Georgia to criminalise sham marriages between citizens and foreigners
Georgia to criminalise sham marriages
According to a legislative initiative by Georgia‘s Interior Ministry, sham marriages between Georgian citizens and foreign nationals entered into for the purpose of obtaining Georgian citizenship, a residence permit or another legal basis for staying in Georgia will become a criminal offence.
Foreign nationals involved in such marriages may be deported from Georgia and barred from re-entering the country for a period of between two and ten years. Alternative penalties include a fine, house arrest for a term of one to two years, or imprisonment for up to two years.
The legislative package also introduces a new category of residence permit for the spouses of Georgian citizens. The permit is intended to serve as a transitional stage before obtaining permanent residency. According to the ministry, the validity of the marriage will have to be verified before such a permit is granted, and a special commission will be established for that purpose.
The changes will also affect foreign nationals serving prison sentences. Under certain conditions set out in the law, the unserved portion of a sentence may be replaced by deportation from Georgia and a ban on re-entry.
The package further expands migration control mechanisms. The Interior Ministry’s Migration Department will be granted powers to conduct operational and investigative activities, which the ministry says will improve efforts to combat illegal migration.
The amendments also introduce procedural changes to court proceedings. Deadlines for filing appeals will be shortened, accelerated review procedures will be established, and in some cases courts will be able to review cases without an oral hearing.
According to the Interior Ministry, the amendments, drafted in coordination with the Justice Ministry and the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth, are aimed at tightening migration policy and creating a more “effective, transparent and secure” system for regulating the stay of foreign nationals in Georgia.
Georgia to criminalise sham marriages
