Georgia plans to tighten the rules for obtaining a residence permit
The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs has drafted a bill that imposes stricter requirements for foreign students and married couples to obtain residence permits. The bill is scheduled to be considered by parliament on an expedited basis on June 23.
If the amendments are adopted, foreigners will be able to enroll in Georgian universities and colleges only after confirming their knowledge of the Georgian language—by presenting an international certificate or passing an exam.
Georgian universities will implement quotas for admitting students from other countries. Higher education institutions will be required to report to the state on the enrollment, withdrawal, transfer, and status of foreign students. And if they violate this obligation, universities will have to pay fines. They will also face quota restrictions and may lose their authorization.
Rules for issuing student residence permits will also be tightened—only foreigners who have reached the age of majority and are studying at accredited educational institutions in Georgia will receive them. This document will be revoked if the student violates the requirements, fails to attend classes, or is absent from Georgia for an extended period.
Regarding marriages between Georgian citizens and foreigners, a new type of residence permit will be introduced for them, but authorities will verify that the marriage is not a sham.
It is proposed to make sham marriages a criminal offense—violators will face fines, house arrest, or imprisonment for up to two years, while foreigners will face deportation and a ban on entering Georgia for up to 10 years.
The package of amendments also expands the powers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Migration Department, which will gain the right to conduct operational and investigative activities to combat illegal migration. According to government estimates, there are over 20,000 undocumented immigrants remaining in the country.
Georgia had previously introduced additional restrictions on the employment of foreigners. Fines for overstaying visas were also increased from 180 to 1,000 lari (about 17,000 hryvnia).
In 2024, approximately 250,000 foreigners were permanently residing in the country, accounting for 6.6% of the population. This is roughly ten times more than in 2016. A significant portion of this increase consists of Russians and Ukrainians who moved there after the start of the full-scale war.
According to Russian media estimates, after the announcement of mobilization in Russia, about 70,000 Russians moved to Georgia, many of whom remain in the country to this day.
Georgiais introducing new rules for smartphone use in schools.
The trend of restricting smartphones in schools is gaining momentum worldwide. According to UNESCO, by the end of 2024, 79 education systems (about 40% of the world’s) already had bans or restrictions on phone use in schools.
Back in 2020, MP Oleksiy Goncharenko submitted a bill to the Verkhovna Rada proposing to ban the use of mobile devices and other internet-connected gadgets in schools during class.
China’s Ministry of Education has banned elementary and secondary school students from using mobile phones in educational institutions.
