How to get a Residence Permit in Georgia - New rules

In general Georgia has a liberal regime with its preborn hospitality skills and a lot of countries are exempt from visa requirements (see the list) and can stay 1 full year. 

In addition, before or after entering Georgia or citizens not on the list of countries for a lot of reasons might also need to obtain a residence permit. Residence permits gives the right to a foreign citizen to enter, stay, invite another foreigner to Georgia and have certain rights that can ease the living conditions and raise the quality of status. You also don't have to worry about term of your stay or crossing the border formally to and fro. 

To obtain a residence permit, a foreign citizen must either personally or via power of attorney apply to any territorial office of the Public Service Development Agency ("Agency"), Branch of the Public Service Hall or Community Centre, or in some cases apply online. An application and enclosed documents submitted to authorized entities can be in Georgian as well as English or Russian. 

There are some substantial changes of residence application process as of 12 May of 2021: changed time of application and 40 calendar days application time limit removed (for permanent, investment, special, temporary and short term type of residence permits); but for extending the terms of residence one shall apply to the Agency 90 calendar days before his/her lawful stay in the territory of Georgia expires; based on the temporary residence - new requirement of 10 years legally living in Georgia is required instead of 6 years for permanent residence; the agency can check the facts indicated in the application such as visit at the place of residence and questioning of the applicant; reporting issues to the Agency in case of investment residence permits...    

The law provides opportunities how to get residence and be qualified one of the types of residences of your choice, such as: Work residence permit; Study residence permit; Residence permit for family reunification; Residence permit of a former citizen of Georgia; Residence permit of a stateless person; Special residence permit; Permanent residence permit; Investment residence permit; Temporary residence permit; Short-term residence permit; Residence permit for indefinite stay.

However, in spite of easiness of entire application process the details strongly matter, not to mention even the recent changes when the Agency can interrogate you and check the facts thus it crucially matter where you are, when and what you ever say. Moreover, during last couple of years some, among them and especially citizens 'not on the list' of countries experience problems in their attempts to obtain residence permits with a number of rate of unjustified refusals.  

The Agency issued refusals do not provide justification and therefore often fail to meet a threshold of fairness and lawfulness. Decisions of the Agency whether to grant residence permits are guided only by ungrounded and so-called classified samples of conclusions provided by the State Security Service on the propriety of issuing a residence permit. 

After issuing a refusal either an applicant shall leave Georgia as time allowed or as a solution appeal to Tbilisi City Court, this very process with the help of qualified and experienced lawyer can extend your stay along with the goal of winning the case. For legal support and services please simply send an email to jorbenadze@lawyer.com 

Levan Jorbenadze