Georgian parliament to consider bill on introduction of visa policy for Russians
Visa policy for Russians
Georgian parliament will consider a draft law on the introduction of a visa policy for citizens of Russia.
The bill was presented by deputies Ana Natsvlishvili, David Usupashvili, Shalva Shavgulidze and Salome Samadashvili from the opposition party Lelo.
Currently, citizens of the Russian Federation can enter Georgia without a visa on a foreign passport and stay in the country for one year.
The authors of the project believe that the mass influx of Russians to Georgia after the start of the war in Ukraine is dangerous for the country, so the rules need to be tightened.
If the parliament agrees with this initiative, then the rules for Russian citizens staying in Georgia will change significantly.
What is written in the bill:
● Russians will be able to get a tourist visa (categories С1 and С2) only at checkpoints operating on the state borders of Georgia.
There are some exceptions to this rule:
● The visa policy does not apply to Russians who had Georgian citizenship in the past and left it or lost it.
Visa regime with Russia
Visa regime with Russia
● Citizens of Russia who have not had Georgian citizenship in the past but are family members or relatives of a Georgian citizen (spouse, child, parent, sister, brother, grandfather, grandmother, grandson) will also be exempted from the visa requirement.
● In addition, the bill provides for exceptions for those with a “special connection with Georgia”.
Other conditions for obtaining a visa:
● According to the bill, before entering Georgia a citizen of the Russian Federation must confirm in writing that he recognizes the territorial integrity of Georgia and that Abkhazia and South Ossetia are recognized as territories of Georgia occupied by Russia. The authors of the bill believe that in this way it will be possible to prevent the entry of those who do not consider the Russian government to be an aggressor and who are not ready to show respect for the territorial integrity of the country they are visiting.
● The introduction of restrictions on the display of Latin letters Z and V, which have become symbols of Russian aggression in Ukraine, is also probable: Russians who have these symbols on their vehicles or personal belongings will be denied entry to Georgia.
Why a visa policy?
The main reason is the security of the country, it is said in the accompanying note of the draft law.
“In 2022 the number of applications from Russians for the right to reside in Georgia increased by 54% compared to the previous year. Partial mobilization was announced on September 21, 2022 as an additional incentive for many citizens of Russia to enter Georgia,” the document says, according to which 53,136 Russians entered Georgia in just a few days after the announcement of mobilization, from September 21 to 26.
“The difference between those leaving the country and those entering the country has increased sharply, and this requires a timely response,” the note goes on.
In Georgia a number of protest actions have taken place with the demand to introduce a visa policy for Russians. This topic has become especially relevant after the announcement of partial mobilization in Russia, when several thousand Russian citizens entered the country at once. A recent protest in Georgia was called simply “CLOSE THE BORDER”.
As for the Georgian government’s position, representatives of the ruling party “Georgian Dream” have repeatedly stated that they do not support the introduction of a visa policy for Russians. The chairman of the board calls this step “irrational”.
Visa policy for Russians
