GeorgiaCitizenship

Georgian citizenship in Georgia

Naturalisation is the way for a foreign national who has lived in the country lawfully for a long time, or who is married to a citizen of Georgia, to obtain Georgian citizenship. The application is received by the Public Service Development Agency under the Ministry of Justice, and the final decision is taken by the President of Georgia.

Source: sda.gov.ge — Public Service Development Agency, “Georgian citizenship” section

Who can obtain it

Citizenship by naturalisation is granted under the ordinary or the simplified procedure. The agency describes the requirements for adults and for children separately.

Ordinary procedure

An adult foreign national who has lawfully lived in Georgia for the last 10 consecutive years up to the day of filing the application
A passed examination in the state language, the history of Georgia and the basics of law
Work and/or property in Georgia, business activity in the country, or a share or shares in a Georgian enterprise
A stateless person with status in Georgia files the application after 5 years of lawful residence
The requirement as to work and property is not applied to people with refugee status

Simplified procedure through marriage

Marriage to a citizen of Georgia
Continuous lawful residence in Georgia for the last 5 years up to the day of filing the application
The same examination in the language, history and the basics of law
Continuous residence means being absent from Georgia for no more than 90 days in total in a year
Departure for study of up to two years and departure for medical treatment are not counted towards those 90 days

Children and particular categories

A child who did not acquire citizenship at birth — if one of the parents is a citizen of Georgia
A child adopted by a citizen of Georgia
A child born in Georgia with refugee or stateless status who has lived in the country for 5 years
Repatriates are granted citizenship under the simplified procedure in accordance with a separate regulation of the Citizenship Commission
The application for a child is filed by the legal representative

What it costs

Examination of the application under the ordinary or simplified procedure, decision on the 80th day	65 GEL
Acceleration: decision on the 60th day	130 GEL
Acceleration: decision on the 40th day	260 GEL
Acceleration: decision on the 20th day	390 GEL
Resitting the examination: the second and each subsequent attempt	+40 GEL

Documents to gather

The set depends on the procedure. Documents are submitted in Georgian: papers in another language are accepted only with a certified translation into Georgian. You may file in person or through a representative acting under a power of attorney.

The application in the prescribed form
A colour photograph 3x4 — to the agency and its territorial offices in electronic form and on paper
The receipt for payment of the service
A copy of the birth certificate, if you were born abroad and hold such a document
Ordinary procedure: a document on lawful residence in Georgia for the last 10 consecutive years — a Georgian visa, a residence permit or card, or stamps of crossing the state border
Ordinary procedure: a document on work and/or property in Georgia, on business activity, or on a share or shares in a Georgian enterprise
Ordinary procedure for a stateless person with status: a document on lawful residence for the last 5 consecutive years
Marriage procedure: a copy of the certificate of marriage to a citizen of Georgia, or of a court decision establishing that fact
Marriage procedure: a copy of the document confirming the spouse's citizenship
Marriage procedure: a document on lawful residence in Georgia for the last 5 consecutive years
Marriage procedure: a document on citizenship of another country — an identity document, a passport or a document of the competent authority
For registration for the examination: an identity document, a colour photograph 3.5x4.5 cm in electronic form, and, where filing through a representative, proof of their authority
For a child aged 14 to 18: the written consent of the child themselves and of the second parent, if there is one

How the process runs

The examination is taken before the citizenship application is filed, so the order of steps looks like this.

1
You check the period of residence
The ordinary procedure requires 10 consecutive years of lawful residence up to the day of filing the application; the marriage procedure requires 5 years of continuous residence. A stateless person with status in Georgia is credited with 5 years.
2
You register for the examination
The request is filed with the agency, a branch of a Public Service Hall or a diplomatic mission or consular post of Georgia abroad — in person or through a representative. You need an identity document and a colour photograph 3.5x4.5 cm in electronic form.
3
You take the examination in the language, history and the basics of law
the result is valid for 1 year
The test is taken electronically through a special program. You must arrive at least 15 minutes before the start with the information sheet and your identity document. The first attempt is free; the second and each subsequent one cost GEL 40. You can view your paper on the agency's website using the application number and the code from the information sheet.
4
You file the application and documents
Applications are accepted by the territorial offices of the Public Service Development Agency and by branches of the Public Service Hall. If you are abroad, you apply to a diplomatic mission or consular post of Georgia.
5
You pay for the service according to the period chosen
20–80 days
The fee depends on the speed: GEL 65 for a decision on the 80th day, 130 on the 60th, 260 on the 40th, 390 on the 20th. For stateless persons with status in Georgia, examination under the ordinary procedure on the 80th day is free of charge.
6
You wait for the decision
no more than 3 months
The application is examined by the agency with the participation of the Citizenship Commission, and the final decision is taken by the President of Georgia. The period for examination and decision must not exceed three months. If refused, you may apply again on the same grounds after six months.
7
You obtain citizenship and your documents
A person who has obtained citizenship by naturalisation takes the oath in Georgian and signs its text. Next the electronic identity card is issued — the main document confirming citizenship and identity — and on the strength of it the foreign travel passport.

Timelines and rights

Work

A citizen works and runs a business without a right to work and without permits.

Who you can bring with you

Citizenship does not pass automatically to a spouse and children: the law expressly separates the citizenship of family members.

A spouse who is a citizen of Georgia

Marriage to a foreign national, or its dissolution, does not change the citizenship of either spouse. A foreign spouse is granted citizenship only under the simplified procedure — after 5 years of continuous lawful residence and passing the examination.

The spouse and minor child of a citizen of Georgia

Until citizenship they are entitled to a permanent residence permit. The same document is issued to the parent of a minor citizen of Georgia.

A child under 14

Citizenship under the ordinary procedure if one of the parents is a citizen of Georgia or the child has been adopted by a citizen of Georgia. The application is filed by the legal representative.

A child aged 14 to 18

The written consent of the child themselves and of the second parent, if there is one, is attached to the legal representative's application. The child's consent is not required if they are also a beneficiary of support.

A child born in Georgia with refugee or stateless status

Citizenship under the ordinary procedure after 5 years of residence in the country, without checking the grounds for refusal under article 16 of the law.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

Ordinary procedure — 10 consecutive years up to the day of filing the application; simplified — 5 years of continuous lawful residence

Citizenship is not renewed — what is renewed are the citizen's documents. A separate rule concerns a second citizenship: a citizen of Georgia keeps Georgian citizenship on acquiring a foreign one only if they obtained the state's consent to retain it beforehand. Consent is given where the person's connection with Georgia is found to be sound; the application is examined in 80, 60 or 30 days with a fee of GEL 500, 700 and 1,000. A child who acquired a foreign citizenship at birth together with the Georgian one keeps the Georgian citizenship until the age of 18: if no application for retention has been filed within that time, the citizenship is terminated.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Georgian citizenship	Refugee status	Humanitarian status
Visa term	Citizenship is indefinite	Refugee status is open-ended and does not require annual renewal	Granted for 1 year, renewed annually
Grounds	Long lawful residence, or marriage to a citizen of Georgia	Race/religion/nationality/social group	War / violations of rights
Money	Ordinary and simplified procedure: GEL 65 for 80 days, 130 for 60, 260 for 40, 390 for 20	No financial requirements; allowances are possible	No financial requirements; allowances are possible
Work	A citizen works and runs a business without a right to work and without permits	The right to work on the same footing as other foreign nationals	The right to work is the same as for refugees

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

A citizen no longer needs a residence permit or permanent residence. Before applying you hold a lawful status: the ordinary procedure requires 10 consecutive years, marriage to a citizen of Georgia 5 years.

Route to citizenship

You must pass examinations in the state language, history and the basics of law, and have work, property, a business or a share in a Georgian enterprise

Frequently asked questions about Georgian citizenship

How many years do you have to live in Georgia for the ordinary procedure?

An adult foreign national must have lawfully lived in Georgia for the last 10 consecutive years up to the day of filing the application, pass the examination in the language, history and the basics of law, and have work and/or property in the country, run a business or hold a share or shares in a Georgian enterprise. A stateless person with status in Georgia is credited with 5 years.

What does marriage to a citizen of Georgia give?

The right to the simplified procedure. Citizenship is granted to a person who is married to a citizen of Georgia and has continuously and lawfully lived in the country for the last 5 years up to the day of filing the application, if they have shown knowledge of the state language, the history of Georgia and the basics of law. The requirement as to work and property is not applied under the simplified procedure.

What counts as continuous residence?

Residence in Georgia during which the person has not left the country for more than 90 days in total within a year. Departure for study lasting up to two years and departure for medical treatment are not counted towards that period. The law treats a year as a period of 365 consecutive days, or 366 days in a leap year.

Do you have to renounce your previous citizenship?

Georgia has a single citizenship. A presidential decree granting citizenship to a foreign national — other than a grant under the exceptional procedure — takes effect from the moment the competent authorities of Georgia receive a document confirming that the person has left the citizenship of the other country. The law allows a person to be a citizen of Georgia and of another country at the same time only in the cases provided for in articles 17 and 21¹.

How much does the examination of the application cost and how quickly is the decision taken?

The fee depends on the period chosen: GEL 65 for a decision on the 80th day, GEL 130 on the 60th, GEL 260 on the 40th, GEL 390 on the 20th. The rates are the same for the ordinary and the simplified procedure. For stateless persons with status in Georgia, examination under the ordinary procedure on the 80th day is free of charge. The overall period for examination and decision does not exceed three months.

How much does the examination cost and how long is the result valid?

The first attempt is free; the second and each subsequent one cost GEL 40. The examination tests knowledge of the state language, the history of Georgia and the basics of law, is taken electronically through a special program and is sat before the citizenship application is filed. The result is valid for 1 year. A person with a severe physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment may be exempted from the examination by the Citizenship Commission — that possibility has applied since 1 May 2024.

Can the application be filed from abroad?

Yes. Citizenship applications are filed with the Public Service Development Agency under the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, or with a diplomatic mission or consular post of Georgia abroad — directly or through an authorised representative. For a minor the application is filed by the legal representative.

What do you do if you are refused?

You may file an application on the same grounds again six months after a negative decision. Refusal is possible for an international crime against peace and humanity, for participation in a grave crime against the person, the state or public safety, in the interests of state or public security, and also if the person is wanted or extradition or expulsion proceedings are under way against them. The provision that excluded judicial review of a negative presidential decision on naturalisation was declared invalid by the Constitutional Court of Georgia in decision No. 3/3/1601 of 7 March 2025.

Which documents are issued after obtaining citizenship?

The electronic identity card is the main document confirming citizenship and identity. A citizen of Georgia who has turned 14 must obtain it within 6 months; the obligation does not apply to citizens living abroad. The cost is GEL 60 for the 10th working day, GEL 80 for the 5th, GEL 100 for the 3rd, GEL 120 for the 2nd and GEL 150 for issue on the same day.

How do you obtain a passport of a citizen of Georgia?

For a passport you need an identity card and a colour photograph; on replacement the old passport is handed in. An adult is issued a passport for 10 years. The fee is GEL 150 for the 10th working day, GEL 180 for the 5th, GEL 225 for the 3rd, GEL 300 for issue within 24 hours and GEL 350 on the day of application. A repeat biometric passport can be ordered online: it is produced in 2 working days and the service costs GEL 300.

Other ways to move to Georgia

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Georgia.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.