Until recently, Georgia was considered one of the best countries for migrants to live and work in. Since October 1 of last year, however, migrants in the neighboring country can no longer feel at home. It was on that date that strict legislation entered into force in Georgia regarding foreigners who violate the rules for legal stay and residence. Under the new rules, deportation from Georgia is carried out through a simplified procedure, and high fines are imposed.
Realities that made stricter rules necessary
The Georgian authorities adopted the new strict rules amid a large influx of foreigners, especially following the Russia-Ukraine war. The goal was to strengthen control over illegal migration and prevent abuse of asylum procedures. Since 2024, the tightening of the rules has also taken on a political dimension. From the end of November that year, anti-government protests in Georgia showed active participation by foreign citizens, and it was even observed that they created confrontations with police officers.
If we look at official statistics, we can observe an increasing trend in the percentage of foreigners relative to the country’s population in recent years. While in 2014 the number of foreigners in Georgia accounted for 1.78% of the population, by the end of last year this figure had risen to approximately 6%.
The strictest measure of migration policy: entry ban
For foreigners, the most severe consequence of deportation from Georgia is a ban on entry into the country. The ban is imposed for a period ranging from 6 months to 3 years. The duration is determined based on how long the person has overstayed their legal period of stay. Those who leave Georgia voluntarily do not face such a ban. Foreigners who have committed criminal offenses in the country are also deported. Depending on the severity of the offense, they may be banned from entering Georgia for 2 to 20 years, or for life.
The previous legislation did not provide for the expulsion of a foreigner from the country; only fines were imposed. While the amount of those fines ranged from 180 to 360 lari (114-228 AZN), currently this amount varies between 1,000 and 3,000 lari (632-1,896 AZN).
Deportation statistics for Azerbaijani citizens
Although Azerbaijani citizens are regularly among the foreigners deported from Georgia, the percentage is not high according to statistics. Based on information from Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, in the first nine months of 2025, 27 Azerbaijani citizens — 19 men and 8 women — were expelled from the neighboring country. During the same period, a total of 851 foreigners were deported from Georgia. Our citizens accounted for only 3.1% of them. In 2024, 71 Azerbaijani citizens were expelled from Georgia, which made up 19.5% of all deported foreigners.
In the first nine months of last year, the nationals most frequently deported from the neighboring country were citizens of India (166 people/19.5%), Iran (128 people/15%), and Türkiye (81 people/9.5%).
Deportation statistics for the third quarter of 2025 (October-December) have not yet been announced. The figures are expected to increase because, as noted above, the simplified deportation procedure has been in force since October 1 of last year.
As is known, our citizens have the right to stay in Georgia visa-free for one year. When the specified period is about to expire, it is required to leave Georgian territory. Azerbaijani citizens who plan to stay or reside in the neighboring country for more than one year must obtain a residence permit. The only circumstance allowing an extension of the visa-free stay is related to the foreigner’s health condition. A foreigner who cannot leave Georgia due to illness must apply to the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to extend their visa period.
One point must be emphasized: Azerbaijani citizens living and working in Georgia used the “visa-run” mechanism until 2020 to extend their stay — by crossing into Azerbaijan by land and returning to Georgia after a short time, they could “reset” the visa-free period. However, Azerbaijan’s land borders have remained closed since March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, making the use of this mechanism impossible. The number of Azerbaijani citizens using “visa-run” by crossing to other neighboring countries, Türkiye and Russia, is not very high. Although the mechanism is widely used among foreigners, in recent months, information has circulated that it is no longer valid.
Residence and work permits: Simple procedure, tough requirements
The requirements for obtaining temporary and permanent residence permits in Georgia are no longer as easy as before. Such permits are granted on the basis of employment, family reunification, education, or the purchase of real estate. For students, obtaining a temporary residence permit does not pose much difficulty. Most residence permit applications are approved, especially those from foreigners engaged in individual entrepreneurship, purchasing real estate, or seeking family reunification. It is proposed to increase the minimum property value threshold for obtaining a residence permit based on real estate from 100,000 US dollars to 150,000 US dollars.
According to amendments to the “Labor Migration” law that will enter into force in Georgia on March 1 of this year, foreigners engaged in employment will be required to obtain a work permit. It is reported that the number of illegal labor migrants in the neighboring country has reached 200,000, while the number of officially registered workers exceeds 40,000. These indicators made it necessary to review a number of regulatory acts and tighten control over the labor market.
The absence of a work permit will serve as grounds for fining both the employee and the employer 2,000 lari. The same fine is envisaged for self-employed foreigners working without a permit. In case of repeated violations, the fines will be doubled or tripled.
After obtaining a work permit, a foreigner must apply for a work-based residence permit in Georgia no later than 10 days. This permit will be issued for a period of 6 months or until the end of the employment contract. Once the contract expires, the residence permit will be canceled, and the foreigner must leave Georgia.
The rules may seem simple, but the key factors taken into account when obtaining a work permit are as follows: the monthly income must exceed Georgia’s subsistence minimum by five times, and the company’s turnover must not be less than 50,000 lari for each employed foreigner. The reasons for refusal are also defined. If the foreign citizen’s profession, specialization, or position does not correspond to the demands and needs of the Georgian labor market, the application will not be approved. In addition, the foreigner’s profession must not be included in a special list. This list includes occupations in which the supply of labor exceeds demand and for which the employment of foreigners is prohibited.
All documents submitted for a work permit must be complete and error-free. Even if a single document is missing, the response will be a refusal.
Record deportations of foreigners
The initiative to strengthen the fight against illegal migration came from Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs. While preparing the package of legislative amendments, modern approaches and specific measures implemented in different countries in this field were studied.
According to the agency, there is no unified migrant registration system in the country, and the number of illegal migrants amounts to 25,000 or more. Improving all legal mechanisms related to migration will enable effective state control over the migration process in Georgia and strict oversight of those who artificially extend their period of stay in the country.
According to the Georgian government, in the 11 months of last year, 1,131 foreigners were deported from Georgia. This figure significantly exceeds the combined total of the last three years. In 2024 alone, 363 foreigners were subjected to deportation. Since January 1 of this year, 179 foreign citizens, including Azerbaijani citizens, have already been expelled from the neighboring country.
It is planned to deport at least 3,500 illegal migrants from Georgia throughout 2026. According to forecasts by Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, the problem of illegal migration in the country will be completely eliminated in 3-4 years.
A decline in the labor force is expected
Another restriction in Georgia related to foreigners concerns the education sector. Starting from this academic year, the admission of foreigners to the neighboring country’s state higher education institutions has been suspended. The reason for the decision was that the number of foreign students in state universities had reached approximately half of the total number of students. The Georgian government has now defined providing quality higher education to its own citizens, rather than foreigners, as a key priority.
The Georgian authorities justify their strict migration policy by the defense of the country’s national interests, and it is expected that this approach will not be softened in the future but will continue. The first results of the tightening policy are predicted to manifest themselves in the labor market. In Georgia, foreign citizens mainly work in the service sector. According to local economists, tightening migration legislation will first of all lead to a reduction in the workforce in the restaurant and hotel sector, where staff shortages are already being experienced.
Time will show what other consequences the tightening face of Georgian hospitality will bring for the country’s social and economic spheres.
