Georgians Get Visa-free Travel Rights to EU

Georgia nationals can travel throughout the European Union for 90 days without being required to hold a visa, after the European Commission ratified the country’s visa liberalization on Monday, demonstrating the will to ensure European integration.

Georgians “must be very proud of this great achievement, which is the result of the common efforts of the Georgian people and the Georgian authorities,” EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos said.

Georgian citizens can now visit 26 Schengen Area countries with their biometric passports for 90 days within any 180-day period.

Avramopoulos added that the reforms also ”bring Georgia closer to the EU standards, facilitating cooperation with the European Union and bringing the country a step forward on its European path”.

“This result proves that the EU has not reneged on its promise,” Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said from Tblisi. “Today the European spirit is stronger in Georgia than anywhere else … [and] European ideology triumphs in Georgia more than ever.”

Actively seeking European integration, Georgia has adapted EU legislation to abolish the death penalty as well as tackle corruption and organized crime, among other requirements.

“We welcome the successful completion today of procedures for the abolition of short-stay visa obligation in the Schengen area for Georgian nationals,’’ the Greek foreign ministry said in a statement, adding that Greece has supported Georgia’s efforts ”in the belief that today’s [Monday’s] decision will contribute to further strengthening EU-Georgia relations, as well as increase the number of Georgian tourists visiting Europe”.