Gov’t announces free ID cards, including for people in occupied regions

From today to November 1, 2020 Georgian citizens, including those registered in the two occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) who have no status of IDPs, have their IDs abolished and are willing to register in Tbilisi-controlled territory, can get new ID cards for free.

The Ministry of Justice aims to ensure more exact voting lists and to ensure that more citizens have “modern and reliable electronic documentation”.

A new justice house opened in Khoni in western Georgia today where people can also apply for new ID cards. Photo: Justice Ministry/Facebook

The rule applies to those citizens who are already 18 or will become 18 before January 2021 and who:

• never held any ID cards before;
• have their documents expired before July 1;
• will have IDs expired by November 1, 2020;
• have damaged their photo in the document

Over 3,020,000 people have received ID cards in Georgia in the last five years. This includes up to 1,630,000 ID cards which were distributed for free or at an affordable price.  

Georgia will have parliamentary elections in 2020. Under the Georgian Election Code, people with expired or invalid ID cards are not allowed to vote.