Obtain Georgian Citizenship

Foreign nationals who have been living lawfully in Georgia for a number of years can be granted Georgian citizenship, provided that they meet all the criteria in place for this status. Alternatively, individuals who are of Georgian descent, as well as those who were born in the country under certain conditions, may acquire citizenship.

Quick Facts
Minimum time in the country before applying for Georgian citizenship	10 years
Citizenship for investors	Yes, under the residence permit for indefinite stay following investment. A separate citizenship application is required.
Citizenship for children	After 5 years, if refugee or stateless and born in Georgia
Citizenship by descent	Yes, our team in Georgia can give you details.
Citizenship by adoption	Yes, if adopted by a Georgian citizen.
Residence requirements for Georgian citizenship applications	Lawfully resident for 10 years before application
Minimum age for citizenship applications when you immigrate to Georgia	18 years
Citizenship for dependents who join the permit holder	Yes
Citizenship for foreign nationals married to a Georgian citizen	Under the simplified procedure, after residing uninterruptedly for 5 years
Regaining citizenship	– when terminated unlawfully, – due to renunciation, – when it was based on the parent’s decision
Language knowledge for naturalization	Yes
History/law knowledge for naturalization	Yes, our immigration service team in Georgia can give you details.
Naturalization decision duration	Approximately 3 months
Loss of Georgian citizenship	– when citizenship was acquired by presenting false documents, – when joining the military/police/secret services of another country without permission from the Georgian authorities  – other situations may also lead to the loss of citizenship
Dual citizenship allowed when you immigrate to Georgia	Not usually, iy can be granted by the President in special cases
Main documents for citizenship applications under the ordinary procedure	– application form; – passport/other proof of identity; – birth certificate; – confirmation document for continuous, lawful residence; – confirmation document for employment/property ownership/entrepreneurial activity; – photograph; – service fee payment receipt.
Requirements for the submitted documents	Duly legalized translated documents
Conditions for citizenship by restoration	Georgian language knowledge
Georgian citizenship by way of exception	Granted by the President
Conditions for citizenship by way of exception	For foreign citizens who have made exceptional contributions to the country or based on state interests
Citizenship for refugee minors born in Georgia	Underage persons with a refugee or stateless status, who are born in Georgia, are granted citizenship under the ordinary procedure.
Special exemptions for incapacitated persons	The main citizenship by naturalization requirements do not apply to individuals whose physical disability makes it impossible to meet or assess these requirements.
Citizenship for minor children with unknown parents	The minor child acquires Georgian citizenship unless proven otherwise.
Online applications	Distance services are available in some cases.
The authority that receives the application	The territorial office of the Public Service Development Agency, or a branch of the Public Service Hall
Citizenship applications if you are not in Georgia at the time of the submission	The application is submitted to a Georgian consular office or diplomatic mission abroad.
Can someone else apply on your behalf?	In some cases, the application can be submitted by an authorized representative.
Next steps in case of citizenship application refusal	The individual can apply again after one year.
How we can assist you	– Evaluate your application for compliance; – Assist you in preparing the documents for submission.
When to reach out to our team	Approximately one month before the date on which you complete the minimum prescribed time spent in the country.

Irrespective of the manner in which one wishes to apply for Georgian citizenship, it is advisable to seek specialized information and assistance if needed, particularly for those who fall under the categories that imply special conditions.

The application is submitted in person and our team of immigration specialists can help with complete information so that individuals who are interested in making this submission can present a complete file and increase their chances for obtaining the application approval. In this article, we highlight some of the main ways in which Georgian citizenship is determined. For personalized answers, please reach out to our agents.

Our team can also provide general information on the residence permit in Georgia.

If you qualify for citizenship (meaning that, in 2024 you will meet the requirements for having lived in the country for 10 years), our team will assist you during the application process. seeking specialized solutions is advisable because the application will involve the submission of several documents. When working with a local specialist, you make sure that your submitted file will be complete.

What are the conditions for Georgian citizenship by birth?

This is available to the following individuals:

• one of the parents was a Georgian citizen at the time of the applicant’s birth;
• was born in Georgian through surrogacy if the country of citizenship of the parents does not recognize the individual as a citizen;
• was born in Georgian to parents who had the status of a stateless person in Georgia at the time of the applicant’s birth;
• was born in Georgia to a parent who at the time of birth has the status of a stateless person in Georgia and the status of the other parent was unknown.

According to the rules set forth by the State Commission on Migration Issues, the following categories of citizens are also Georgian citizens:

• individuals born before 31 March 1975 who have resided in the country for at least five years and were in the country by 21 March 1993; moreover, they did not acquire citizenship in another country;
• those born after 31 March 1975 who lived in the country by 31 March 1993 and have not acquired citizenship in another country;
• individuals born in the country, who left Georgia after 21 December 1991, provided that they are not citizens of another country.

Our team specializing in Georgian citizenship can give you more details about each of these situations. We also invite you to watch a short video about citizenship applications:

https://youtu.be/r7l0Fq_-Rmc

What are the conditions for acquiring citizenship via the ordinary procedure?

This is a common manner to become a Georgian citizen for many foreign nationals from other countries who have lived in Georgia for some time. The initial type of visa they may have applied for could have been for employment or investment purposes and it was renewed accordingly.

The following requirements are in place for obtaining Georgian citizenship under the ordinary procedure:

• minimum residence: the individual must have permanent residence, meaning that he resided in the country for at least 10 consecutive years; if you need details on renewing the residence permit, our team can assist;
• language skills: he or she has adequate Georgian language skills, within certain limits;
• basic knowledge: additional Georgian history and basic law principles are required when applying for citizenship;
• means of living: the individual must show that he or she is employed, has opened a business, owns real estate, or holds interest or shares in a Georgian company.

A simplified procedure applies when the applicant has been married to a Georgian citizen and has been residing in the country uninterruptedly for 5 years prior to the application.

According to the United Nations, more than half of the immigrants in Georgia were born in Russia.

Acquiring citizenship by naturalization is directly linked to the individual’s ability to maintain a valid residence permit in Georgia. Proof of having lawfully resided in the country for the minimum number of years is brought through such a valid document. If you have just moved to Georgia and have collected your first residence permit, our team will give you details about its renewal.

In order to apply for citizenship through naturalization in 2024, one would need to have been living in the country consecutively since 2014, in order to comply with the requirements.

Obtaining citizenship in Georgia by real estate

Foreign investors have the opportunity to obtain permanent Georgian citizenship. Specifically, the Georgia Law on Promotion and Guarantees of Investment Activity allows foreigners to obtain permanent residency if they invest at least USD 300,000 in certain areas of the Georgian economy.

There are two options for obtaining an Investment Residence Permit: by making a personal investment in real estate, or by investing in other areas of the Georgian economy.

If a foreigner chooses the real estate option, he/she must buy non-agricultural real estate in Georgia that costs more than USD 300,000, and an appraisal report must be prepared to confirm the property’s value. The Investment Residence Permit will initially be issued for 5 years, and if the property is not sold during that time, the applicant will be granted a permanent residence permit in Georgia.

Georgian citizenship by investment

An alternative way for foreign investors to obtain permanent citizenship in Georgia is by making an investment through a Georgian company. In this case, the applicant needs to incorporate a company in Georgia and invest at least USD 300,000 in the company, such as by buying real estate. An evaluation report is required to confirm that the investment amount exceeds USD 300,000, but there are no other specific requirements or conditions.

The Investment Georgian Residence Permit will initially be issued for 5 years, but the applicant must ensure that the company’s annual turnover exceeds certain minimum limits in order to be eligible for a permanent residence permit after 5 years. The minimum turnover requirements are USD 50,000 for the first year, USD 100,000 for the second year, and USD 120,000 for the third, fourth, and fifth years.

After 10 years of continuous, legal residency in Georgia, foreign investors may be eligible to apply for Georgian citizenship. They must meet certain conditions, such as knowing the local language, history, and customs, having married a Georgian citizen, being engaged in economic activities, or being considered important to the Georgian state and economy. The applicant’s spouse, minor children, and incapable dependents may apply for permanent residency, while children over 18 years old and parents may apply for temporary residency.

How to get citizenship in Georgia by marriage

Foreign nationals can obtain Georgian citizenship through marriage to a Georgian citizen. The process requires that the foreign national be in a relationship with a Georgian citizen and go through a proper marriage ceremony. It is important to have a marriage anniversary credential to prove the legality of the marriage.

If the foreign national has been in a continuous relationship with the Georgian citizen for five years, he/she may be eligible for Georgian citizenship by marriage. Additionally, if the couple has children, the application for citizenship will be given stronger consideration.

This is another option for obtaining citizenship in Georgia in addition to the options of buying property or making investments in the Georgian economy.

How is Georgian citizenship granted by way of exception?

This is available to foreign citizens who have made an exceptional contribution to the country. The President may also grant citizenship by exception to a foreign national based on state interests (under certain conditions). The aforementioned conditions for having Georgian language, basic law, and history skills also apply for citizenship by way of exception.

Dual citizenship in Georiga

To apply for dual citizenship in Georgia, a person must submit an application form addressed to the Georgian President, a copy of his/her birth certificate, a copy of the Georgian passport (if applicable), a copy of the foreign passport, and two passport-sized photos.

If the applicant has changed his/her name or surname, he/she must also provide additional documents, such as a copy of the marriage certificate or a document showing proof of the name or surname change. The applicant must also provide two recommendation letters from Georgian citizens and a Georgian oath of citizenship. If the applicant is a minor, parental consent is mandatory.

All documents must be submitted in Georgian or accompanied by a certified Georgian translation, and foreign documents must be apostilled unless otherwise requested by a Georgian international treaty or agreement.

Our team can give you more details on how citizenship can be acquired as well as how it may be restored to an individual. For example, Georgian citizenship may be restored to an individual whose citizenship was terminated unlawfully or when this took place based on the decision of his or her parents.

Applicants who are interested should note that the ordinary time for processing citizenship applications through naturalization is three months. Should the first application be rejected, a subsequent one can be made after one year.

Georgia’s population

The data for 2021 reveals that most of the immigrants, according to their country of origin, are from Russia (10,881 individuals, as per the data from the Statistics Office).

Recent data gathered by our team from a report issued by the European Migration Network Georgia highlights the number of citizenship applications through the naturalization procedure in recent years:

• In 2022, a total of 3,995 persons received Georgian citizenship following the naturalization route (through the ordinary, and the simplified process);
• 56% of the new nationals were men and 44% were women;
• Most of those who received citizenship in 2022 were citizens of Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Israel, or Greece; these countries are also top destinations for Georgian immigrants, suggesting that citizenship applications are submitted by individuals who have ties to Georgia.

According to Georgia’s National Statistics Office, the country’s total population as of January 1, 2023, was 3,736,400, compared to 3,688,600 on January 1, 2022.

Contact us for more information on obtaining Georgian citizenship in 2024. Our team will assist you if you have questions about your situation, how you can apply, and when you should submit your application.