Azernews.Az

By Mushvig Mehdiyev

The Georgian parliament has approved a package of legislative amendments envisaging to facilitate the country's visa and immigration regulations.

The parliament approved the legislative package at its final hearing regarding the law dealing with "the legal status of foreigners and stateless persons".

A draft law has established preferential terms for foreigners living in Georgia to gain a residence permit.

The law change foresees the creation of a new type of residence permit - a short-term residence permit that is issued to a foreigner who owns real estate, except agricultural land, which has a market value that exceeds $35,000 on the Georgian territory.

The bill defines the country's foreign ministry responsible for the visa issuing, which is authorized to issue electronic visas.

According to the bill, amendments will go into force after the president sanctions the amendments with his official signature. Subsequently the government will adopt a decree listing those countries whose citizens will be eligible to a 360 day visa-free stay in Georgia's territory.

Visa regulations were tightened earlier in September last year. Then, the Georgian authorities tightened its visa regime for more than a dozen countries and retained visa free rules with others. Citizens of those countries have been allowed to stay in Georgia without a visa for a maximum of 90 days in any 180 day period instead of 360 days as it was before.

The Georgian government highlighted that the new type of residence permit will encourage foreigners to enter Georgia with the intention of investing in the real estate sector, and therefore will contribute to developing Georgia's real estate market.

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