Residency Permits in Georgia, Tougher Rules to Combat Mass Migration

In the upcoming days, the rules for issuing residence permits in Georgia may become a bit more complicated. Foreigners will have to prove either an investment of $300.000 (currently GEL 300.000 or $116.000) or ownership of real estate with a minimum value of $100.000 ($35.000 now). If they can, they will be allowed to first reside in Georgia for five years, and then they can get a permanent residency permit.

Residency Permits authorize foreign citizens to enter and stay in Georgia during the term of validity of the permit. It also authorizes the holder to invite another foreigners to Georgia.

The bill, already submitted to Parliament, is an answer to mass migration which damages the economy. The initiators, MPs Gocha Enukidze and Ilya Tsulaya, believe that the current “light” law about residence permits did not bring investments, while mass migration benefited from it.

By Antoine Dewaest

Photo: migration commission