Acquisition of georgian citizenship

Determining a Georgian Citizenship

Georgian citizenship shall be acquired by birth by:

  • A person, at whose birth one of his/her parents is a Georgian citizen;
  • A person born on the territory of Georgia through extracorporeal fertilization (surrogacy), if the country of citizenship of neither of his/her parents recognises this person as its citizen;
  • A child born in the territory of Georgia to persons having a status of stateless person in Georgia;
  • A person born on the territory of Georgia, one of whose parents has a status of a stateless person in Georgia and the other parent is unknown.

A minor who is living in Georgia and whose both parents are unknown shall be deemed to be a Georgian citizen unless proved otherwise.

Apart from the above-listed, the following persons are also citizens of Georgia:

  • Persons born before 31 march 1975 who have resided in Georgia for at least five years in total, were on the territory of Georgia by 31 march 1993 and have not acquired the citizenship of another country;
  • Persons born after 31 march 1975 who lived on the territory of Georgia by 31 march 1993 and have not acquired the citizenship of another country;
  • Persons born in Georgia who left Georgia after 21 december 1991 and therefore do not meet the requirements stipulated in the 1st and 2nd Paragraphs, provided that they have not acquired the citizenship of another country.

An application to determine the Georgian citizenship can be submitted in person or via an authorized representative to the territorial office of the Public Service development agency, a branch of the Public Service Hall, or a Community Centre. Persons living outside of Georgia can apply to a diplomatic mission or a consular office of Georgia abroad or apply online via the distance service of the Public Service development agency here: http://intpass.cra.ge/.

Determination of a Georgian citizenship occurs:

  • When an identity document of a Georgian citizen is issued;
  • When the birth of a person is registered;
  • When a person is registered according to his/her place of residence;
  • When the decision on the determination of Georgian citizenship is requested.

The decision on the determination of Georgian citizenship is issued by the Public Service development agency.

Granting Georgian Citizenship

Georgian citizenship can be acquired by naturalization. the decision to grant Georgian citizenship to a person is taken by the President of Georgia. The decision is authorized by the Presidential order.

Georgian citizenship can be granted in the following manner:

  • Under an ordinary procedure;
  • Under a simplified procedure;
  • As an exception;
  • Through restoration.

Georgian citizenship shall be granted with an ordinary procedure to an adult who meets the following requirements:

  • Lawfully resided in Georgia for the last 10 consecutive years up to the day of applying for Georgian citizenship;
  • Knows the official language of Georgia within the established limits;
  • Knows the history of Georgia and basic principles of law within the established limits;
  • Have a job and/or real estate in Georgia, or carry on business in the territory of Georgia or hold an interest or shares in a Georgian enterprise.

When Georgian citizenship is granted with an ordinary procedure, the paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 do not apply to incapacitated persons; the paragraphs 2 and 3 do not apply to persons whose physical disability makes it impossible to assess these requirements; and finally, paragraph 4 does not apply to the persons with the refugee status.

An underage person who has not acquired Georgian citizenship at birth is granted the citizenship with an ordinary procedure, if one of his/her parents is a Georgian citizen or if the underage person is adopted by a Georgian citizen.

An underage person with the refugee or the stateless status in Georgia, who was born in Georgia and has been living in Georgia for five years, is granted a Georgian citizenship with the ordinary procedure.

Georgian citizenship shall be granted with the simplified procedure to a person married to a Georgian citizen who has been legally and uninterruptedly residing in Georgia for 5 years prior to the submission of the application. additionally, a person is required to know the state language, Georgian history, and the basics of Georgian legislation.

The President of Georgia may grant Georgian citizenship by way of exception to a citizen of another country who has made a contribution of exceptional merit to Georgia. The President of Georgia may also grant Georgian citizenship by way of exception to an alien based on state interests. 

When evaluating the state interests, the following circumstances shall be taken into account:

a) a foreign citizen considers Georgia to be his/her homeland, and he/she or his/her ancestor is:

a.a) a person residing in an occupied territory of Georgia or is internally displaced from this territory;

a.b) a person emigrated in different times for political opinions or for hard social and economic conditions;

b) a foreign citizen is making such an investment in Georgia or he/she has made such an investment in Georgia that contributes or has contributed substantially to the development of the state economy;

c) a foreign citizen is successful in sport, science and/or art, and he/she is willing to carry on his/her activity on behalf of Georgia.

When granting Georgian citizenship intersted person should know the State language of Georgia, history of Georgia and the basics of law.

Georgian citizenship may be restored to a person whose Georgian citizenship has been terminated:

  • Unlawfully;
  • Due to renunciation of the Georgian citizenship;
  • Based on the decision of his/her parent(s).

In order to have the Georgian citizenship restored, a person should know Georgian language to a certain level.This requirement is waved if the person’s citizenship was unlawfully terminated. It also does not apply to incapacitated persons and persons whose physical disability makes it impossible to assess the level of the language skills.

Applications for the acquisition of Georgian citizenship can be submitted in person or through an authorised representative. the applications are submitted at the territorial offices of the Public Service development agency, a branch of the Public Service Hall, or at a Community Centre. applicants living outside of Georgia can apply to a diplomatic mission or a consular office of Georgia abroad or apply online via the distance service of the Public Service Development Agency here: http://sda.gov.ge/?page_id=8666

A decision on granting Georgian citizenship by naturalization is made within 3 months.

In the event of a negative decision, a person can reapply to an authorized state body with the same request after 1 year.

Additional information on Acquisition of georgian citizenship is available on the websites: www.sda.gov.ge; www.psh.gov.ge; www.centri.gov.ge.

Guidebook on legal immigration