need visa to EU

28 Mar 2017

From now on, Georgian citizens no longer need a visa to travel to the Schengen Zone. The regulation lifting visa requirements for Georgians entered into effect today, Tuesday, March 28.

European leaders “proud of Georgia’s success”

28 Mar 2017

Today is a day Georgians have awaited for years. A number of international leaders have taken to Twitter to share their happiness for Georgia. Some of them even issued a congratulatory video message in Georgian.

Alexis Tsipras honoured Greece is first visa-free destination for Georgians

28 Mar 2017

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras hosted his Georgian counterpart Giorgi Kvirikashvili, stating it was an honour for him that Greece had been chosen as his first visa-free destination.

Donald Tusk: EU opens its borders to Georgia

28 Mar 2017

President of the European Council Donald Tusk said today is a special day as visa free regime for Georgian citizens to the European Union (EU) has entered into force.

Georgia and Europol sign partnership agreement to tackle cross-border crime

04 Apr 2017

Georgian Interior Minister Giorgi Mgebrishvili and Europol's Director Rob Wainwright signed an Agreement on Operational and Strategic Cooperation to expand cooperation to combat serious and organised cross-border criminal activities.

3 months later: 37,600 Georgian citizens travelled visa-free to EU

28 Jun 2017

Three months on from the introduction of the visa-free regime between Georgia and the European Union (EU) unofficial preliminary data is now rolling in.

Between March 28 and June 28, slightly more than 37,600 citizens of Georgia have travelled visa-free in Schengen area and only 0.3 percent or 113 people were denied entry at the border.

55,000 Georgians use Georgia-EU visa-free benefit

24 Jul 2017

Georgia’s Deputy Interior Minister Shalva Khutsishvili says that 55,000 Georgian citizens have made use of Georgia-EU visa-free travel since March 28, 2017. 3,000 of those people have not yet returned back, after the expiration of the 90-day period, Khutsishvili told IPN news agency, saying this may not necessarily mean that the people violated the agreement rule.

EU Council’s high official: “Georgia is our closest partner”

06 Oct 2017

Georgia is the closest and most important partner of the European Union in the region, says the Chair of the EU Council’s Political and Security Committee (PSC) Walter Stevens. A delegation from the PSC is paying a visit to Tbilisi, Georgia.

161,885 Georgians have travelled visa free to Europe in past seven months

01 Nov 2017

Georgia’s Ministry for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration has informed the local media that between March 28 and October 20, a total of 161,885 Georgian citizens have traveled visa-free to the EU’s Schengen Zone.

Georgia-EU visa deal violation statistics not alarming, says Deputy Euro-Integration Minister

07 Nov 2017

Almost all countries that were granted the visa-free regime with the European Union (EU) had initially similar violation statistics as Georgia, says the Deputy State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Georgia.

165,059 Georgians travelled visa free in EU

30 Nov 2017

The official data of the Ministry of Internal Affairs reads that between March 28 and November 2 in total 165,059 Georgians used the benefit of visa free travel to the EU.

Gov’t announces tough sanctions for Georgians violating Georgia-EU visa deal

09 Feb 2018

The government of Georgia has announced changes in the law that will introduce tougher sanctions against Georgian citizens violating the Georgia-EU visa-free travel agreement.The announcement came after today’s special meeting at the government of Georgia headquarters.

Gov’t announces tough measures to prevent violations of Georgia-EU visa free deal

06 Mar 2018

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has confirmed today that new regulations will be established concerning the changing of surnames to prevent Georgian citizens from violating the Georgia-EU visa free regulations.