The requirements of the citizenship examination are defined by Articles 12, 24 and 29 of the Organic Law of Georgia on Citizenship. The examination subjects — the state language, the history of Georgia and the basic foundations of law — are embedded in the requirements of ordinary naturalisation, while the manner of verification is regulated by Article 24 together with the agency commission. This page explains what is examined, when and how the examination result takes effect, and how a negative decision can be challenged.
The examination subjects and their place in the naturalisation system
Under sub-paragraphs "b" and "c" of paragraph 1 of Article 12, an adult person receives citizenship by the ordinary procedure if, within the established limits, they know the state language of Georgia and, within the established limits, the history of Georgia and the basic foundations of law. The limits of knowledge are established by a separate statute — the examination programme is built on that statute.
Article 12 also defines exceptions: for a recipient of support the knowledge requirements do not apply; a person with a firm physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment is likewise released from these requirements where the impairment makes verification impossible.
Who conducts the verification and how — Article 24
Applications on naturalisation and the preservation of citizenship are examined by the Public Service Development Agency with the assistance of a commission. The commission consists of 6 members, of whom 2 (including the chair) are appointed from among the agency's staff, 2 from the State Security Service and 2 from the administration of the President. In a split vote the chair's voice is decisive.
The supplementary norms of Article 24 regulate the practical rules of verification: the level of knowledge of the language, history and law is checked before the application is submitted to the agency or to a diplomatic mission or consular post abroad, and the agency ensures this check; the commission decides on the exemption of a person with an impairment; a result that confers the right to submit an application is valid for 1 year; the submission procedure, the manner of verification and the service fee are determined by an order of the Minister of Justice.