Georgian citizenship provides a number of advantages that are not available to holders of a residence permit. For example, this is the possibility of visa-free entry to the Schengen area, the right to vote in elections, as well as the acquisition of agricultural land.

The grounds for obtaining citizenship are established in the Law on Citizenship of Georgia.

Citizenship by Birth

The following persons have the right to citizenship by birth:

• Persons, one of whose parents is a citizen of Georgia at the time of their birth.
• Children born in Georgia to parents who do not have citizenship of any country.
• Undowried children born on the territory of Georgia.
• Children born in Georgia to parents, one of whom is a stateless person, and the other is unknown.

Minor children who are in Georgia without known parents automatically become citizens of Georgia. Children adopted in Georgia also receive access to citizenship.

The application will take 15 days to process and is free, but it is possible to speed up the process. The additional fee is 40 GEL for 5 days, 50 GEL for 3 days and 100 GEL for the same day.

Citizenship for Adult Foreigners

To obtain citizenship in the usual manner, adult foreigners must meet one of the following conditions:

• Residence in Georgia legally for 10 years (no more than 90 days of absence from the country per year, except for study or treatment).
• Residence in Georgia legally for the past 5 years and the status of a stateless person.

These groups must meet one of the conditions:

• Working or owning real estate in Georgia.
• Participation in entrepreneurial activity.
• Owning shares or stakes in Georgian companies.

You also need to pass a test on knowledge of the state language, as well as the basics of the history and law of Georgia. Sample tests are published on the website of the Public Service Development Agency of Georgia.

The fees depend on the urgency of the application and are: 65 GEL for 80 days, 130 GEL for 60 days, 260 GEL for 40 days and 390 GEL for 20 days.

Simplified Citizenship

Persons married to a Georgian citizen can simplify the process of obtaining citizenship, provided that they have lived in Georgia for the past five years, as well as know the Georgian language and the basics of history and law.

The fees are the same as for the standard procedure.

Exceptional Citizenship

Some categories of foreigners can obtain citizenship under a simplified process, in particular, those who have made significant investments in the Georgian economy, or those who have achieved success in sports, science or art.

The fast track fees for this category are GEL 500 for 80 days, GEL 700 for 60 days, and GEL 1,000 for 30 days.

Restoration of Citizenship

Foreigners whose citizenship was unlawfully terminated can restore it if they speak Georgian. The fees for restoration are GEL 130 for 30 days and GEL 195 for 20 days.

Detailed information on the required documents and fees is available on the website of the Agency for the Development of Public Services.