Georgia · Citizenship by naturalisation
Citizenship by Naturalisation (Organic Law of Georgia on Georgian Citizenship)
Open on paper, but functionally closed to most UHNW applicants, since Georgia does not permit dual citizenship except by Presidential exception. There is no citizenship-by-investment programme in Georgia. Any marketing describing one is really describing the Presidential exception route, which is discretionary and cannot be bought.
We include this to close the loop on a persistent piece of mis-selling. Several agencies market what they call Georgian citizenship by investment. It does not exist. The only route that waives residence and allows dual nationality is a Presidential grant for exceptional merit to Georgia, and that is not a product. It cannot be bought. For a UHNW family, Georgia works only as a tax and residence jurisdiction.
Qualifying routes
The requirements are 10 years of continuous residence, plus examinations in language, history and law. You must also renounce your existing citizenship.
This route is reserved for those who have made a contribution of exceptional merit to Georgia. It waives the residence and language requirements and allows the applicant to keep their existing citizenship, though the decision is entirely discretionary.
The facts
- Total landed cost
- The state fees are nominal. The real cost is renouncing your existing nationality.
- Route type
- By residence
- Timeline
- 10–15 years (Ten years of qualifying residence must pass before an application can even be filed, and adjudication follows after that.)
- Physical presence
- Residence must be continuous for 10 years, with no more than 90 days spent outside Georgia in any qualifying year.
- Family
- Each applicant qualifies on their own. Minor children of a naturalising parent may follow
- Permanent residency
- In the ordinary case, permanent residence follows 6 years of residence.
- Citizenship
- 10 years
- Language test
- Applicants must pass exams in the Georgian language, along with Georgian history and the basics of law.
- Dual citizenship
- Not permitted. You would have to renounce.
- Requirements
- 10 years continuous lawful residenceGeorgian language, history and law examinationsrenunciation of existing citizenshipsufficient means to support self and familyno involvement in crimes against peace, humanity, state security or public order
- Renunciation is mandatory on the ordinary route. Georgia will require you to give up the passport you already hold. For any family with a Western nationality, this ends the conversation.
- The 90-days-abroad limit, measured over ten consecutive years, is hard to square with any internationally mobile life.
- The Presidential exception is not for sale, and it has been granted sparingly and for political reasons. Any adviser offering it for a fee is misrepresenting it.
- The language, history and law examinations are conducted in Georgian. Georgian is a language isolate, with a unique script and no cognates to help you along.