A Minor's Application Is Submitted by the Legal Representative
The distinguishing feature of a minor's residence permit procedure is the manner of submission: under paragraph 2 of Article 17 of the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens, a minor's application for a residence permit in Georgia is submitted by his legal representative. A legal act in the child's name is thus carried out by the parent or guardian, and the documentation must likewise be arranged in that person's name. The consistency of names across the documents of parent and child is checked in advance, because discrepancies delay the review.
This detail is often overlooked: an application submitted directly by the child or by a third person without proper authority counts as a procedural defect. The application of a recipient of support may be submitted only with the assistance of a supporter, unless a court has determined otherwise. The circle of those counted as family members is defined by the law, and borderline cases are resolved before the basis is chosen.
A Minor as a Family Member
The second foothold is conceptual: subparagraph „t“ of Article 2 defines family membership. A family member is the spouse of an alien or of a stateless person with status in Georgia, the minor child, a minor under guardianship or curatorship or fully maintained, a recipient of support or an incapacitated person; also the parent of a minor alien. For a citizen of Georgia, family members are the foreign spouse, the minor child and the parent of a minor citizen of Georgia. Where both parents hold different statuses, the stronger basis for the child is selected deliberately, not by default.
This definition determines who belongs to the family reunification status: an adult child or a parent of an adult child does not fall within this circle and needs a different basis. The right basis is therefore the first decision of the whole procedure, and the documentation is built upon it.
The Family Reunification Permit — Tied to the Parent's Status
Subparagraph „g“ of Article 15 of the law provides for a residence permit for the purpose of family reunification, issued to the family members of an alien holding a residence permit. The child's status under this permit accordingly follows the status of the parent who holds the permit. Timing the extensions of both statuses together spares the family repeated applications.
Other routes also exist: a permanent residence permit is issued to the minor child of a Georgian citizen and to the parent of a minor citizen — in that case the status is more solid and is not limited in time.
Terms
Under Article 16 of the law, the family reunification permit belongs to the group first issued for a period from 6 months to 1 year, and subsequently may be extended on the same conditions up to 12 years. In a special case a temporary permit may be first issued for a term of 5 years. The choice of the term is reflected in every subsequent extension as well.
The permanent residence permit, by contrast, is issued with the right of permanent residence — the citizen-related route thus does not require a cycle of repeated extensions. Comparing statuses is thus the first step in choosing the right route, and the long-term perspective outweighs short-term convenience.
Practical Stages of the Procedure
The application is submitted to the agency personally or through an authorised representative and may also be filed electronically; the examination period does not exceed 30 days from the complete submission of documentation; the decision is appealable. For a minor the completeness of documentation is decisive: documents confirming legal representation, the parent's status and, where necessary, the other parent's consent.
A properly planned application shows the child's status in harmony with the parent's status even where the family remains on different bases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below we answer the questions most frequently raised about a minor's residence permit.
Who submits a child's application?
His legal representative — a parent or guardian.
How is a child counted as a family member?
As the minor child of an alien or status holder, also a minor under guardianship and a fully maintained recipient of support.
For what term is the permit issued?
Family reunification — from 6 months to 1 year, extension up to 12 years; for a citizen's child — with the right of permanent residence.
Is an electronic application possible?
Yes — the application and documents may be submitted to the agency electronically.
How quickly is it examined?
Within 30 days of the complete submission of documentation. The completeness of the file is what starts this clock.
How We Help on Legal.ge
The Legal.ge team will prepare the minor's application with representation documentation, select the correct basis — reunification or permanent status — and help plan the parent's and the child's statuses simultaneously. A correctly built application also simplifies every subsequent extension.
Contact us on Legal.ge — a correctly chosen basis arranges the child's status for the long term.