Georgia marks the first anniversary of visa-free travel with EU
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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 first visa-free journey from Georgia began in Athens, Greece - the cradle of the European civilisation, and continued in Brussels, Belgium – the political heart of Europe.
Congratulating everyone on the one year anniversary, Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze said visa-free travel is a great opportunities for Georgian citizens to travel across Europe.
1 year after Visafree in the #EU and 250 000 visits of Georgian citizens. #Georgia is moving forward on the EU integration path. #Roadmap2EU
— Mikheil Janelidze (@JanelidzeMkh) March 28, 2018
Minister Janelidze believes the visa liberalization process has brought a lot of other tangible results like tourism development, new business connections, the enlargement of student exchange programs and people-to-people communication, in general.
Visa-free travel opportunity with the EU-member states has not only a practical but political importance because Georgia has thus made yet another step forward to the European family”, Minister Janelidze said.
He believes the support Georgia has received from the EU for its European aspirations highlights how reliable partner Georgia is.
Georgian and EU flags were flying at the Europe Square in Tbilisi as people celebrated the milestone – the EU visa waiver last year. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Appealing to Georgian citizens to contribute to preserving this achievement, Janelidze said this historic decision is the result of the consistent steps made by the government of Georgia and the European choice of the Georgian people.
Georgian Parliamentary Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze congratulated people on the anniversary in a video address highlighting the importance of how Georgia positions itself with its European friends.
Speaking about the challenges that are connected with visa-free travel opportunity, including violation of the terms of stay in EU/Schengen Zone for Georgian citizens, Kobakhidze said parliament is ready to discuss further changes to the law with the government "to increase responsibility towards [our] European friends”.
During his visit to Athens last year, PM Kvirikashvili, together with students and scholars, enjoyed the site of the Athenian Acropolis Complex. Photo by the PM's press office.
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.
According to the Georgian Interior Ministry, within a year of the Georgia-EU visa free agreement, 192,453 Georgian citizens have visited the Schengen Zone 258,663 times.
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.
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.
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.
The new format of Georgia-EU relations will include a dialogue with the representation of the Prime Minister of Georgia and the President of the European Commission.
Georgia and the EU will sign several deals tomorrow in Brussels at what will be the first of a new, unique format of meeting between the two parties. The deals will provide up to €231 million in support for Georgian education, economy and businesses.
Prime Minister of Georgia, Mamuka Bakhtadze, has emphasised the importance of the responsible implementation of the visa liberalisation tool by Georgians.
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.
Georgia goes into the new year holding 51st place on the Henley Passport index, with citizens enjoying visa-free/visa-on-arrival access to 114 destinations – two countries more than in 2018.
French, German, Swiss and Swedish ambassadors to Georgia have announced plans to meet with Georgian Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia in the coming days to discuss ways of decreasing the number of Georgian asylum seekers in their countries.
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
French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner has visited Georgia and signed a deal with his Georgian colleague earlier today, which allows two Georgian officers to be directly involved in the investigations of crimes in France that may involve Georgian nationals.
Swiss citizens will be allowed to enter Georgia with their ID cards alone, a decree signed by Georgian PM Giorgi Gakharia reads.
Georgian citizens traveling to a Schengen country with which Georgia has a visa-free travel regime but who do not possess the necessary documents may be refused to cross the Georgian state border, says a new law passed today in parliament. Deputy Speaker of Parliament of Georgia Kakha Kuchava said there have been many cases when travellers crossed the border of Georgia without having a return ticket, or hotel reservation, or means of subsistence and a citizen was sent back to Georgia.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani says any information that European Union is suspending the visa-free regime with Georgia is ‘a big lie’. “Georgia is fulfilling all of its obligations and no suspension mechanism will enter into force”, he says.