Indians citizens are eligible to apply for a tourist as well as a business visa to visit the country of Georgia. There are different categories of visas that will apply to the occasion, depending on the purpose of your travel to Georgia. According to whether you are planning to go on a visit, study or work and reside in Georgia permanently, you will have to apply for a specific Georgian Visa. The Embassy of Georgia will review your application and based on the purpose of travel, you may be granted a visa with the right of stay for a short term period, long term period or with the right of transit within the territory of Georgia only. In India, the sole authorized body for issuing, extending, and terminating Georgian visas is Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia or the Embassy of Georgia in New Delhi.
Short-term visa may be issued according to the number of days indicated in a visa application but for not more than 30 calendar days. Only in the event that you have visited Georgia at least once during the previous year, you may request a short term multiple entry visa for a maximum period of five years. Furthermore, an Indian citizen’s total period of entry and stay in Georgia in any 180-day period must not exceed 90 calendar days.
Visitors may also apply for a long term visa (which may be issued with the right of multiple entries) to Georgia for a period of 90 calendar days or for one year validity and stay.
Citizens of the Republic of India and stateless persons permanently residing in this country, for short-term visit purposes, must obtain an ordinary visa before entering the territory of Georgia. It is possible to obtain ordinary visa without visiting Georgian Embassy or Consular Office, simply by submitting visa application through e-Visa Portal. It is also possible to submit visa application through Georgian Embassy or Consular Office, in person.
Visa applicants must first determine which type of visa (and residency status) to apply for based on the purpose of their visit to Georgia. The type of visa you'll need is determined by Georgian immigration legislation and is based on your intended purpose of the trip. The following are the many types of Georgian visas:
Short-term and long-term visas are available, with the option of a single or several entries. Itzeazy guides you in understanding the types of visas and accordingly in the whole application process of obtaining a Georgia visa from India with timely support regarding application, documents, and requirements. .
Documents Required
The following documents are required to obtain a visa, irrespective of which visa type you are applying for:
1.Travel document- This means that the applicant must hold a passport of India. This passport must be valid for a minimum of three months after the applicant’s intended departure from Georgia. It must contain at least two blank pages at the end for the visa stamp and must have been issued within the last 10 years. The front data page on your passport must not have any observations or remarks, and it shall not be damaged and shall not contain any unofficial records.
2.Application form- The applicant must submit a fully completed application form in English. Applicants must note that any incomplete information or false statements in the application can result in a delay in processing or rejection of the application. Please note that the application form has to be filled out in the English language only.
3.Photograph- Applicants require one recent original passport-size colour photograph with a white background. The photograph should be new, that is, not more than six months old.
4.Covering letter- The applicant must submit a covering letter to the centre, with details such as the applicant introducing himself/herself, explaining the purpose of visit, duration & itinerary of the visit in brief.
5.Travel Medical Insurance- All applicants must hold a valid travel insurance policy while travelling to Georgia, in order to cover all possible expenses in regard to a return to India for health reasons, death, indispensable medical treatment or acute hospitalisation during their stay in the country. The insurance policy must be valid for the entire duration of the applicant’s intended stay in Georgia, and in all parts of the country. The applicant will be required to shorten the validity of their visa in the event that their insurance policy does not cover the entire duration of the stay in Georgia. Applicants can buy the pre-approved travel insurance from http://www.einsurance.ge/ .
6.Proof of Means of Travel – Applicants need their flight reservation of return or round ticket as proof. Applicants must note that the tickets do not have to be paid for; only the booking receipt needs to be submitted as proof.
7.Proof of Lodging – The applicant’s hotel reservations, receipt of renting a holiday home or campus residence reservation are required as proof. Proof of sponsorship and private accommodation from the host is required, in the event that the applicant intends to stay with a family member or a friend in Georgia.
8.Proof of Financial means- The applicant’s original bank statement showing their transactions in the last three months, duly stamped and signed by the bank authority, or Indian income tax return statement is required. This ITR statement must acknowledge returns for the last two assessment years. The bank account statement must be in the name of the applicant or the sponsor of the trip. In the event that the applicant is being sponsored by a resident of Georgia, the bank statement should be accompanied by a signed sponsorship letter and a signed copy of the sponsor’s passport.
Additional documents to be submitted:
In the event that the applicant is employed:
In the event that the applicant is self-employed or owns a company:
In the event that the applicant is retired:
9.Minor Applicant
10.Passport Copy- All applications must enclose a full colour photocopy of the valid passport of the applicant. All the pages of the passport are required to be photocopied and attached. Applicants must also submit any old copies of expired or cancelled passports previously held by them to the centre. If applying for a Tourist Visa:
1.In the event that the applicant is being sponsored, an invitation letter with the address and phone number from the family or company that is sponsoring is required.
2.Bank statement of the last 6 months
3.Passport copies of the applicant
4.A certificate from the travel agency confirming the booking of an organised trip of the applicant (if any)
5.Any other appropriate document indicating the travel plans of the applicant, including period and reason of visit.
6.In the event that applicant is married and cannot provide evidence of marital status in the passport, a marriage certificate must be submitted. In the event that the marriage certificate is not available, a copy of the applicant’s ration card can also be submitted.
7.Applicant also needs a character certificate from the local police of the home country.
If applying for a Georgia Visa for Business Purposes:
1.Invitation letter from the Georgian company which the applicant will be visiting and their complete address along with the dates of the visit
2.A No Objection Letter from your employer allowing the business travel and stating the details about the trip.
3.Both invitation letter as well as letter from employer must confirm the following details:
4.Proof of previous trade relations between the two companies, in the event that such events have occurred.
5.Bank statement of the last 6 months of the company
6.The coverage of applicant’s expenses during their stay in Georgia must be proved by either the employer or the host company who is hosting the applicant, on the letter or invitation.
Note:
Visa Fees
How To Apply
How To Apply for Georgia Fees
Step 1: The applicant may choose between the E-Visa application portal or the Electronic application system. Applicants must use the E-Visa system only when they require a short-term electronic visa, whereas they may use the E-application system to apply for any category of visa. In the Electronic application system, after the visa application has been submitted through the online E-Application System, hard copies of the signed visa application and all other documents necessary to issue a visa must be submitted to the visa issuing authority at the Embassy or service centre. The Electronic application can be accessed at https://www.geoconsul.gov.ge/en/register/visit . The E-Visa application can be accessed at https://www.evisa.gov.ge/GeoVisa/ . Applicants may select the type of application they wish to submit, and begin filling it in.
Step 2: Complete the visa application form After selecting a mode of submission, applicants must fill in the following details in the application form:
Step 3: Submit Visa application Applicants using the Electronic application system must then select which documents they will be attaching and then make an appointment at the consular appointment. After selection of the appointment time and date, the applicant must then accept the terms and conditions to submit the application. The applicant will also be provided with a temporary user ID and password to access their online visa application where they can make changes to their appointment time and place.
Applicants using the E-Visa portal must finish email verification where a code of activation will be sent to your email ID. After verification, applicants must upload scanned versions of their documents (including a passport size photograph) and then proceed to pay for the application using the secure payment portal (using either credit card or debit card). Applicants using the e-visa portal may skip the following steps.
Step 4: Keep the required documents for visa application ready Only applicants using the Electronic application system must take a printout of their visa application and keep it ready along with their documents. Applicants must keep in mind which documents must be submitted along with their application form, as mentioned above. Applicants must gather all the documents in a file, attest the photocopies, and take them with them for submission along with the application form to the Embassy or Consulate of Georgia, New Delhi or Mumbai.
Step 5: Provide photograph for your visa application Applicants must keep in mind to provide a recent colour passport sized photograph for the visa application. They must make sure that the photograph matches or corresponds to all the specifications required for visa photographs. The specifications for the photograph are:
Applicants must attach the photograph to the application in the space provided and attest it.
Step 6: Submit your visa application form After completion, submit your visa application form and all the required documents to the Georgia Embassy or Consulate nearest to you. Applicants can only make appointments, and can submit the application during the Embassy’s office hours, from Monday to Friday. In the event that you have no previous history of having been granted a Georgian visa, you will have to submit the application in person. Under special circumstances (or government servants), the applicant may submit their application through a representative or via courier. In some cases, the Embassy officials may choose to schedule an interview with the applicant regarding the intent of their visit.
Step 7: Pay required visa application fee At the time of submitting your application form, pay the applicable fee for your visa application and receive a printed receipt for the processed payment. Check with the Georgia Embassy or Consulate regarding the current processing fee for the visa and the mode of payment accepted by them. The fees can only be paid in cash so the applicants are required to carry the required amount to the submission centre. Additionally, applicants will also receive a reference number with which they can track the status of their application.
Collection
E - Visa portal applicants will receive their e-visa in a PDF format to the registered email ID, after processing and approval of the visa.
The processing time for the application at the Embassy of Georgia is approximately 10 business days. However, in the event that the applicant is a student, the processing time at the Embassy of Georgia is 2 months.
After your visa has been approved, you will be personally contacted regarding the issuance. In the event that you cannot collect your visa in person, you can have it sent to you by courier services (this can be obtained by paying an extra charge upfront).
Applicants must note that the documents or passport of the applicant will only be handed over to the following people (if they have authorising letters) and will not be handed over to third parties.
In the event that any of the above mentioned people go to collect the applicant’s passport, they need to carry any of the following documents:
Application Tracking
Georgia Visa Tracking
Only applicants who have applied for a visa via the Electronic Application system can access the online tracking service. Applicants may check the status of their application at
https://www.vfsvisaonline.com/Global-Passporttracking/Track/Index?q=shSA0YnE4pLF9Xzwon/x/AYvpqV+ro69aR1c81Q/VGoPJgA+rLXdPLREIT8WQZekZrmPsx/gq0paEDF6diBWtg==
They must enter the application reference number and their last name to access the information. The applicants will also be notified when their visa has been approved and is ready for collection via email to the registered email id.