As of September 1, 2026, new regulations provided for by the law "On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons" come into force in Georgia. These changes significantly expand the list of grounds on which foreign citizens can be deprived of a residence permit, denied entry into the country, or expelled from the territory of the republic.
Main Criteria for Denial of Residence Permit
According to the new legislation, a foreigner may be denied entry, refused a residence permit, or expelled from the country in case of violation of the interests of protecting state security and/or public security of Georgia. The legislator has defined four main categories of criteria that serve as the basis for making such decisions.
Criteria Related to National and State Security
The grounds for denial of residence permits include situations where the presence of a foreigner in Georgia poses a threat to the country's relations with other states or international organizations. Furthermore, significant attention is paid to identifying connections between foreigners and organizations and structures hostile to Georgia's interests. The law defines the following potentially dangerous connections:
- armed forces of countries or organizations hostile to Georgia's defense or security
- intelligence services of other states
- terrorist or extremist organizations
- structures involved in illegal arms trafficking, drug trafficking, and human trafficking
- other criminal groups
It will also be considered sufficient grounds for denial if there are reasons to believe that a foreign individual poses a threat to Georgia's state security.
Administrative Violations as Grounds for Deportation
The new rules introduce a significant expansion by including administrative violations in the criteria under which a decision can be made to deny a residence permit or deport. Now a foreigner can be expelled on the basis of being held administratively liable under the following articles:
- drug consumption, including marijuana
- driving under the influence
- refusal to undergo drug testing while operating a vehicle
- disobedience to police
- verbal insult to government officials
- hooliganism
- sexual harassment
- violation of rules for conducting protest actions
- violation of weapons control regulations, including carrying a knife
Thus, even minor administrative violations by conventional standards can result in serious consequences for a foreigner, such as loss of the right to reside in Georgia.
Verification and Deportation Procedure
When such violations are detected, the courts make the final decision on the deportation of a foreign citizen based on an application from competent authorities. The verification of foreigners for compliance with the new criteria can be conducted by patrol police, criminal police, and the department of labor migration. This expands the network of bodies that can initiate a verification procedure and set in motion the mechanism for possible expulsion of a foreign citizen from the republic.