The General Rules for a Visa Application
The visa-application procedure is regulated by the Law of Georgia on the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons and applies uniformly to all visa categories. Under Article 6, a Georgian visa is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and, abroad, by Georgian diplomatic missions and consular posts; in special cases defined by a government resolution, a visa may also be issued at the state border. This page explains the general rules for completing, examining and refusing an application — the specifics of particular categories are treated on separate pages.
It also matters for the applicant to know where to apply: a citizen of a country where Georgia has no mission may apply to the nearest Georgian diplomatic mission or consular post. The law further contemplates that the issuance of a visa, or the performance of individual actions necessary for it, may be entrusted to a third state under the conditions of an international treaty. A foreigner present in a third state who holds a valid multiple-entry visa or a residence permit of that country may apply to the Georgian mission there, if the validity of that visa or permit exceeds the validity of the Georgian visa by 3 months.
The Form of the Application and the E-Visa
Article 8 sets out how the application is completed: to obtain a visa, the foreigner fills in a visa application of the form established by a normative act of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For a foreigner abroad, the ministry issues an electronic visa where the application has been submitted through the ministry's special website; the exception is the issue of an immigration e-visa to a foreigner lawfully present in Georgia.
For a foreigner lawfully present in Georgia, the decision on issuing an immigration visa is taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while the receipt of documentation and the affixation of the visa — or its electronic issuance — are ensured by the Justice House and the Public Service Development Agency, or by the ministry itself. Such an application must be lodged with the organ no later than 45 days before the expiry of the period of lawful stay.
The circumstances that must be confirmed to obtain a visa, and the documents to be attached to the application, are determined by a government resolution. Where necessary, the issuing organ may invite the applicant or a representative to an interview, and in the cases provided by legislation the submission of an invitation is required.
Decision Periods
The examination periods are fixed precisely by law. The decision on issuing a short-term visa is taken by the ministry or a mission within 10 calendar days of the submission of the application; a short-term electronic visa is issued no later than 5 working days. Where the application requires further verification, the decision period may be extended by 30 calendar days. Conversely, in the cases defined by government resolution the period may be reduced to 5 working days or less, and in urgent cases the period for an electronic visa may even be cut below 5 days.
A different period applies to the long-term immigration visa: the decision on an immigration long-term visa is taken within 30 calendar days of the submission of the application, and in the case of the D5 category — within 10 calendar days. In addition, a decision may be taken under an expedited procedure in accordance with a legal act of the government.
Grounds for Refusal
Article 11 lists the grounds on which a foreigner may be refused a visa or entry into Georgia. These are: the absence of the documents necessary for entry; an entry ban or an unpaid fine imposed for staying without a lawful basis; any fine imposed by Georgian legislation left unpaid; the submission of incomplete or false data or documents; the absence of health and accident insurance or of sufficient funds for living in and returning from Georgia; a threat to the state security or public order of Georgia or to the health, rights and lawful interests of its residents; foreign-policy inexpediency; a well-founded suspicion that the person will remain in Georgia without a lawful basis after the visa expires; the failure to give information, or the giving of false information, about identity or the purpose of travel; and other cases provided by legislation.
For certain grounds the law additionally requires a conclusion of an authorized organ on the inexpediency of issuing the visa. The boundaries of appeal are also important: on certain grounds — including those connected with an entry ban, security and foreign-policy expediency — the refusal decision is not subject to appeal; likewise not appealable is a refusal on a particular visa category grounded in immigration policy. Where entry is refused at a border checkpoint, the foreigner is returned; and if the person cannot immediately leave the border-control zone, they are temporarily placed in that zone under supervision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is a visa application submitted?
At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or, abroad, at a Georgian diplomatic mission or consular post; in special cases, by government resolution, a visa is issued at the border as well.
How quickly is an application examined?
A short-term visa — within 10 calendar days, an electronic visa — no later than 5 working days; where necessary the period is extended by 30 calendar days. A long-term immigration visa is examined within 30 calendar days.
When can a refusal be appealed?
Not in every case: on certain grounds the decision is not subject to appeal at all, so the exact determination of the ground of each refusal is decisive.
Where does a citizen of a country without a Georgian mission apply?
To the nearest Georgian diplomatic mission or consular post; entrustment to a third state on the basis of an international treaty is also possible.
How We Help on Legal.ge
The specialists at Legal.ge assist in preparing visa applications and in defending against refusals: we structure the document package with reference to the requirements fixed by government resolution, check the application against the refusal grounds and, where necessary, prepare an appeal or a fresh application.
If you intend to submit a visa application or have already received a refusal, contact us at Legal.ge — we will assess your situation and plan the next steps with the statutory periods in mind.