Georgia has a liberal migration policy that has encouraged foreign nationals from many countries, either neighboring or not, to move here. Visa-free travel does not apply to all foreign nationals and individuals who wish to relocate from India to Georgia are required to apply for an adequate type of visa and then follow the process for obtaining temporary and subsequent permanent residence.
Georgia immigration from India is possible after having submitted and receiving approval for a visa that corresponds to the reason for the stay, be it employment, study, or otherwise. Once an Indian citizen obtains a residence permit, he or she may stay in Georgia as long as this document remains valid and can also invite another foreigner to the country.
Are you an Indian citizen interested in employment in Georgia or perhaps starting a business in this country? The geographical position, as well as other business-related benefits, are among the main criteria why foreign nationals choose to invest here. Remaining in the country for longer periods of time will make it mandatory to obtain a residence permit for Georgia. Our team can answer your questions.
There are several types of residence permits that can be issued to foreign nationals and our team of Georgia immigration agents lists them below. Indian nationals who are interested in receiving more personalized information, for example, tailored to their specific situation, can reach out to our agents for a personalized evaluation.
Table of Contents
Residence permits for Indian nationals
The following types of permits can be issued to foreign nationals who are interested in Georgia immigration from India:
- Work residence permit: this is issued to Indians who are interested in coming to the country to seek employment or become self-employed;
- Study permit: for Indians who have been accepted at a Georgia University or another educational institution (that is authorized as such); this can be a suitable manner to relocate to Georgia from India;
- Family reunification: issued to the family members of an Indian national who already holds a residence permit in Georgia; our team can help you prove provide adequate documents to prove the relationship if you wish to move to Georgia from India with this permit;
- Investment residence permit: issued to an Indian citizen who is able to make a real estate or corporate of at least 300,000 GEL; this can also extend to the family members;
- Special residence permit: can be issued to a foreign national who has been the victim of human trafficking; one of our agents who specialize in Georgia immigration can provide more details.
It is important to note that the permanent residence permit is awarded after having lawfully lived in the country for six years based on a temporary permit like the ones described above (that has been renewed accordingly during this time). This is an important condition for those who immigrate to Georgia from India.
The temporary residence permit, the one for which an individual will first apply when interested in Georgia immigration from India, is issued within 30 days after having received all of the relevant documents.
Indians who receive a residence permit in Georgia need to apply for a Residence Card at an office belonging to the office of the Public Service Development Agency. This is a branch of the Public Service Hall.
Obtaining Georgian citizenship for Indian nationals
The ultimate goal for an individual who is interested in Georgia immigration from India can be to acquire citizenship by naturalization, not only the status of a permanent resident. The ordinary procedure will apply in most cases, however, someone who is married to a Georgian citizen and lived legally and uninterruptedly in the country for 2 years before submitting the application can be subject to a simplified process. In this case, the person will need to bring forward proof that he or she is familiar with the language, history, and basic law. We can help you if you wish to relocate to Georgia from India and have married a Georgian citizen.
A foreign national from India can obtain Georgia citizenship by meeting the following requirements:
- Uninterrupted minimum stay: prior to the application, the individual must have lawfully lived in the country for at least 5 years;
- Language knowledge: Georgian language skills are mandatory when applying for citizenship and the applicant will be subject to a special test;
- History and law knowledge: apart from the language requirements, the one who wishes to become a citizen will need to pass a special Georgian history and law examination;
- Employment and income: the applicant needs to be employed, self-employed, own real estate, or interested in a Georgian company.
Persons with refugee status as well as incapacitated individuals are subject to lighter requirements when they move to Georgia from India.
Indian citizens who have questions about remaining in the country can reach out to our team if they need assistance with getting settled in the country. We also provide solutions and services to those who have been living in the country for a number of years and are ready to apply for Georgian citizenship, under the ordinary procedure or the simplified one.
A report from the Migration Commission using data from Geostat reveals that although foreign nationals from India are not among the most numerous, their numbers have increased in 2016 compared to 2014. Therefore, in 2016 there were
- 1,435 Immigrants from India in Georgia;
- out of these 1,016 were men;
- 419 were women.
A similar report from 2014 revealed that most of the individuals who chose to immigrate to Georgia from India still held their foreign country citizenship.
If you are interested in more detailed information about Georgia immigration from India you can contact our agents.