At least 11 million people visit Georgia every year. Like every country in the world, Georgia also has a few things to offer to its tourists.
Georgia has mountains, parks, botanical gardens, aquariums, and many historical sites.
Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital is an old cobblestoned town with a rich history. If you like historical places with medieval-style architecture then we recommend taking a look at Georgia.
Nevertheless, traveling to Georgia may require a Georgian visa. For most countries, you may only need a passport however, for those that are not visa-exempt you must apply for a visa to Georgia.
For more information regarding the Georgia visas, we recommend reading this article until the end. You will get to know the visa types, their requirements, and much more.
Who needs a visa to Georgia?
As mentioned, some countries that are visa-exempt will not require a visa to travel to Georgia.
If you have an EU, EFTA, or GCC country visa then you are exempt from a Georgia visa.
You are also exempt if you are from the following: Canada, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, USA, and Australia.
Although, we suggest that you always contact the embassy or consulate to find more detailed information regarding the countries that are visa-exempt in Georgia.
Georgia visa types
Georgia visas are categorized into the following:
- Visa for diplomatic purposes – granted to those foreigners who plan to travel to Georgia for official or diplomatic purposes.
- Special purposes visa – this is for foreign delegations, consular workers, military members, or other similar purposes.
- Ordinary visa – this visa is for business, tourism, missions, or visiting purposes
- Immigration purposes visa – this visa is for foreigners who plan to stay in Georgia for a long period of time. This includes a family, student, or work visa.
- Transit visa – if you plan to travel to a third country when arriving in Georgia then you must apply for this type of visa.
General Georgia visa requirements
- Firstly you will need to fill in the application form
- A valid passport
- Evidence of enough funds to cover your expenses in Georgia
- Round-trip flight ticket
- Health insurance evidence
- Accommodation evidence
- Paid fees
- Biometric photos
You will also require other additional documents depending on the type of visa you are applying for. For more information regarding these documents, keep reading below.
Georgia tourist visa
When traveling to Georgia as a tourist you will need this type of visa which will also require submitting these additional documents:
- Evidence of accommodation which can be a reservation in a hotel or a letter stating that you are renting a place to stay at.
- If you are staying at a relative of yours then you will be required an invitation letter.
- A travel itinerary will be required if you are traveling with an agency or a group.
Georgia business visa
A business visa is for business purposes such as attending a meeting or negotiating for something.
The documents for this type of visa are:
- An invitation letter from the company you are going to be working for.
- Evidence of financial support/statements.
- You will need a letter that verifies your employment and your trip intent from your employer.
Georgia work visa
This work visa to Georgia is for foreigners who want to travel to Georgia for a job position.
The requirements for this visa are as follows:
- A contract of employment.
- Evidence that you have the qualifications for that particular job position which can be your educational background or other certificates.
Georgia student visa
A study visa will be granted to foreigners who are planning to study in an educational institution in Georgia.
For this visa you will need the following:
- Enrollment papers.
- Financial statements such as bank statements or sponsorship if you have someone supporting you financially.
- Evidence that the fees have been paid
- Evidence of other academic backgrounds
Georgia family visa
Besides the general requirements, you will also need these additional documents for a family visa to Georgia:
- Evidence that proves your relationship with the relative you are going to visit
- Evidence of your relative’s legal status
How to apply for a Georgia visa?
To apply for a Georgia visa in your country, you can do so through an embassy, consulate or official visa application centers.
The process for the visa is as follows:
- Download and fill in the application form online.
- Collect every documentation that is required for the visa.
- Pay the fee.
- Submit the documents in person or through email.
Georgia visa fees
A Georgian visa costs around 20 EUR and you can make the payment through a bank transfer or directly at the embassy or consulate.
Based on the embassy as well as the rate of the bank service you may also need to pay a 2% fee.
How long does it take to get a Georgia visa?
The time for a visa to be processed will depend on some factors such as for example the type of visa you apply for.
A short-term visa will be handled within 10 days while a long-term visa can take around 30 days.
If you apply for an e-visa then that can take around 5 days.
For a D5 immigrant visa, the time it takes can be 10 days.
How to extend a Georgia visa?
You can apply for a visa extension for the following visa types: special and diplomatic visa, student visa, and investor visa.
For the diplomatic visa, you can apply for an extension application is at the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
While for student and investor visas you can go to the service hall of the Ministry of Justice in Georgia.
Georgia visa photo requirements
To apply for a Georgia visa you will be required to submit a passport size photograph. These passport size pictures must meet the following requirements in order for your application to be accepted.
- The photo must have a size of 45mm in height and 35mm in width
- Make sure that your photo is in color and not black or white
- When taking the photo look directly at the camera
- The photo must be a recent one
- The background of the photo should be white with no patterns, objects, or people visible
- Headcoverings are not allowed unless you have a religious reason to keep them
- Glasses are also not allowed with the exception if they do not create shadows in your face or eyes
- You can wear anything as long as it does not create contrast with the background
- The photo’s dimensions must be 600DPI
- Do not damage your photo in any way and we recommend that you print it in high-quality paper
If you want to take a Georgia visa photo online then you can do so by using our magic application which can transform a regular photo into a biometric one.
The way it works is by uploading a photo in our photo validator which will afterward automatically crop the size and remove the background.
For more information regarding Georgia visas and Georgia visa photos, we invite you to take a look at our website thoroughly and read our blog articles which can be really useful in taking a photo for your Georgian visa application.
