Recently, the Georgian Ministry of Justice has been increasingly requesting applicants for residence permits (RP) to provide a certificate of no criminal record from their country of citizenship or country of last residence for the past 5 years.

Although this requirement does not yet apply in all cases (approximately 1 in 10 cases), ignoring it may result in the refusal to issue a residence permit. Therefore, it is better to be prepared in advance.

When and from whom a reference may be requested

• The basis for the request is at the discretion of the Georgian Ministry of Justice.
• Frequency: approximately 1 in 10 applications for a residence permit.
• Time of request: after submitting documents for a residence permit, during the review process.
• Deadline for submission: usually 30 calendar days from the date of receipt of the notification.

Document requirements

• The certificate must bear the seal of the competent authority.
• If the issuing country requires an apostille for international use, the document must bear an apostille seal.
• Language: original + translation into Georgian, certified by a notary.

Where and how to obtain a certificate

In your country of citizenship

• At the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Justice, or similar agency.
• In electronic form—for some countries, it is possible to obtain it online.

In Georgia

• Through your country’s embassy or consulate.
• For citizens of the Russian Federation: through the Russian Federation Interests Section at the Swiss Embassy in Georgia.

Online

• Russia — the Gosuslugi portal (the electronic certificate can be printed and notarized in Georgia).
• Ukraine — the Diya service (similarly, a printed electronic certificate can be notarized).
• Belarus — no direct mention, but a similar electronic request system is likely in place.

Important considerations

• Even if the certificate is not always required, preparing it in advance will save time and reduce the risk of rejection.
• If requested, the document must be provided within 30 days—this is a limited time frame, especially if the certificate must be requested from abroad.
• Some countries issue certificates of no criminal record only in person, which may require travel or a power of attorney for a representative.
• If the document is in a foreign language, it will need to be translated and notarized in Georgia.

The new practice of the Georgian Ministry of Justice is an additional step in checking applicants for a residence permit. Although the requirement is applied selectively, we recommend that clients prepare a certificate of no criminal record in advance, especially if the processing or apostille in your country takes a long time.