255,429 Georgians travelled visa-free to EU in 16 months
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Head of the Georgian Parliament’s EU Integration Committee Tamar Khulordava says that since March 28, 2017, when Georgians were permitted to travel visa-free to the EU’s Schengen Zone, 255,429 Georgian citizens have used the opportunity.
In total 357,990 visits took place, which means that some people travelled to the EU twice or more,” Khulordava stated.
She said that she does not have information on how many people violated the legal terms of stay in the EU, which is 90 days in any 180-day period.
A citizen who arrives in one of the EU states with the use of the Georgia-EU visa-free deal may then travel to a non-EU member country, which makes it hard to have exact figures on visa-free term violations.
Within a year of the Georgia-EU visa free agreement, 192,453 Georgian citizens have visited the Schengen Zone 258,663 times, the Georgian Interior Ministry reports. Deputy Interior Minister Nino Javakhadze stated that in total 1,001 Georgians were refused entry into the EU passport-free zone.
Almost a year ago, visa-free travel regulations for Georgian citizens traveling to the European Union (EU) went into force. Welcoming the special anniversary at a government session this morning, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said this is one of the country’s greatest achievements.
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.
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.
411 Georgian citizens were deported from the EU member states between August and November of 2018, the Georgian Interior Ministry reports.
The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs says that 339,255 Georgians have carried out 553,748 visits to the EU’s Schengen Zone since the enactment of the Georgia-EU visa free agreement on March 28, 2017.
The third Association Implementation report released by Euroepan Commission says that Georgia's Association Agreement commitments, including its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, have been implemented in line with agreed timelines.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry has warned Georgian citizens, who have plans to enter the Schengen Zone, to have all necessary documentation and on their person, as Georgian embassies in the Schengen Zone countries have no legal levers to interfere in the decisions of immigration officers if they say that some of the documents are absent or invalid.
The European Commission has published its fourth report on the monitoring of the EU visa free regime with eight countries, including Georgia, and stated that ‘overall Georgia continues to fulfil the visa liberalisation benchmarks and has taken action to address the European Commission’s recommendations.’