As of September 1, 2026 a certificate of legal residence in Georgia becomes a mandatory document when submitting an application for obtaining various types of residence permits. The corresponding order has been adopted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. The innovation applies to foreign nationals claiming various categories of residence permits, including students, family members of Georgian citizens, and spouses of foreign nationals.
Requirements for Students
To obtain a residence permit for educational purposes, a foreign national must study only at a higher educational institution authorized by the state of Georgia. The educational institution will be required to provide a certificate of enrollment and the duration of study.
Requirements for Relatives of Georgian Citizens
When obtaining a permanent residence permit by a child of a Georgian citizen or by their parents, it will be necessary to provide additional documents:
- certificate of legal residence in Georgia
- certificate of legal income in Georgia
Requirements for Spouses of Foreign Nationals and Long-term Residents
Foreign nationals wishing to obtain a permanent residence permit through marriage must present a certificate of income and a certificate of temporary residence permit. The same documents will be required for those claiming permanent residence on the basis of residence in Georgia for 10 years.
To obtain a temporary residence permit through marriage, it is necessary to provide a certificate of legal residence in Georgia and confirmation of legal income.
Enhanced Verification of Marriages
Starting from September 1, the verification of the legality of marriages of foreign nationals will be carried out not only by the Agency of Civil Services, but also by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and the State Security Service. This will make it possible to improve the quality of document verification and prevent fictitious marriages.