IMMIGRATION

There are following types of residence permits prescribed by Georgian law:

• Work residence permit  is issued to a foreigner who is the shareholders or director of Georgian company as well as foreigner who is working in Georgian company

• Study residence permit is issued to persons coming to Georgia to study at authorized educational institutions;

• Residence permit for family reunification is issued to family members of a foreigner holding a residence permit and/or person who has been granted a status of a stateless person in Georgia. Family members include: a spouse, child, and a parent, also an underage or incapacitated person being fully dependent and/or being under their care (guardianship);

• Residence permit of a former citizen of Georgia is issued to a foreign citizen whose Georgian citizenship has been terminated;

• Residence permit of a stateless person is issued to a person whose status of a stateless person has been established in Georgia

• A special residence permit is issued to a foreign citizen who, based on a reasonable doubt, might be a victim of human trafficking. Such instances are specified in the Law of Georgia on Combating Human trafficking. a special residence permit is also issued to a foreign citizen who has written endorsement from a member of the government of Georgia, asking to issue a temporary residence permit to the person. it can also be issued to a foreigner subject to expulsion, after 5 years since he/ she was granted the right of temporary stay, and to the citizen of a foreign country who has a status of Compatriot residing abroad;

• A permanent residence permit is issued to a spouse, parent, and child of citizen of Georgia; also to a foreign citizen who, holding a temporary residence permit, has resided in Georgia during the preceding 10 if the person lived in Georgia for educational purposes or medical treatment or spent some time working at the diplomatic mission or at an equivalent representative office, this period cannot be counted towards the pre-requisite six-year term;

• Investment residence permit is issued to a foreign citizen who invested at least USD 300 000 equivalent in Gel in Georgia. This provision is prescribed in the Law of Georgia on Promotion and Guarantees of investment. in such cases, residence permits are also issued to the investor’s family members, which include a spouse, underage dependent and/or fully dependent incapacitated person.

• Temporary residence permit is issued to a foreigner, who according to the Law of Georgia on the elimination of Domestic Violence, Protection of and Support to its Victims, has been recognized as a victim of domestic violence;

• A short-term residence permit is issued to the person – and his/her family members – who, according to the rule established by Georgian legislation have the right to immovable property (except for agricultural land), with the market price above USD 100 000 equivalent in Gel.

 A foreigner may acquire Georgian citizenship in accordance with the following regulations:

• Award of Georgian Citizenship as an Exception

Citizenship of Georgia through naturalization is acquired in the manner of granting citizenship of Georgia by the President.

Types of naturalization are the following:

• Granting citizenship of Georgia following an ordinary procedure;
• Granting citizenship of Georgia following a simplified procedure;
• Granting citizenship of Georgia by way of exception;

 Granting citizenship of Georgia following an ordinary procedure:

Following an ordinary procedure, Georgian citizenship may be granted to a person complying with the following conditions (in total):

• Legally and continuously resides on the territory of Georgia for the past 10 years prior to submission an application on granting citizenship;
• Knows the state language of Georgia within the limits established by law;
• Knows the history and the basic principles of law of Georgia within the limits established by law;
• Has a job and/or owns any real estate in Georgia, or exercises the entrepreneurial activity on the territory of Georgia, or holds shares in a Georgian enterprise.

Note: The interested person shall be deemed as continuously residing in Georgia, if s/he has not left the territory of Georgia for more than 90 days in a year. This term does not include leaving the Georgian territory for the term of 2 years for the purposes of education and leaving the Georgian territory for the purposes of medical treatment.

Granting citizenship of Georgia following a simplified procedure:

The following persons shall acquire citizenship of Georgia following a simplified procedure:

• A person legally and continuously residing on the territory of Georgia for the past 5 years who is married to a citizen of Georgia;

Note: An interested person shall be deemed as continuously residing in Georgia, if s/he has not left the territory of Georgia for more than 90 days in a year. This term does not include leaving the Georgian territory for the term of 2 years for the purposes of education and leaving the Georgian territory for the purposes of medical treatment.

Granting citizenship of Georgia by way of exception (Second Passport of Georgia):

According to a resolution of the President of Georgia, citizenship of Georgia might be granted by way of exception to a citizens of foreign country for having special merits to Georgia or if granting of citizenship of Georgia is in the State interests of Georgia.

Most of our clients (Investors) are using this last proposed option –  (Granting citizenship of Georgia by way of exception). Sure there is no guarantee that the citizenship application is approved by the President of Georgia, but we are helping our clients to increase chances by making reasonable investments in Georgia and try their chance. Of course chances are increased if a foreigner has Business in Georgia, holds Temporary or Permanent residence permit of Georgia and owns real estate here. There are no strict requirements by law or any minimum amount of money which should be invested.