Georgian citizens to travel to Schengen area visa-free presumably since end of March

The European Parliament (EP) approved visa liberalization for Georgia with 553 votes. The EP plenary session was underway in Brussels since morning, during which the European lawmakers discussed the visa free travel regulations for Georgian citizens.

This was the European Parliament’s final vote on abolition of visa travel rules for Georgia. Though some more procedures are necessary for the visa-free regime to take its effect. Namely, the new regulation should be approved by the EU Council.

The regulation should be signed by the President of the European Parliament (Martin Schulz) and the Foreign Minister of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (currently the Dutch Foreign Minister, Bert Koenders). The regulation will enter into force 20 days after its publication. These procedures will be presumably completed end of March-beginning of April.

• EU-Georgia talks on visa liberalization were underway since 2012. European Commission issued its positive conclusion on visa liberalization for Georgia in December 2015. However, the adoption of final decision was postponed due to the EU’s intention to pass the visa-free travel temporary suspension mechanism.  

Who and how is going to benefit from visa-free travel:

• Georgian citizens will be entitled to stay visa-free in the Schengen area (including in four Schengen candidate countries – Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Croatia) for 90 days within a 180-day period, as well as will be able to travel from one Schengen country to another;   

• In case, a citizen of Georgia stays in Schengen area for more than 90 days, he/she will be deported. He/she will be first arrested and then returned to Georgia. Afterwards, he/she will not be able to benefit from visa liberalization for the period of 5 years.      

• To travel visa-free, a citizen of Georgia shall have a biometric passport, bank statements, a return ticket and hotel booking. Georgian citizen shall produce these documents directly on the border rather than in the consulate. 

• Visa liberalization does not apply to employment and long-term study visas. To get such visas, Georgian citizens shall apply to the consulates

In what case will visa-free travel rules be suspended?  

• 1.In case Georgia fails to cooperate on readmission- an agreement on return of migrants;

• 2. In case there is a considerable increase in the rate of refuge seekers;

• 3. In case there is a considerable increase in the rate of illegal crossings into EU area.