Extending a Georgian visa is never automatic: the Law of Georgia on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons permits an extension only for specific visa categories and only when the conditions of the original visa continue to be met. This page explains which visas can be extended, who decides the question, where the documents are filed, and on what grounds an extension may be refused. One point deserves emphasis at the outset: the right to request an extension applies to a closed list of categories, and holders of visas outside that list must find a different legal solution before their stay expires.
What the law says about visa extensions
The rules are set out in the Law of Georgia on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons. Under its article 9, an alien in Georgia may request an extension only for short-term diplomatic and special visas and for D3 and D5 category immigration visas, provided the conditions for the respective visa are still satisfied. The detailed procedure for issuing, extending and terminating a visa is established by the Government of Georgia, which may also set administrative appeal deadlines different from those of the General Administrative Code. The extension regimes of other states — including the Schengen area or the United States system — have no effect in Georgia; only Georgian legislation governs this question.
Which visas can be extended — and which cannot
An extension is available only for short-term diplomatic and special visas and for D3 and D5 category immigration visas. Ordinary C-category visas are not on this list: the law provides no right to extend them, so when such a visa expires, the alien should consider leaving Georgia or securing a different legal basis. For D5 visas the law adds a meaningful relief: on extension, the alien is exempt from submitting a renewed market valuation of the immovable property — a significant simplification for those present on the basis of ownership of real estate.
Special features of extending a D3 visa
The right to extend a D3 visa belongs to persons coming to Georgia to conduct research at an authorised educational institution and to persons coming to study within international programmes, provided the ground for extension does not provide for staying longer than 3 months. The law grants this group additional protections: the stay during the administrative proceedings counts as justified, the fine is waived, and until a final decision the alien may not be expelled. At the same time, under an amendment in force since 1 October 2025, appealing a refusal does not prevent the interior ministry's authorised body from examining or executing expulsion.