Georgians visit Europe 258,663 times since visa-free agreement
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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.
The ministry had no information about the exact number of the Georgians who violated the visa-free terms, which are 90 days in any 180-day period.
A citizen who arrived in one of the EU states with the use of the Georgia-EU visa-free deal, may then travel to Turkey, Mexico and elsewhere from the Schengen zone and stay there, even with the changed status,” Javakhadze said.
First visa free trip with Georgian government members. Photo by N.Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
The deputy minister stated that the government of Georgia was taking steps to prevent the illegal stay of Georgians in the EU and to decrease the number of Georgian asylum seekers in Europe.
Javakhadze stated that those who asked for asylum in Europe named family reunion or health conditions as their motivation.
The regulation lifting visa requirements for Georgians entered into effect on March 28, 2017.
Georgian citizens holding biometric passports can travel to the EU’s Schengen Zone for a period of 90 days within any 180-day period for purposes other than working.
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.
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.
This time last year, a small Georgian delegation led by Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili left for a historic trip on which Georgians travelled visa-free for the first time to the European Union (EU).
The process for changing one’s surname has been made more difficult with the amendments prepared by the Ministry of Justice and passed by the Georgian parliament. The new regulations will help the Georgian government to easily identify citizens who violate visa free travel rules while the current law allows a person to change one’s surname 25 times or more on different grounds.
The countries from which Georgians have been returned include Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and Island.
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.
Georgia and Bahrain are easing visa requirements, supporting political-economic relations and boosting tourism ties, announces the Foreign Ministry of Georgia.
The European Commission has released its report on the fulfilment of visa-free obligations by Georgia, other Eastern Partnership countries and the Balkan states. The report reads that Georgia is fulfilling its obligations taken on with the EU: however, it also says that irregular migration still remains an issue of concern.
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.
European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn says that the Georgia-EU visa free deal is not at risk as there are no reason for the enactment of the suspension mechanism
2,561 Georgian citizens have been deported from foreign states between January and September of 2019, the Georgian Interior Ministry says.
4,566 Georgians were deported from foreign countries last year, with more than half of the people have been deported from Israel and Turkey, a report released by the state migration commission reads.
Pre-flight checks will be introduced for Georgian nationals at Georgian airports before leaving for the EU Schengen zone to protect the EU-Georgia visa free deal signed in 2017, EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell said earlier today.