Georgia is introducing significant changes to the procedure for obtaining a residence permit (RP), which will come into force on September 1, 2026. The innovations affect both categories for minor foreign citizens studying in the country and the conditions for obtaining an RP through marriage to Georgian citizens. These changes are intended to streamline migration legislation and bring it into compliance with new state requirements.
New D6 Visa for Minor Students
One of the key changes is the replacement of the study RP with a new visa category D6 for minor foreign citizens who study in schools and educational institutions of Georgia. Visa D6 is specially designed for minor students and was developed taking into account their special needs and status.
It is important to note that visa D6 can be issued not only to the minor foreign citizen himself but also to his family members. The categories entitled to obtain D6 include parents or legal representatives of a minor foreign citizen, as well as his minor brothers and sisters. This simplifies the document processing procedure for families moving to Georgia in connection with their children's education.
D3 Visa and RP for Adult Students
Simultaneously with the introduction of D6, the roles of D3 visa and traditional study RP have been redefined. These categories are now primarily tied to adult individuals who study or conduct research at authorized educational institutions of Georgia. Thus, the boundary between the status of minor and adult students becomes clearer and legislatively justified.
Changes in RP Through Marriage
Significant changes will also occur in the area of obtaining RP through marriage. The RP of a spouse of a Georgian citizen will be issued for an initial period of 1 year. When renewal is necessary, the document will be extended each time for 2 years instead of 1 year, as provided for in the original draft law. This should reduce the administrative burden on persons married to Georgian citizens.
The overall logic for obtaining permanent RP through marriage is preserved: a foreign citizen must go through the stage of temporary RP as a spouse and reside in Georgia for 5 years. This approach ensures a guarantee of integration and actual residence in the country for those choosing the path to permanent status through marriage ties.
As for the document review procedure, the new law does not have a direct 90-day deadline for reviewing an application for RP of a spouse. Instead, the exact review period will be determined by a separate decree of the Georgian government. This provides migration authorities with the necessary flexibility in setting deadlines depending on workload and administrative capacity.