Georgian passport

The Georgian passport is a national identity card issued to citizens for identification purposes during international travel. The Ministry of Justice is responsible for issuing passports in the country, and consular offices abroad.

The Georgian passport is red. The front side bears the national coat of arms with Georgian and English inscriptions "Georgia" and "Passport". The validity period of the document is 10 years. The basis for obtaining is the status of a citizen of the country.

The passport holder receives a number of privileges, including the right to 90-day visa-free entry into the European Union, employment, residence without restrictions, purchase of agricultural land, opening bank accounts in local banks.

How do I get a Georgian passport?

The Constitution and the Organic Law of Georgia "On Citizenship" are the main normative documents regulating the process of acquisition, transfer and loss of residency. According to the law, the following procedures are provided for:

• Naturalization.
• Marriage.
• The right of birth.
• Recovery.
• Repatriation.
• Investment.

Attention

The Government of Georgia allows obtaining a passport in a simplified manner if a foreign person has a spouse of a citizen or is a person with the status of a repatriate.

The main requirements for the applicant include proficiency in the State language, understanding of culture, history and law, lack of criminal record and threats to national security. The candidate must provide a package of necessary documents along with the application.

The appeal is being considered by the Agency for the Development of Public Services. After a preliminary positive decision is made, the dossier is sent to the President of Georgia, who makes the final decision. In this case, the verdict is not subject to appeal, except in cases of revocation of the status.

How to get?

Foreign citizens can apply for a passport in any available way – according to the standard or accelerated procedure, as well as in exceptional cases. However, as a rule, the naturalization process becomes the main option.

In order to naturalize in Georgia, a foreigner must arrive in the Republic, legalize his stay (after the available 12 months of visa-free stay), prepare documents and meet the requirements for a minimum period of residence (10 years). In general, the naturalization process involves the following stages:

Additional features

If the applicant is in Georgia, then you can start the procedure at the House of Justice or the nearest department of the Agency for the Development of Public Services. You can send an application abroad at the embassy or consulate.

The Law on Citizenship of Georgia

Organic Law No. 2319-II "On Citizenship" entered into force on March 25, 1993, and the new version on April 30, 2014. He defined all the principles of granting status, the processes of obtaining and revoking it, and established the legal status of citizens.

In 2023, the Parliament of Georgia approved amendments establishing simplified procedures for obtaining citizenship. Current changes include:

• Passing an exam for knowledge of language, culture, and law before applying for residency.
• The exam results are valid for 1 year.
• The validity period of a residence permit for stateless persons has been reduced from 10 to 5 years.

Attention

According to the Constitution, compulsory deprivation of residency is not provided for. The cancellation of the status occurs upon voluntary refusal, for example, in the case of obtaining a passport from another country. Georgia does not allow dual and multiple citizenship.

Passport documents

In order to obtain permanent resident status and subsequently a passport, each applicant (and his family members) must prepare a package of documents. All documentation provided must be in Georgian or translated by a legal translator. For documents issued abroad, the apostille procedure is mandatory.

In a standard situation, the candidate must provide the following personal documents:

• A completed application.
• 2 passport-sized photos.
• A birth certificate.
• Documents confirming legal residence in the country for 10 years (5 years if there are grounds).
• References: about employment, property, business activity, availability of securities.
• Receipts for payment of state duties. 

Important

When going to an appointment, you must have the originals of all documents with you. Copies (including certified ones) are not accepted.

How much does a Georgian passport cost?

The total cost of a Georgian identity card will depend on the chosen residency program and the order of additional legal services. If the path of naturalization through investments is chosen, then investments will start from $100,000 plus additional costs for the legalization of documents.

Programs that do not require financial investments involve much lower costs. In the standard case, the application for residency is considered within several months, and the cost of administrative services is GEL 65. If you need to speed up the process, the following tariffs are assumed:

• The period of 20 days is GEL 390.
• The period of 40 days is 260 GEL.
• The period of 60 days is 130 GEL.

The cost of obtaining a biometric passport is GEL 150. In case of urgent issuance, the state duty is 350 GEL.