In-Country Visa Processing Now Possible

 

Foreign nationals can now renew employment (D1), business (D2), study (D3) or family reunification (D4) visas at the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tbilisi at least 45 days prior to the expiration of legal stay in Georgia. This change allows foreign nationals who are visa exempt for stays up to 90 days to apply for a visa in Tbilisi within 45 days of arrival.

Previously, foreign nationals could only renew visas at a consular post in their country of nationality or country of residence.

Visa Application Process

To renew visas in Georgia, applicants must fill out an electronic visa application and submit it with all scanned application documents on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website. Upon submission of the documents online, applicants can choose an appointment date to submit hard copies of the application to the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

What This Means for Foreign Nationals

Since many foreign nationals are expected to use the in-country renewal process, there may be long waits for an appointment at the Consular Department. Therefore, foreign nationals should submit online renewal applications far in advance of their visa expiration to avoid potential further delays.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to emea@fragomen.com.